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Law Knowe

Motte (Medieval)

Site Name Law Knowe

Classification Motte (Medieval)

Alternative Name(s) Mote Of Errol; Lie Moit; Mains Of Murie

Canmore ID 30496

Site Number NO22SW 2

NGR NO 2315 2238

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/30496

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
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Administrative Areas

  • Council Perth And Kinross
  • Parish Errol
  • Former Region Tayside
  • Former District Perth And Kinross
  • Former County Perthshire

Archaeology Notes

NO22SW 2 2315 2238.

(NO 2315 2238) Law Knowe (NR) (Burial Ground)

OS 6" map (1901)

'Law Knowe' (Name Book 1861). 'An artificial mound, of a circular form, 40 yards in diameter at the base and about 30ft diameter at the top; the height from the base being about 20ft. The platform at the top is surrounded by a low turf wall, with a walk outside of it and the whole is enclosed with a turf wall at the base, in the form of an equilateral triangle. This mound is called the 'Lawknoll'. Its sides are planted with trees'.

The burial ground is not recorded by either authority.

NSA 1845 (J Grierson)

Named 'Fortalicium lie Moit' in 1546 and 'Moot' in 1652 (Reg Magni Sig Reg Scot; Retours).

G Neilson 1898

Evidently a motte with a triangular bailey.

E S Armitage 1912

Activities

Field Visit (10 June 1964)

This grass-covered mound of earth now measures c.24.0m in diameter and has a maximum height of c.5.0m on the North side. Its flat top is enclosed by an iron railing; there is no evidence now of the low turf wall. A modern 'Celtic' memorial cross to the Broun-Morison family of Murie stands within the railing and at the base of the cross is a modern armorial panel lying amongst the grass, possibly marking a grave. The triangular enclosure surrounding the mound, as shown on OS 25", is formed by closely planted holly-trees and there is no definite trace of the turf wall.

Between the south end of the holly-tree enclosure and the south end of the wood are traces of an old bank which does not appear to be connected with the mound. The burial-ground appears to be only the area encloed by the iron railing. Enquiries could not verify the name "Law Knowe". It appears to be known locally as "The Mound".

Revised at 25".

Visited by OS (WDJ) 10 June 1964

Field Visit (November 1989)

This motte is situated towards the W end of a broad ridge in the Carse of Gowrie. It stands to a height of 8m and its roughly-oval summit measures 13m by 11m. In the late 19th century a burial-vault was constructed within the motte and a stone cross erected upon the summit. There is no evidence for the existence of a bailey as is suggested by Armitage and the local author of New Statistical Account (NSA).

The motte has probably been the caput of the Hays of Errol, who received the lands from William I in 1178 x 82. The 'Mote' of Errol is on record in 1507, and in 1546 there is reference to the manor and fortalice, 'lie Moit', of Errol.

Visited by RCAHMS (PC) November 1989.

NSA 1845; E S Armitage 1912; Reg Mag Sig; Reg Reg Scot.

Measured Survey (1989)

RCAHMS surveyed Law Knowe motte (NO22SW 2) with plane-table and self-reducing alidade in 1989 at a scale of 1:500. The resultant plan was redrawn in ink and published at a scale of 1:1000 (RCAHMS 1994b, 104(A)).

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