King’s Seat, Dunkeld

February 1, 2026
This article is from Current Archaeology issue 432


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REVIEW BY KK

On the threshold between the Lowlands and the Highlands, the King’s Seat fort, 1.5km (a mile) west of Dunkeld on the River Tay, sits in an important location in the landscape. Despite its importance, little was known about the early medieval site until recent interest from the Dunkeld and Birnam Historical Society (DBHS) spurred a community-led initiative to clear the fort of harmful vegetation and undertake a project of surveying and excavation, which was carried out between 2017 and 2021.

The result is this thorough site report, which, in the spirit of a community-driven effort, is free to download from the Archaeopress website. Along with the usual presentation of the archaeology and small finds reports, there is a crucial chapter on the early medieval landscape and culture, placing the King’s Seat in its proper context for the results to be understood. This is archaeology at its best: community groups coming together to help preserve and promote our shared heritage.

King’s Seat, Dunkeld
David Strachan, Cathy MacIver, and Andy Heald
Archaeopress, £35/free eBook
ISBN 978-1805831174

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