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Westshiels is a spur earthwork located in Roxburghshire, Scotland, approximately 1550 metres south-west of the village. The monument comprises defensive earthworks constructed across a natural spur of land, a characteristic form of Iron Age or early medieval fortification in the Scottish Borders. Such fortifications exploited naturally steep slopes to minimise the length of artificial defences required, making them efficient use of labour and materials.
The site rests upon bedrock of the Inverclyde Group, comprising sandstone, siltstone and mudstone deposited during the Osagean period. This geology has shaped the landscape's topography, creating the spur formation that determined the monument's location and design. The underlying geology would have influenced both the feasibility of construction and the stability of the earthwork banks over subsequent centuries.
Westshiels is protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM3425, recognising its archaeological significance and the importance of preserving this defensive site for future study. The monument remains an important witness to patterns of settlement and land control in the Borders region during prehistoric or early medieval times, though the precise dating and period of occupation require further investigation.
Westshiels,spur earthwork 1550m SW of is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM3425. View the official record →
Westshiels is a spur earthwork located in Roxburghshire, Scotland, approximately 1550 metres south-west of the village. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM3425.
Westshiels,spur earthwork 1550m SW 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 SM3425.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Wheel Causeway,section 640m long on S slope of Wardmoor Hill (0.3 km), Black Hill,settlement (1.8 km), Dykeheads,homestead moat (3.4 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Westshiels,spur earthwork 1550m SW 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.
Westshiels,spur earthwork 1550m SW of stands on Inverclyde Group, bedrock that formed in the Osagean. The rock here is sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.