Scheduled MonumentsScotlandMuirhouselaw,homestead moat
Homestead moat

Muirhouselaw,homestead moat

Scotland
HES SM2883
Site type
Homestead moat
Nation
Scotland
Boundary

Scheduled area

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

Overview

History & significance

Muirhouselaw homestead moat is a medieval domestic enclosure located in Roxburghshire, south-east Scotland. The monument comprises a substantial moat, a water-filled or originally water-filled defensive ditch encircling a residential site, typical of the medieval period across lowland Britain and Scotland. Such homestead moats served both defensive and status functions for minor landholders and are commonly dated to the twelfth to sixteenth centuries. The survival of the moat at Muirhouselaw demonstrates the pattern of medieval settlement and land use in the Scottish Borders, reflecting local administrative and social organisation during the late medieval period.

Muirhouselaw,homestead moat is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2883. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Muirhouselaw,homestead moat?

Muirhouselaw homestead moat is a medieval domestic enclosure located in Roxburghshire, south-east Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2883.

Who is responsible for protecting Muirhouselaw,homestead moat?

Muirhouselaw,homestead moat 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 SM2883.

What other scheduled monuments are near Muirhouselaw,homestead moat?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Peniel Heugh, fort (3.1 km), Castle Hill, fort (3.5 km), Mantle Walls, Ancrum, bishop's palace (3.7 km).

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