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Wishart Arch is an Iron Age gateway situated fifty metres east of 15 Cowgate in Dundee, Angus. The monument stands on bedrock of the Arbuthnott-Garvock Group, sandstone interspersed with conglomerate, siltstone and mudstone deposited during the Pragian period. This geological foundation provided the local building material available to Iron Age communities in the region.
The gateway represents an important element of settlement architecture from the pre-Roman Iron Age, when fortified entrances controlled access to enclosed settlements and defensive sites. Such gateways typically comprised stone or timber structures, often incorporating substantial post holes and paved approaches. The Wishart Arch's position within the historic core of Dundee indicates it formed part of significant settlement activity in this locality during the first millennium BCE.
The monument is protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM164, recognising its archaeological and historical importance. Although much of the original structure lies beneath modern urban development, this scheduled monument designation preserves the site for future investigation and ensures that any archaeological work or ground disturbance within its boundaries follows proper regulatory procedures. The gateway contributes to understanding Iron Age settlement patterns and territorial organisation in eastern Scotland.
Wishart Arch, gateway 50m E of 15 Cowgate, Dundee is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM164. View the official record →
Wishart Arch is an Iron Age gateway situated fifty metres east of 15 Cowgate in Dundee, Angus. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM164.
Wishart Arch, gateway 50m E of 15 Cowgate, Dundee dates from the iron age period, and is classified as a gateway 50m e of 15 cowgate, dundee. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Wishart Arch, gateway 50m E of 15 Cowgate, Dundee 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 SM164.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Easter Kinnear, unenclosed settlement & barrow NE of (7.4 km), Cruivie Castle (7.9 km), Wester Kinnear, bank barrow and ring ditch 325m W of (8.1 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Wishart Arch, gateway 50m E of 15 Cowgate, Dundee'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.
Wishart Arch, gateway 50m E of 15 Cowgate, Dundee stands on Arbuthnott-Garvock Group, bedrock that formed in the Pragian. The rock here is sandstone with subordinate conglomerate, siltstone and mudstone.