| Dunsinane Hill | |
|---|---|
 Dunsinane Hill from Black Hill. | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 310 m (1,020 ft) |
| Prominence | c. 53 m |
| Listing | none |
| Geography | |
  Dunsinane Hill | |
| Parent range | Sidlaws |
| OS grid | NO213316 |
| Topo map | OSLandranger 53 |
Dunsinane Hill (/dʌnˈsɪnən/dun-SIN-ən) is a hill of theSidlaws near the village ofCollace inPerthshire,Scotland. It is mentioned inShakespeare's playMacbeth, in which a vision informs Macbeth that he "shall never vanquished be, until GreatBirnam wood to high Dunsinane hill Shall come against him."
The hill has a height of 310 metres (1,020 ft) and commands expansive views of the surrounding countryside. It consists of a lateIron Age hill fort, the ramparts of which remain obvious. The site was damaged by undocumented amateur excavations in the 19th century by antiquarians attracted to the site by its Shakespearean connection. Little of value was learned about the history of the monument from these unscientific endeavours.
Dunsinane is the traditional site of a 1054battle in whichSiward, Earl of Northumbria defeatedMacbeth of Scotland. The much earlier Iron Age hill fort has long been known as Macbeth's Castle, though there is no archaeological evidence that it was in use by him or anyone during the mid eleventh century.
To facilitate the rhyme in the couplet "I will not be afraid of death and bane, Till Birnam forest come to Dunsinane" the pronunciation usually employed for Shakespeare's play has the accent on the first or third syllable, with a long "a" (i.e./ˈdʌnsɪneɪn/ or/ˌdʌnsɪˈneɪn/).[1] However, the correct pronunciation has the accent on the second syllable, with a short "a".[2]
An alternative spelling of the name is Dunsinnan. The derivation isGaelic, "the hill of ants"; possibly a reference to the large number of people it took to build the fortress.[3]
The best access to Dunsinane Hill is from the rear of thePerthshire village of Collace on the northern side of Dunsinane Hill, between the village and the quarry. There is a small parking area there suitable for 4 or 5 cars, from which a steep, but clearly defined path leads directly to the summit.
Volume I
56°28′13″N3°16′41″W / 56.4704°N 3.2780°W /56.4704; -3.2780
 | ThisPerth and Kinross location article is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |