Archaeologists have undertaken a further study at Abbey Craig, found just north of Stirling in Scotland to understand the remains of a Hill Fort first discovered in 2001.

The Stronghold, believed to date from between 500 – 780AD, given the native name of “Iudeu”  currently lies beneath the Wallace Monument. Experts believe the fort was built by a local tribe known as the Manau, at a time, when all four quarters of mainland Scotland were ruled by the ancient tribes of Picts, Celts, Britons and Angles.

Bitter feuds between these waring tribes meant that the fort was destroyed by a great fire around 700 AD .  Previous studies revealed that the process of destruction at the forts end was so intense, that temperatures in excess of 1,000º C were reached. The stones of the fort walls were fused together and vitrified. Stirling Council archaeologist Murray Cook said that..

“Scotland has more known vitrified forts than anywhere else in Europe and here in Stirling we have our own that reflects our warlike past,”

All that remains of the fort today, is a substantial turf-covered bank, crescentic on plan and 260ft in length. The bank stands to a maximum height of 5ft above the level of the interior and presumably represents a ruined timber-laced wall since numerous pieces of vitrified stones have been found on the slopes immediately below it.

“Despite a wealth of information known about the area there is relatively little known about this fort.”