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South Mains is a homestead moat located 200 metres north of South Mains farm in Linlithgowshire, Scotland. The monument comprises a substantial water-filled ditch that once enclosed a residential dwelling, a form of domestic fortification typical of the medieval and early modern periods in lowland Scotland. The moat would have provided both practical defence and a visible assertion of the householder's status within the local community.
The site lies upon bedrock of the Clackmannan Group, sedimentary rocks formed during the Westphalian period of the Carboniferous, which would have presented specific challenges for the original excavation of the ditch. The waterlogged conditions created by the moat's design have contributed to the survival of organic remains within the deposits, making such sites valuable for understanding domestic life and land use in the surrounding region.
The homestead moat is protected by Historic Environment Scotland as a scheduled monument under reference SM6207, recognising its significance as an archaeological and historical asset. Despite its modest form and rural setting, the monument records an important phase of settlement and social organisation in Linlithgowshire's medieval and early modern landscape.
South Mains,homestead moat 200m N of is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM6207. View the official record →
South Mains is a homestead moat located 200 metres north of South Mains farm in Linlithgowshire, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM6207.
South Mains,homestead moat 200m N 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 SM6207.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Windywa's Silvermine, silvermine 300m SW of Wester Tartraven (2.5 km), Cairnpapple Hill, prehistoric ceremonial complex (2.6 km), Raven Craig, cairn (3 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of South Mains,homestead moat 200m N 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.
South Mains,homestead moat 200m N of stands on Clackmannan Group, bedrock that formed in the Westphalian. The rock here is sedimentary rock cycles, clackmannan group type.