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Mote Knowe, Monkwood is an Iron Age dun situated in Ayrshire, Scotland. The dun occupies a naturally prominent position built upon bedrock belonging to the Lanark Group, a sequence of Early Devonian sandstone and conglomerate deposits. This underlying geology provided a solid foundation for the fortified dwelling and may have influenced its construction and defensive qualities during the Iron Age period.
Duns were small, enclosed homesteads characteristic of Iron Age settlement in Scotland, typically featuring substantial stone or timber-built walls surrounding a central courtyard or dwelling area. These structures served both domestic and defensive purposes, providing protection and status within their communities. The rocky terrain of the Lanark Group bedrock, with its exposed sandstone and conglomerate layers, would have offered natural advantages for construction and defence.
Mote Knowe, Monkwood is protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2865, recognising its archaeological and historical significance. The site remains an important example of Iron Age settlement patterns in south-west Scotland, contributing to our understanding of domestic life and social organisation during this formative period of Scottish prehistory.
Mote Knowe,dun,Monkwood is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2865. View the official record →
Mote Knowe, Monkwood is an Iron Age dun situated in Ayrshire, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2865.
Mote Knowe,dun,Monkwood dates from the iron age period, and is classified as a dun,monkwood. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Mote Knowe,dun,Monkwood 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 SM2865.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Dowan's Hill,dun,Dunree (1.8 km), Craigmuir Mote,dun (2.2 km), Wallace's Stone,cross-incised stone (2.7 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Mote Knowe,dun,Monkwood'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.
Mote Knowe,dun,Monkwood stands on Lanark Group, bedrock that formed in the Early Devonian. The rock here is sandstone and conglomerate, interbedded.