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Tillyorn is a moated homestead situated in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, approximately 130 metres east of its recorded grid reference. The monument consists of a defensive enclosure formed by a water-filled ditch, a characteristic feature of medieval domestic fortification in lowland Britain. Such moated sites typically date from the 12th to 16th centuries and served as secure farmsteads for families of middling social status, combining residential and agricultural functions within a single defended space.
The homestead is constructed upon bedrock of felsic igneous intrusion dating to the Early Devonian period, a hard crystalline foundation that would have presented considerable challenges to the original diggers. The choice of location reflects the practical considerations of medieval settlement: the igneous geology provides stable ground resistant to waterlogging, whilst the ability to excavate a substantial water-filled ditch offered protection and prestige to the household occupying this rural Aberdeenshire location.
The site is protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM12161, recognising its archaeological significance as evidence of medieval settlement patterns and land organisation in the north-east of Scotland. The survival of the moat's earthwork, despite centuries of agricultural use surrounding it, provides valuable insight into the historical landscape and domestic arrangements of medieval rural Aberdeenshire.
Tillyorn, moated homestead 130m E of is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM12161. View the official record →
Tillyorn is a moated homestead situated in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, approximately 130 metres east of its recorded grid reference.
Tillyorn, moated homestead 130m E 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 SM12161.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Crathes Castle,timber hall 550m ESE of (6 km), Castle Hill,motte,Kirkton of Durris (6.2 km), Balbridie,timber hall 500m NW of (6.9 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Tillyorn, moated homestead 130m E 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.
Tillyorn, moated homestead 130m E of stands on Unnamed Igneous Intrusion, Late Silurian To Early Devonian, bedrock that formed in the Early Devonian. The rock here is felsic-rock.