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Steel Knowe is a medieval and later settlements and field systems situated in Roxburghshire, Scotland. The monument comprises the physical remains of human occupation and agricultural activity spanning from the medieval period through to later centuries. The site is protected by Historic Environment Scotland under scheduled monument reference SM7144.
The landscape at Steel Knowe reflects the underlying geology of Silurian to Devonian extrusive rocks, primarily mafic lavas and tuffs formed during the Devonian period. This volcanic bedrock shaped both the terrain available for settlement and the building materials accessible to inhabitants. The knowe itself, a prominent feature characteristic of the Borders landscape, provided a defensible position with clear views across the surrounding countryside.
The surviving remains at Steel Knowe document changing patterns of land use and settlement organisation across several centuries. Medieval field systems visible on the ground represent the division and management of agricultural land, whilst associated settlement features provide evidence of domestic occupation. These features collectively illustrate the long-term human use of this location in the Borders region, reflecting the continuity and adaptation of communities working this land from medieval times onward.
Steel Knowe, medieval and later settlements and field systems is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM7144. View the official record →
Steel Knowe is a medieval and later settlements and field systems situated in Roxburghshire, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM7144.
Steel Knowe, medieval and later settlements and field systems dates from the medieval period, and is classified as a medieval and later settlements and field systems. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Steel Knowe, medieval and later settlements and field systems 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 SM7144.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Martinlee Plantation, enclosure 140m N of (0.9 km), Martinlee Plantation, homestead NW of Martinlee Sike (1 km), Martinlee Sike, enclosure bank, field system, cairns & old road (1 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Steel Knowe, medieval and later settlements and field systems'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.
Steel Knowe, medieval and later settlements and field systems stands on Unnamed Extrusive Rocks, Silurian To Devonian, bedrock that formed in the Devonian. The rock here is mafic lava and mafic tuff.