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Moat Knowe is a Iron Age fort located in Roxburghshire, Scotland. The fort sits upon bedrock composed of unnamed extrusive rocks of Silurian to Devonian age, formed during the Devonian period from mafic lava and mafic tuff. This volcanic geology provided a naturally firm foundation for the defensive structure, typical of Iron Age settlements in the Scottish Borders region.
The site is protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2157. Moat Knowe represents the type of fortified settlement established across southern Scotland during the Iron Age, when communities constructed defended homesteads to protect themselves and their livestock. The dark volcanic stone of the locality would have been readily available for construction of the fort's ramparts and other structural elements.
The name Moat Knowe suggests later medieval associations with the motte-and-bailey tradition, though the site's origins lie firmly in the Iron Age. The strategic location in Roxburghshire reflects the pattern of Iron Age settlement in this border landscape, where communities utilised both natural topography and available stone to create secure settlements on the foundation of ancient volcanic bedrock.
Moat Knowe,fort is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2157. View the official record →
Moat Knowe is a Iron Age fort located in Roxburghshire, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2157.
Moat Knowe,fort dates from the iron age period, and is classified as a fort. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Moat Knowe,fort 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 SM2157.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Brownhart Law,Roman signal station & Roman road,Dere Street (4.1 km), Roman fort, two Roman fortlets, two Roman camps, a section of Roman road and a medieval settlement and chapel at Chew Green (5.1 km), Three round cairns on Thirl Moor (6 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Moat Knowe,fort'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.
Moat Knowe,fort stands on Unnamed Extrusive Rocks, Silurian To Devonian, bedrock that formed in the Devonian. The rock here is mafic lava and mafic tuff.