Castle Law

Fairmilehead, United Kingdom

The Castlelaw Hill Fort is the remnant of a stronghold of the Iron Age. When it was occupied the site consisted of three earthwork ramparts, ditches and timber palisades. The fort contained a Souterrain for the storage of agricultural produce. V. Gordon Childe undertook excavations at Castlelaw in 1932–33. The work focused on the rampart, and showed that it consisted of a clay and timber filling, faced by stone.

The fort commands views over the Forth and Lothian. Traprain Law and Berwick Law, both significant centres of power in the Iron Age, are visible from the site.

The fort is maintained by Historic Environment Scotland as a scheduled monument. Access to the site is free but, since the area is an active sheep pasture, dogs should be kept under control. The site also neighbours an army firing range and so care should be taken not to pass into the area marked by red flags.

References:

Wikipedia

Prehistoric and archaeological sites in United Kingdom

Address

Fairmilehead, United Kingdom

See all sites in Fairmilehead

Details

Founded: 1000 BCE
Category: Prehistoric and archaeological sites in United Kingdom

More Information

en.wikipedia.org
www.historicenvironment.scot

Rating

4.7/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby

Rosslyn Chapel (5,3 km)
Roslin Castle (5,4 km)

St Giles' Cathedral (9,4 km)
Edinburgh Castle (9,1 km)
Edinburgh Old Town (9,5 km)
Greyfriars Kirk (9 km)
National Museum of Scotland (9,1 km)
Calton Hill (10,1 km)
National Monument of Scotland (10,1 km)
St Cuthbert's Church (9,1 km)
Holyrood Palace (10,1 km)

User Reviews

Alistair Thompson (2 years ago)
Great fun to clamber up from the west & great views of the steep slopes of the other Pentland Hills & the Glencorse reservoir below. Efforts to reach the top from that side are however met with an MOD fence delineating the firing range.

Agnieszka Lewandowska (2 years ago)
Beautiful place with a fantastic view

QŃ (6 years ago)
Fantastic place.

Jordan Clark (7 years ago)
Gid gear.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright discopalace

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Sigmaringen Castle

Sigmaringen Castle was first mentioned in the year 1077 in the chronicles of Petershausen monastery. The oldest parts of the castle are concealed beneath the alterations made during the 17th and the 19th centuries. The secret of the earliest settlement built on this defendable rock will never be fully revealed: large-scale excavation work would be necessary, which the extensive land development renders impossible. Judging from the many Roman remains unearthed in the area around Sigmaringen, the 12th century keep known as the 'Roman Tower' could be traced back to a Roman predecessor.

The castle remains that have been preserved (gate, great hall and keep) date back to the Staufer period around 1200. The castle remains were integrated into subsequent buildings. The foundations of the castle buildings are to a large extent identical to the surrounding castle wall.

These remains give us a good idea of how the castle might have looked during the 12th century.