Scheduled MonumentsScotlandQuothquan Law, fort
Iron Age · Fort

Quothquan Law, fort

Scotland
HES SM2601
Period
Iron Age
Site type
Fort
Nation
Scotland
Boundary

Scheduled area

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

Overview

History & significance

Quothquan Law is a hillfort built during the Iron Age on a prominent rocky outcrop in Lanarkshire, Scotland. The site exploits the natural defensive properties of its location, rising from bedrock composed of ancient mafic lava and tuff dating to the Devonian period. This volcanic foundation provides a naturally elevated and commanding position across the surrounding landscape.

The fort exemplifies the hill-fort tradition characteristic of Iron Age settlement in lowland Scotland, utilising the steep slopes and rocky substrate for protection. The Devonian extrusive rocks that form the Law create substantial natural ramparts, which would have been enhanced by artificial earthworks and timber structures to create a formidable stronghold. Such positions were favourable for controlling routes and demonstrating power across the territory.

Quothquan Law is protected under the Historic Environment Record maintained by Historic Environment Scotland as a scheduled monument under reference SM2601. The site remains an important example of Iron Age defensive settlement in the region, with its dramatic topography and geological setting contributing to its archaeological and landscape significance.

Quothquan Law, fort is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2601. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Quothquan Law, fort?

Quothquan Law is a hillfort built during the Iron Age on a prominent rocky outcrop in Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2601.

What period does Quothquan Law, fort date from?

Quothquan Law, 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 Quothquan Law, fort?

Quothquan Law, 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 SM2601.

What other scheduled monuments are near Quothquan Law, fort?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Lamington Tower (6.5 km), Snaip Hill,fort (6.8 km), Snaip, settlement 380m SSW of (7 km).

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Everything a full report reveals about Quothquan Law, fort

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Quothquan Law, 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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The ground beneath

The bedrock under Quothquan Law, fort

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