Castle Rock of Muchalls (Promontory Fort) — The Modern Antiquarian

Images (3)
Fieldnotes (1)

Images

Image of Castle Rock of Muchalls (Promontory Fort) by LesHamilton

The imposing precipices of Castle Hill of Muchalls seen from the seashore.

Image credit: Les Hamilton

LesHamilton Mar 1, 2014

Image of Castle Rock of Muchalls (Promontory Fort) by LesHamilton

Castle Rock of Muchalls, viewed from the south.

Image credit: Les Hamilton

LesHamilton Feb 28, 2014

Image of Castle Rock of Muchalls (Promontory Fort) by LesHamilton

Doonie Point viewed from Castle Rock of Muchalls

Image credit: Les Hamilton

LesHamilton Feb 28, 2014

Articles

Castle Rock of Muchalls

Promontory Fort

LesHamilton Feb 28, 2014

Visited: February 26, 2014

It is perhaps stretching a point to describe this site as a promontory fort. Castle Rock Of Muchalls is a promontory lying about 1½ kilometres south of the village of Muchalls, on the coastline between Aberdeen and Stonehaven. It’s a pleasant clifftop walk of under an hour from Muchalls, notable for its spectacular coastal scenery of stacks, arches and skerries.

Carnmore lists this site as a possible encampment, which suggests that it was a temporary fortification. However, details are very sparce, and there are now no visible remains that can be related to an encampment.

The promontory is reputed to have been “protected on its landward side by a deep ditch, now partially filled in” (Name Book 1865).

Sites within 20km of Castle Rock of Muchalls

Cantlayhills

Cairn(s) • 1.93km WSW

14

1
Kempstone Hill Cairn

Cairn(s) • 2.37km WSW

4

1
Kempstone Hill

Standing Stones • 2.52km WSW

16

3
Ury North Lodge

Cairn(s) • 3.59km WSW

3

1
Allochie

Cairn(s) • 3.87km W

4

1
Hilton of Cairngrassie

Standing Stone / Menhir • 4.69km N

9

1
Houff Of Ury

Kerbed Cairn • 4.8km WSW

5

1
Findlayston

Cairn(s) • 5.32km WSW

6

1
Old Bourtreebush

Stone Circle • 5.44km N

29

3
Aquhorthies

Stone Circle • 5.68km N

39

8
The Shields

Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork • 5.86km NNW

5

1
Malcolm’s Mount

Cairn(s) • 6.05km SW

3

1
Spurryhillock

Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork • 6.18km SW

1

1
Dunnicaer

Promontory Fort • 6.24km SSW

12

3

1
Auchlee

Stone Circle • 6.27km NNW

12

1

5
Whiteside

Standing Stone / Menhir • 6.32km WNW

5

1
Auchlee

Ring Cairn • 6.41km NNW

9

2
Raedykes

Ring Cairn • 6.68km WSW

44

1

3

1
Gallow Hill (Stonehaven)

Cairn(s) • 6.74km SW

8

1
Stranog Hill 2

Cairn(s) • 6.76km NW

2

1
Stranog Hill 1

Cairn(s) • 6.77km WNW

3

1
Cairnwell Ring Cairn

Stone Circle • 6.86km N

13

2
Dunnottar Castle

Cliff Fort • 6.98km SSW

12

2

1
Broad Havens

Cliff Fort • 7.02km NE

20

1
Craighead

Stone Circle • 7.15km N

25

4
Fetteresso

Burial Chamber • 7.44km SW

1

1
Auquhollie Stone

Standing Stone / Menhir • 7.57km W

11

2

1
North Lodge

Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork • 7.66km SW

4

1
Glenton South

Cairn(s) • 7.68km WSW

5

1
Fetteresso Castle

Standing Stone / Menhir • 7.94km SW

5

1
The Hawk Stone

Standing Stone / Menhir • 7.94km SW

2
Glenton Hill

Enclosure • 8.01km WSW

4

1
Glenton North

Cairn(s) • 8.17km WSW

5

1
Northward

Cairn(s) • 8.2km W

12

2

1
Standingstones

Standing Stone / Menhir • 8.58km WNW

4

2
Blaikiewell

Cairn(s) • 8.66km NW

3

1
Standingstones Kerb Cairn

Kerbed Cairn • 8.77km WNW

1

1
Elsick Mounth

Ancient Trackway • 8.93km W

3

1

2
Altries

Ring Cairn • 9.18km WNW

6

2
Oldman Hill

Cairn(s) • 9.38km NW

5

1
West Brachmont

Artificial Mound • 9.48km W

4

1
Fetteresso Forest

Standing Stone / Menhir • 9.92km WSW

9

1
Blue Hill (Banchory-Devenick)

Cairn(s) • 10.04km NNE

6

1
Brodie Wood

Cairn(s) • 10.43km N

11

1
Clune Wood

Cairn(s) • 11.17km W

2

1
Clune Hill

Stone Circle • 11.19km W

29

7
Clune Wood

Ring Cairn • 11.31km W

6

1
Clune Wood

Cairn(s) • 11.39km W

10

1
Druidsdale

Cairn(s) • 11.43km SW

5

1
Parknook

Cairn(s) • 11.56km N

6

1
Square’s Knap

Cairn(s) • 11.59km SW

4

1
Carmont Hill

Cairn(s) • 11.62km SW

10

2

1
Banchory House

Cist • 11.71km N

8

1
Cairn-Mon-Earn

Cairn(s) • 11.77km W

18

3
Tollohill Wood

Cist • 11.85km N

4

1

1
Wood Of Mergie

Cairn(s) • 11.99km WSW

3
Kincorth Hill East

Cairn(s) • 12.04km NNE

7

1
Cairnlee Cairn

Cairn(s) • 12.22km NNW

17

3

1
Bogton (Drumoak)

Cairn(s) • 12.26km WNW

2

1

1
Binghill

Stone Circle • 12.42km NW

18

1

3

1
Binghill West

Cairn(s) • 12.43km NW

7

2
Binghill East

Cairn(s) • 12.47km NW

5

1
Kincorth Hill

Cairn(s) • 12.61km NNE

4

1
Bruxie Hill

Long Cairn • 12.62km SW

8

1
Dalmuinzie Farm, Boundary Marker 16

Cup Marked Stone • 12.73km NW

4

1
Upper Balfour

Cairn(s) • 12.74km W

3

1
Upper Balfour 4

Cairn(s) • 12.74km W

5

1
Upper Balfour 3

Cairn(s) • 12.77km W

5

1
Cults Stone Circle (Site of)

Stone Circle • 12.83km NNW

5

2
Upper Balfour 2

Cairn(s) • 12.84km W

3

1
Kirkton Wood

Kerbed Cairn • 13.06km W

5

1
Hilton Farm, Boundary Marker 18

Cup Marked Stone • 13.06km NW

5

1
Moorlands

Cairn(s) • 13.18km NNW

4

1
Westfield

Standing Stone / Menhir • 13.38km NW

5

1
Cat Cairn

Cairn(s) • 13.46km NNE

9

2

1
Mitton Hill

Kerbed Cairn • 13.57km SW

9

2
Cat Cairn 2

Kerbed Cairn • 13.61km NNE

23

5

1
Blackhill Wood

Long Cairn • 13.61km SW

8

1
Beans Hill

Cup Marked Stone • 13.78km NW

4

1
Tullos Hill

Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork • 13.79km NNE

8

1
Beans Hill, Boundary Marker 23

Cup Marked Stone • 13.88km NW

4

1
Den Wood

Barrow / Cairn Cemetery • 13.91km NNW

8

2
Barons Cairn

Cairn(s) • 14.15km NNE

6

1

1
Blacktop Wood

Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork • 14.22km NW

4

1
Blacktop

Cup Marked Stone • 14.28km NW

7

1

2
Drum Castle

Standing Stone / Menhir • 14.37km WNW

4

1
Baron’s Cairn 2

Cairn(s) • 14.48km NNE

10
Crabs Cairn

Cairn(s) • 14.5km NNE

10

3

1
East Brotherfield, Boundary Marker 25

Cup Marked Stone • 14.58km NW

6

1
Tullos Hill

Cairn(s) • 14.69km NNE

8

2

1
Tullos Hill (Barrow)

Barrow / Cairn Cemetery • 14.76km NNE

6

1
Hobseat

Stone Setting • 14.77km WSW
Cairnfauld

Stone Circle • 14.85km W

5

3
Leys of Barras

Standing Stone / Menhir • 15.01km SW

2
Moray Stone

Standing Stone / Menhir • 15.05km SW

5

1
Montgoldrum

Cairn(s) • 15.49km SW

6

1
Crab Stane

Standing Stone / Menhir • 15.53km NNE

1
The Langstane (Aberdeen)

Standing Stone / Menhir • 15.65km NNE

2

2

1
Montgoldrum

Kerbed Cairn • 15.71km SW

4

1
Montgoldrum

Stone Circle • 15.74km SW

9

1
Montgoldrum

Cairn(s) • 15.75km SW

3

1
Westerord Plantation

Cairn(s) • 15.77km NW

5

1
The Sutor’s Mither

Natural Rock Feature • 16.02km W
Cairnshee Woods

Cairn(s) • 16.08km W

5

4
Cluseburn

Cairn(s) • 16.36km SSW

13

1
Westerton

Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork • 16.51km W

4

1
Mulloch Hill (Strachan)

Cairn(s) • 16.53km W

5

1
Benthoul

Cairn(s) • 16.56km WNW

3

1
Cowden

Cairn(s) • 16.62km WSW

4

1
Easterhill

Cairn(s) • 16.71km WNW

7

1
West Benthoul

Cairn(s) • 16.77km WNW

6

1
Court Stane

Standing Stone / Menhir • 16.78km SW

5

4
Woods Of Cairnie 3

Cairn(s) • 16.97km WNW

5

1
Droop Hill

Cairn(s) • 17km WSW

5

1
Woods Of Cairnie 4

Cairn(s) • 17km WNW

5
West Hatton

Long Cairn • 17.04km NW

1

1
Crathes Castle

17.04km W

2
Millplough

Stone Circle • 17.19km SSW

5

2
Woods Of Cairnie 1

Cairn(s) • 17.27km WNW

5

1
Millplough

Standing Stone / Menhir • 17.28km SSW

6

1
Denwood

Artificial Mound • 17.32km W

7

1
Balbridie

Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork • 17.35km W

1

1
Hillhead

Cairn(s) • 17.37km SW

10

1
Woods Of Cairnie 2

Cairn(s) • 17.52km WNW

5

1
Nine Stanes

Stone Circle • 17.54km W

54

1

13

1
Woodbine Cottage

Artificial Mound • 17.57km W

7

1
Knock Hill (Glenbervie)

Cairn(s) • 17.59km SW

2

2
Esslie the Lesser

Stone Circle • 17.69km W

20

4
Knappach East

Cairn(s) • 17.71km W

3

1
Cullerie

Stone Circle • 17.73km WNW

27

2

10

1
The Knappach

Cairn(s) • 17.81km W

5

1
Hilton School Langstane

Standing Stone / Menhir • 17.82km N

10

1

2
Knappach West

Cairn(s) • 17.85km W

4

1
Cot Hillock

Cairn(s) • 18.04km SW

4

1
Bervie Brow

Cairn(s) • 18.13km SSW

14

3
Tilquhillie

Stone Circle • 18.14km W

8

2

1
Esslie the Greater

Stone Circle • 18.16km W

42

7

2
Crathes Castle Policies

Cairn(s) • 18.17km W

7

1
Hillhead Of Maryfield

Cairn(s) • 18.29km W

2

1
Castle Dykes

Promontory Fort • 18.35km SW

3

1
Garlogie

Cairn(s) • 18.36km WNW

5

1
Garlogie Woods

Cup Marked Stone • 18.4km WNW

3

1
Springhill

Standing Stones • 18.42km WNW

12

2
Tillydrone

Artificial Mound • 18.56km N

6

1

1
Brimmond Hill

Cairn(s) • 18.87km NW

10

1
Finnercy

Cairn(s) • 19.08km WNW

7

1
Souterhill

Cairn(s) • 19.27km NW

11

2
Bardshillock Wood

Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork • 19.32km W

3

1
South Auchinclech

Standing Stone / Menhir • 19.36km NW

4

1
Hill of Keir

Enclosure • 19.41km NW

17

2
Blarourie Ring Cairn

Ring Cairn • 19.44km WSW

9

1
Blarourie

Enclosure • 19.58km WSW

6

1
Tulloch Boundary Marker 33

Cup and Ring Marks / Rock Art • 19.91km NW

5

2

1
Banchory Manse

Cist • 19.94km W

3

2