Scheduled MonumentsScotlandTorr an Duin,fort,Loch nan Gabher
Iron Age · Fort,loch nan gabher

Torr an Duin,fort,Loch nan Gabher

Scotland
HES SM3220
Period
Iron Age
Site type
Fort,loch nan gabher
Nation
Scotland
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic Environment Scotland

Overview

History & significance

Torr an Duin is a fort situated on the shore of Loch nan Gabher in Argyllshire, Scotland. The monument dates to the Iron Age, when such fortified settlements served as defended residences and territorial markers across the Scottish landscape. The fort occupies a naturally prominent position on igneous bedrock of mafic composition, formed during the Early Devonian period. This underlying geology, part of an unnamed igneous intrusion that extends through the region, would have provided a substantial foundation and defensive advantage, as the harder rock formations limit erosion and create naturally steep slopes around the promontory.

The location at Loch nan Gabher afforded access to freshwater and fish stocks, essential resources for a secure settlement. The rock outcrops surrounding the site would have been exploited to construct or enhance the fort's defences. The monument is now protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM3220, preserving this significant example of Iron Age fortification for future study and interpretation.

Torr an Duin,fort,Loch nan Gabher is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM3220. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Torr an Duin,fort,Loch nan Gabher?

Torr an Duin is a fort situated on the shore of Loch nan Gabher in Argyllshire, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM3220.

What period does Torr an Duin,fort,Loch nan Gabher date from?

Torr an Duin,fort,Loch nan Gabher dates from the iron age period, and is classified as a fort,loch nan gabher. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting Torr an Duin,fort,Loch nan Gabher?

Torr an Duin,fort,Loch nan Gabher 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 SM3220.

What other scheduled monuments are near Torr an Duin,fort,Loch nan Gabher?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Achara,standing stone 190m NW of (8.9 km), Keil,church,Duror of Appin (9.5 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Torr an Duin,fort,Loch nan Gabher

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Torr an Duin,fort,Loch nan Gabher's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman Britain
The Roman roads, forts and towns near here, and the Iron Age people who held the land before Rome arrived.
Stat Accounts
The parish Statistical Accounts of the 1790s and 1830s, describing life, work and population here.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
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Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

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The ground beneath

The bedrock under Torr an Duin,fort,Loch nan Gabher

Torr an Duin,fort,Loch nan Gabher stands on Unnamed Igneous Intrusion, Late Silurian To Early Devonian, bedrock that formed in the Early Devonian. The rock here is mafic igneous-rock.