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The Mount is a motte-and-bailey castle situated in Berwickshire, Scotland. The monument comprises an earthwork fortification typical of the post-Conquest period, with a raised mound serving as a defensive strongpoint. The site exploits the local geology to advantage: the underlying Inverclyde Group sandstones, siltstones and mudstones, formed during the Osagean period, provide a naturally well-drained foundation. This geology has allowed the earthwork to survive largely uncompromised by subsidence or waterlogging that affects mottes built on less stable substrates.
Motte-and-bailey castles were rapid, economical fortifications established across Britain and beyond following 1066. The motte formed a defensible refuge whilst the bailey, the adjacent enclosed yard, provided space for administrative and domestic buildings. The Mount's position in Berwickshire places it within a significant border landscape, where such fortifications served to consolidate and project authority.
The monument is protected by Historic Environment Scotland as a scheduled ancient monument under reference SM386, recognising its archaeological significance and contribution to understanding medieval settlement and military strategy in the Scottish Borders region.
The Mount, motte-and-bailey castle is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM386. View the official record →
The Mount is a motte-and-bailey castle situated in Berwickshire, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM386.
The Mount, motte-and-bailey castle dates from the medieval period, and is classified as a motte-and-bailey castle. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
The Mount, motte-and-bailey castle 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 SM386.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Homebank,enclosure 1100m ENE of (1.9 km), Homebank,ring-ditch 1500m E of (2.2 km), St Giles's medieval chapel and burial ground, Wark on Tweed (3.1 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of The Mount, motte-and-bailey castle'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 Mount, motte-and-bailey castle stands on Inverclyde Group, bedrock that formed in the Osagean. The rock here is sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.