Scheduled Monument
Law Knowe, motte 400m NNW of Mains of MurieSM7292
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
- 03/11/1999
- Last Date Amended
- 11/02/2025
- Local Authority
- Perth And Kinross
- Planning Authority
- Perth And Kinross, Perth And Kinross
- Parish
- Errol
- NGR
- NO 23167 22390
- Coordinates
- 323167, 722390
Description
The monument comprises the remains of a motte, a steep-sided artificial or semi-artificial mound upon which the principal structures of a medieval timber castle would have stood. The motte, is visible as a grass and tree covered mound with an associated ditch and causeway visible in LiDAR imagery. The motte with its ditch is located in a triangular area of woodland at approximately 40m above sea level.
The motte is a circular flat-topped mound, measuring about 25m in diameter at the base and about 13m by 11m at the summit. It stands to a height of about 8m. The summit has been disturbed by the insertion of nineteenth-century graves and a stone cross. A broad ditch is locted to the northeast of the motte and measures 50m in length by 10m wide with a causeway to the east.This motte has traditionally been associated with the Hays of Errol, who received the lands of Errol from William the Lion in 1178-82. A 'Mote' of Errol is on record in 1507, and in 1546 there is a reference to the manor and fortalice, 'lie mote', of Errol.
The scheduled area is circular with a diameter of 90m. It includes the remains described above and an area around 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 the 19th century stone cross, its plinth, and related carved stones and the current iron fencing are specifically excluded from the schedule to allow for their maintenance.
Statement of National Importance
The monument is of national importance because it makes a significant contribution to our understanding and appreciation of the past as the remains of a medieval castle, dating to the 12th century and surviving as a motte with associated ditch and causeway. There is the potential for buried archaeological structures, deposits and artefacts to survive, study and interpretation of which can provide information about daily life at similar high status medieval sites, the local economy and help us to build a chronology for the monument. The motte retains much of its original profile and, as the highest point in the surrounding landscape, continues to be a prominent and recognisable feature. As a centre of a medieval lordship the monument also contributes to our understanding of historic land use and organisation. The monument is associated with the Hays of Erroll; a family of Norman descent. William Hay, the first Lord of Errol, was granted the lands for the service of two knights in the latter half of the 12th century having served as cupbearer for William the Lion. The monument has the potential to better understand the continuing impact of David I's (AD 1124-53) decision to adopt Anglo-Norman cultural and political practices, such as feudalism, in the decades immediately following his reign.
References
Bibliography
No Bibliography entries for this designation
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.
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