Scheduled Monument

Carr's Hill fortSM1731

Status: Designated

Documents

Where documents include maps, the use of this data is subject to terms and conditions (https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/termsandconditions).

The legal document available for download below constitutes the formal designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The additional details provided on this page are provided for information purposes only and do not form part of the designation. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within this additional information.

Summary

Date Added
27/10/1949
Last Date Amended
04/08/2025
Local Authority
Falkirk
Planning Authority
Falkirk
Parish
Dunipace
NGR
NS 82220 85463
Coordinates
282220, 685463

Description

The monument comprises the remains of a fort dating to the Iron Age (800BC-400AD). It is visible as a circular enclosure defined by a stoney bank surrounded by an oval enclosure composed of an earthen bank and ditch, with a linear bank to the south. It is located at the apex of a low ridge known as Carr's Hill at approximately 98m above sea level. 

The fort a circular enclosure 23m in diameter with an entrance to the south roughly 3m wide. It is has a stoney bank which is likely to be the remains of a wall measuring roughly 3.5m wide and 1.3m high. Beyond this is an outer bank with external ditch enclosing an oval area which measures 44m northwest to southeast by 36m with an entrance to the south 7.6m wide. The earthen bank is roughly 6m wide by 0.7m high and the external ditch is 5.5m wide and ranging between 1.8 and 3m in depth. To the south is a linear bank which measures 42m long by up to 6m wide and runs northeast-southwest. This feature cuts across the hillside and seperates the knoll from the remainder of the ridge. 

The scheduled area is irregular. It includes the remains described above and an area around then within which evidence relating to the monument's construction, use and abandonment is expected to survive, as shown in red on the accompanying map. The above ground elements of all current post and wire fencing are specifically excluded to allow for their maintenance. 

Statement of National Importance

The national importance of the monument is demonstrated in the following way(s) (see Designations Policy and Selection Guidance, Annex 1, para 17): 

a.  The monument is of national importance because it makes a significant contribution to our understanding or appreciation of the past, or has the potential to do so as a multi period fort dating to the Iron Age (800BC-400AD).

b.   The monument retains structural, architectural, decorative or other physical attributes which make a significant contribution to our understanding or appreciation of the past. In particular the fort retains an interior enclosure with entrance, surrounded by an oval rampart and ditch, and a further linear rampart to the south. 

d.   The monument is a particularly good example of a multi period fort dating to the Iron Age (800BC-AD400) and is therefore an important representative of this monument type. 

e.   The monument has research potential which could significantly contribute to our understanding or appreciation of the past. The fort is likely to contain stratified archaeological deposits, artefacts, environmental remains and material suitable for radiocarbon dating. 

f.   The monument makes a significant contribution to today's landscape and our understanding of the prehistoric landscape. The fort remains a prominent feature in the landscape and its location can be compared with other broadly contemporary sites to better understand land use, local settlement patterns and their development over time.

Assessment of Cultural Significance

This statement of national importance has been informed by the following assessment of cultural significance:

Intrinsic characteristics (how the remains of a site or place contribute to our knowledge of the past)

The monument comprises a multi period fort dating to the Iron Age (800BC-400AD). The inner circular enclosure, surviving as a stoney bank, is probably the remains of a stone wall. It is likely that this was the earliest phase of the fort with the outer oval enclosure, composed of an earthen rampart and external ditch, being a later refortification of the site. In the post medieval period, stone from the fort, particularly the inner circular wall, was quarried impacting the eastern rampart and a corn drying kiln was inserted at the foot of the northern slope. This was noted when the fort was subject to an antiquarian excavation by Joseph Dundas in the 1860's. At this time, these secondary structures were misinterpreted as Iron Age features.

The fort is likely to contain stratified archaeological deposits from which samples can be gathered for environmental analysis helping us to better understand the diet of the occupants and the vegetation cover of the surrounding landscape at that time. Radiocarbon dating of material from the fort would provide us with a more detailed chronology for the site's development over time. Artefacts could also survive, with the potential to tell us about the social status and lifestyle of the inhabitants, such as clothing, metal working, the local economy, trade, contact and conflict. Detailed study of the surviving structure of the fort can tell us how the monument developed over time, in particular, its occupation and construction, use, reuse, repair and abandonment along with its relationship to its outer defences.

Contextual characteristics (how a site or place relates to its surroundings and/or to our existing knowledge of the past)

The fort is located at the apex of a low ridge known as Carr's Hill at approximately 98m above sea level. To the north and west the ground drops away sharply to a burn which skirts the foot of the knoll. 

Forts are a widespread class of monument found across Scotland. Many show evidence of extended use, modification or abandonment and reoccupation which suggests their use or need within society may have changed overtime. A number of broadly contemporary sites are located in the surrounding landscape. The fort overlooks Tor Wood, Roman road (scheduled monument SM2217; 0.5km east) and would have been visible from the broch at Torwood (scheduled monument SM1738; 1km southeast). To the south is Doghillock dun (scheduled monument SM6929; 1km) and to the west-southwest is Braes fort (scheduled monument SM456 west-southwest; 2.5km). There would also have been a view across the Forth to Castle Law fort on Dumyat (scheduled monument SM2182; 12km north-northeast). 

The monument remains a prominent feature in the present landscape and contributes to our understanding of prehistoric settlement patterns. Study of the monument in relation to other sites and monuments in the immediate area can help us to explain their interrelationship and the significance of their placing within the landscape, in particular in relation to our understanding of Iron Age society, land use, the potential impact of Roman invasion and the exploitation of natural landforms. The monument can also be compared to similar monuments across Scotland to gain an in-depth understanding of their distribution at a national level.

Associative characteristics (how a site or place relates to people, events, and/or historic and social movements)

We are unaware of any associative characteristics. 

References

Bibliography

Historic Environment Scotland https://www.trove.scot/place/46900(accessed on 25/11/2024).

Dundas, J. (1868) 'Notes on the excavation of an ancient building at Tapock in the Torwood, Parish of Dunipace, County of Stirling', Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries Scotland, vol. 6, 1864-6. Page(s): 265 (available at: https://journals.socantscot.org/index.php/psas/article/view/5191) (accessed on 25/11/2024).

About Scheduled Monuments

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Scheduling is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for monuments and archaeological sites of national importance as set out in the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.

We schedule sites and monuments that are found to be of national importance using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Scheduled monument records provide an indication of the national importance of the scheduled monument which has been identified by the description and map. The description and map (see ‘legal documents’ above) showing the scheduled area is the designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The statement of national importance and additional information provided are supplementary and provided for general information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within the statement of national importance or additional information. These records are not definitive historical or archaeological accounts or a complete description of the monument(s).

The format of scheduled monument records has changed over time. Earlier records will usually be brief. Some information will not have been recorded and the map will not be to current standards. Even if what is described and what is mapped has changed, the monument is still scheduled.

Scheduled monument consent is required to carry out certain work, including repairs, to scheduled monuments. Applications for scheduled monument consent are made to us. We are happy to discuss your proposals with you before you apply and we do not charge for advice or consent. More information about consent and how to apply for it can be found on our website at www.historicenvironment.scot.

Find out more about scheduling and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.

Images

Carr’s Hill fort, in centre distance, taken from the southwest on a sunny day with blue sky.
Carr’s Hill fort, in centre distance, taken from the northeast on a sunny day with blue sky.

Printed: 10/09/2025 15:20