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Tower of Johnston is a cairn and tower situated in Kincardineshire, Scotland. The monument comprises two distinct structural elements: a substantial cairn of heaped stones and an associated tower that would have served as a prominent local landmark. Such dual-purpose structures, combining burial or ceremonial cairns with later observation or beacon towers, represent a characteristic form of Kincardineshire heritage, where medieval and earlier features often occupy the same elevated sites.
The site is built upon Silurian to Devonian extrusive rocks, specifically mafic lava and tuff formed during the Devonian period. This volcanic bedrock, prevalent throughout the region, provided the stone from which the cairn and tower were constructed. The solid, durable nature of these local materials made them ideal for the substantial masonry required in tower building, and the underlying geology would have influenced both the monument's siting and its structural longevity.
Tower of Johnston is protected as a scheduled monument under Historic Environment Scotland reference SM6435, ensuring its conservation as an important part of Kincardineshire's cultural landscape. The monument contributes to our understanding of local building practices and the layered history of occupation and use across this part of northeast Scotland, from prehistoric ritual activity through to the medieval period.
Tower of Johnston,cairn and tower is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM6435. View the official record →
Tower of Johnston is a cairn and tower situated in Kincardineshire, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM6435.
Tower of Johnston,cairn and tower 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 SM6435.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Dryleys,souterrain 150m NW of (8.5 km), Dubton,unenclosed settlement 200m ENE of (8.7 km), Dubton,unenclosed settlement NW of (8.8 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Tower of Johnston,cairn and tower'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.
Tower of Johnston,cairn and tower stands on Unnamed Extrusive Rocks, Silurian To Devonian, bedrock that formed in the Devonian. The rock here is mafic lava and mafic tuff.