Scheduled MonumentsScotlandMorebattle Hill,fort
Iron Age · Fort

Morebattle Hill,fort

Scotland
HES SM1701
Period
Iron Age
Site type
Fort
Nation
Scotland
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic Environment Scotland

Overview

History & significance

Morebattle Hill fort is an Iron Age hilltop settlement in Roxburghshire, Scottish Borders. The fort occupies a naturally commanding position on bedrock composed of Silurian to Devonian extrusive rocks, predominantly mafic lava and tuff formed during the Devonian period. This volcanic geology provides a naturally defensive foundation and would have offered exposed stone suitable for constructing the fort's defences.

The site exploits the topography typical of Iron Age fortified settlements in the Borders, sited to control the surrounding landscape and provide early warning of approach. The solid volcanic bedrock beneath would have presented both challenges and advantages for construction, with naturally fractured stone available for building the ramparts and internal structures characteristic of this period.

Morebattle Hill fort is protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM1701, recognising its archaeological significance as evidence of Iron Age settlement and social organisation in the Borders region. The fort remains an important survival of prehistoric defensive architecture in Roxburghshire.

Morebattle Hill,fort is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM1701. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Morebattle Hill,fort?

Morebattle Hill fort is an Iron Age hilltop settlement in Roxburghshire, Scottish Borders. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM1701.

What period does Morebattle Hill,fort date from?

Morebattle Hill,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.

Who is responsible for protecting Morebattle Hill,fort?

Morebattle Hill,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 SM1701.

What other scheduled monuments are near Morebattle Hill,fort?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Chatto Craig,fort (7.3 km), Swanlaws, farmstead 250m NNE of (7.7 km), Trestle Cairn,cairn (8 km).

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Everything a full report reveals about Morebattle Hill,fort

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Morebattle Hill,fort's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman Britain
The Roman roads, forts and towns near here, and the Iron Age people who held the land before Rome arrived.
Stat Accounts
The parish Statistical Accounts of the 1790s and 1830s, describing life, work and population here.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
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Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

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The ground beneath

The bedrock under Morebattle Hill,fort

Morebattle Hill,fort stands on Unnamed Extrusive Rocks, Silurian To Devonian, bedrock that formed in the Devonian. The rock here is mafic lava and mafic tuff.