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Pitcastle dun is an Iron Age fortified settlement situated in Perthshire, Scotland, occupying a defensible position on Southern Highland Group bedrock formed during the Middle Cambrian period. The underlying geology comprises psammite and pelite—metamorphosed sedimentary rocks characteristic of this highland region—which would have provided a stable foundation for construction and offered natural defensive advantages through its undulating terrain.
The dun represents a form of domestic fortification typical of Iron Age Scotland, designed to protect a small community and their livestock. These structures functioned as high-status residences as well as defensive positions, incorporating stone walls that could exploit the local rocky outcrops. The landscape around Pitcastle would have offered good visibility of approaching threats whilst providing access to water sources and grazing land essential for survival.
The monument is protected by Historic Environment Scotland as a scheduled monument under reference SM726, recognising its archaeological and historical significance. Though the precise dimensions and current condition of the structures remain undocumented in available records, Pitcastle dun represents an important survival of Iron Age settlement patterns in the Perthshire Highlands, contributing to understanding how communities organised themselves during this transformative period of Scottish prehistory.
Pitcastle,dun 180m SW of is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM726. View the official record →
Pitcastle dun is an Iron Age fortified settlement situated in Perthshire, Scotland, occupying a defensible position on Southern Highland Group bedrock formed during the Middle Cambrian period. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM726.
Pitcastle,dun 180m SW of dates from the iron age period, and is classified as a dun. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Pitcastle,dun 180m SW of 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 SM726.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Logierait Churchyard,cross slab (3.4 km), Cairn 30m NW of Sunny Bank, Balnaguard (4.4 km), Clach Glas, standing stone 130m WSW of Westhaugh of Tulliemet (4.5 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Pitcastle,dun 180m SW of'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.
Pitcastle,dun 180m SW of stands on Southern Highland Group, bedrock that formed in the Middle Cambrian. The rock here is psammite and pelite.