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Skid Hill is a Iron Age fort situated in East Lothian, Scotland. The monument occupies a defensible position on volcanic bedrock comprising felsic lava and tuff formations of Dinantian age, laid down during the Mississippian period approximately 350 million years ago. This ancient volcanic substrate would have provided a naturally strong foundation for fortification, with the hard rock offering resistance to erosion and providing material suitable for construction or stone-working.
The fort represents a significant example of Iron Age settlement strategy in south-eastern Scotland, a region rich in such defensive structures. Iron Age communities in East Lothian exploited the landscape's natural advantages, and Skid Hill's location on volcanic bedrock exemplifies this practice. The choice of site reflects contemporary understanding of defensive positioning and construction logistics available to Iron Age peoples.
The fort is protected as a scheduled monument under Historic Environment Scotland's designation SM6030, recognising its importance to Scotland's archaeological heritage and Iron Age settlement patterns. The monument contributes to understanding of Iron Age fortification practices and territorial organisation in the Lothians during the later prehistoric period, prior to Roman contact in the region.
Skid Hill,fort is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM6030. View the official record →
Skid Hill is a Iron Age fort situated in East Lothian, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM6030.
Skid Hill,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.
Skid Hill,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 SM6030.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Begbie Wood,fort (5.7 km), Bolton,fort 310m NNW of (6 km), Kirklands,enclosure 250m E of (6.8 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Skid Hill,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.
Skid Hill,fort stands on Unnamed Extrusive Rocks, Dinantian, bedrock that formed in the Mississippian. The rock here is felsic lava and felsic tuff.