The Picts in the Scottish Borders – A Forgotten Stronghold?

A Tip-Off and a Mystery

It all started with a message from my cousin, who had been out exploring the hills near Galashiels with a friend. They stumbled across cup-marked stones in the middle of nowhere — a potential Pictish carving site. But what really grabbed my attention was the name of the hill where they were found: Pict’s Hill. I’d never even heard of it.

Digging into old maps, sure enough, there it was — Peck’s Hill, long since vanished from modern records. That was enough to send me out the door, boots on, ready to investigate.

Into the Forest

Navigating through thick forestry and scrub, I climbed to the summit of the hill. On the way, I noticed something odd: a large circular clearing — not random, and not new. Even on the oldest maps, this ring was there. Could this have once been a fort or even a broch?

Then came the real shock — earthworks. A mound with a surrounding ditch, clearly visible even from drone footage. It looked very much like other known sites, such as the Rink Fort or the mysterious Pict’s Ditch (Catrail).

And yet — this place isn’t listed. Not on Canmore, not on OS maps. A hidden hillfort? A lost settlement? Why was it called Pict’s Hill?

Cup-Marked Stones — And Something More

Back down the slope, deep into the woods, I followed clues left by my cousin and eventually found them: cup-marked stones, carved with deliberate, ancient precision. Some were subtle; others were deeply marked with rings and depressions — signs of ritual, symbols of meaning, perhaps even maps or calendars.

One stone, in particular, stood out — flat, weathered, and covered in deliberate marks. I believe it was more than a marker. It may have been an altar stone, or even part of a domestic structure within a lost Pictish community.

Pulling It All Together

What we’re looking at here is a potential settlement, complete with fortifications, carvings, and elevated positioning directly across from the iconic Eildon Hills — a place full of Celtic and Roman history in itself.

There’s a long-standing theory that the Selgovae, a powerful southern tribe sometimes associated with the Picts, lived here and were connected to the Catrail, the brochs, and now possibly this hill too.

Add in whispers of a Roman road or ancient route passing nearby — and you begin to realise the scale of what may have once existed in the Galashiels area.

Final Thoughts

Was Pict’s Hill truly a Pictish stronghold?
Have we found cup-marked stones, fort remains, and altar sites from a culture long buried beneath history and trees?

With no official recognition of the site, we may have just opened the first chapter of a new archaeological mystery — one that deserves far more attention.

Explore It Yourself

If you’re out walking near Galashiels, keep your eyes open. This area is packed with untold history, waiting to be rediscovered. And who knows — maybe you’ll be the one to find the next piece of the puzzle.