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Tom Pitlac Motte is a medieval motte located in Inverness-shire, Scotland, and is protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland. The motte sits on bedrock of the Grampian Group, a Neoproterozoic formation composed primarily of psammite and semipelite, metamorphic rocks that form part of the underlying Highlands geology of this region. This geological substrate would have provided a stable foundation for the earthwork's construction during the medieval period.
The motte comprises an earthen mound characteristic of early medieval fortifications in northern Britain, a form of defensive structure that emerged in the post-Norman era. Such mottes typically served as the stronghold of local lords, with a palisaded summit providing both residence and military vantage point. The site's location in Inverness-shire places it within a landscape of significant strategic importance in the Scottish medieval period.
The monument remains an important archaeological record of feudal settlement patterns and early medieval landholding in the Highlands. Its preservation as a scheduled monument reflects its value in understanding the material culture and territorial organisation of medieval Inverness-shire. The site contributes to our knowledge of how Norman-influenced military architecture was adapted in the Scottish north.
Tom Pitlac, Motte is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM9110. View the official record →
Tom Pitlac Motte is a medieval motte located in Inverness-shire, Scotland, and is protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM9110.
Tom Pitlac, Motte dates from the medieval period, and is classified as a motte. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Tom Pitlac, Motte 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 SM9110.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Petriny Motte, 150m N of Mains of Garten (1.9 km), Tullochgorum,chambered cairn & stone circle 450m W of (2.4 km), Toum,cairn (2.5 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Tom Pitlac, Motte'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.
Tom Pitlac, Motte stands on Grampian Group, bedrock that formed in the Neoproterozoic. The rock here is psammite and semipelite.