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The Bothy is an Iron Age fort and earthwork located in Kincardineshire in the northeast of Scotland, standing on bedrock of the Southern Highland Group. The underlying geology of psammite and pelite, formed during the Middle Cambrian period, has shaped the landscape in which this defensive structure was built. The fort represents a form of settlement typical of the Iron Age in Scotland, when communities constructed fortified enclosures to serve defensive and administrative purposes. The site's position on this ancient metamorphic bedrock reflects the long continuity of human settlement in the region.
The earthwork survives as a testament to Iron Age engineering and community organisation. Such forts were commonly built on elevated or strategically positioned ground, offering natural advantages for defence and visibility across the surrounding terrain. The Bothy's construction and layout would have reflected the social hierarchies and practical needs of its Iron Age inhabitants, providing protection for the community, livestock, and stored resources.
The monument is protected by Historic Environment Scotland as a scheduled monument under reference SM12468, recognising its significance as part of Scotland's Iron Age heritage. The fort contributes to understanding settlement patterns and defensive strategies in Kincardineshire during the pre-Roman Iron Age, a crucial period in the development of northern British communities.
The Bothy, fort and earthwork 350m NNE of is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM12468. View the official record →
The Bothy is an Iron Age fort and earthwork located in Kincardineshire in the northeast of Scotland, standing on bedrock of the Southern Highland Group. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM12468.
The Bothy, fort and earthwork 350m NNE of dates from the iron age period, and is classified as a fort and earthwork. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
The Bothy, fort and earthwork 350m NNE 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 SM12468.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Craighead,stone circle 70m NNE of Hilltop Lodge (2.7 km), Old Bourtreebush,stone circle and cairn 250m W of (3.3 km), Aquhorthies, stone circle,cairn and platform 200m NNE of (3.4 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of The Bothy, fort and earthwork 350m NNE 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.
The Bothy, fort and earthwork 350m NNE of stands on Southern Highland Group, bedrock that formed in the Middle Cambrian. The rock here is psammite and pelite.