© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic Environment Scotland
Loch of Leys crannog is an Iron Age to medieval artificial island settlement located 400 metres north of Lochton of Leys in Kincardineshire. The monument sits on bedrock of Argyll Group rocks, Neoproterozoic psammite, semipelite and pelite, typical of the deep geological formations underlying much of this region. The crannog itself represents a distinctive form of defended domestic settlement, built on or in shallow water and accessed by causeway or boat, which became common in Scotland during the Iron Age and persisted through the medieval period.
Crannogs such as this one served as residences for families of local prominence, their island location providing defence and prestige. The particular geology of the site, with its harder psammitic bedrock overlain by softer sediments, would have influenced water retention and the foundation stability necessary for such settlements. The surrounding loch landscape provided essential resources including fish and wildfowl, supplementing the pastoral and agricultural economy of Iron Age and medieval Kincardineshire.
The monument is protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM4466. This statutory designation safeguards the archaeological remains from disturbance and ensures their preservation for future research and public understanding.
Loch of Leys, crannog 400m N of Lochton of Leys is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM4466. View the official record →
Loch of Leys crannog is an Iron Age to medieval artificial island settlement located 400 metres north of Lochton of Leys in Kincardineshire. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM4466.
Loch of Leys, crannog 400m N of Lochton of Leys dates from the iron age–medieval period, and is classified as a crannog 400m n of lochton of leys. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Loch of Leys, crannog 400m N of Lochton of Leys is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic Environment Scotland — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Scotland. The official designation reference is SM4466.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Cairnshee,field system & farmstead 700m WSW of (4.8 km), Cairnshee Wood,cairn 750m SSW of Cairnshee (5.4 km), Eslie, stone circle 550m ESE of (5.9 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Loch of Leys, crannog 400m N of Lochton of Leys's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Loch of Leys, crannog 400m N of Lochton of Leys stands on Argyll Group, bedrock that formed in the Neoproterozoic. The rock here is psammite, semipelite and pelite.