© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic Environment Scotland
Pirn Wood fort is an Iron Age hillfort situated in Peeblesshire, in the Scottish Borders. The monument stands upon bedrock of the Gala Group, a wacke formation dating to the Telychian period, which provides a naturally rocky foundation typical of upland Tweed Valley sites. The fort exploits the defensive properties of this rugged terrain characteristic of the region's geology.
The site belongs to the class of Iron Age forts that dominate the Borders landscape, constructed during the late prehistoric period when such defended enclosures served as territorial and communal centres. Pirn Wood's position in Peeblesshire places it within a region rich in comparable monuments, reflecting the strategic importance of the Tweed Valley as a corridor of settlement and communication.
The fort is protected as a scheduled monument under Historic Environment Scotland reference SM1491, recognising its archaeological significance and the importance of preserving its physical remains. Like other Iron Age fortifications in the Borders, it contributes to understanding the settlement patterns, social organisation and landscape use of late prehistoric Scotland.
Pirn Wood,fort is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM1491. View the official record →
Pirn Wood fort is an Iron Age hillfort situated in Peeblesshire, in the Scottish Borders. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM1491.
Pirn Wood,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.
Pirn Wood,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 SM1491.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Caerlee Hill, fort (1.2 km), Plora Tower, tower house, garden terraces and associated structures, 335m SW of West Bold Farm Cottages (2.7 km), Prehistoric settlement, 170m SW of West Bold Cottages (2.8 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Pirn Wood,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.
Pirn Wood,fort stands on Gala Group, bedrock that formed in the Telychian. The rock here is wacke.