[1] Evidence of prehistoric man exists in the vicinity dating to the Iron Age in the form of ring cairns.

[2] The ancient Causey Mounth trackway was developed at least as early as the eleventh century AD to connect the coastal portion of Stonehaven to a crossing of the River Dee at the southern edge of Aberdeen.

The trackway passes the ruins of the Episcopal Chapels, dating to 1624[4] situated on the lands of the Muchalls Castle Estate, and thence northerly crossing through the boggy Portlethen Moss (which had a much larger historic extent than present).

Cowie Castle is also situated near the southern end of the Elsick Mounth, another strategic route used by the Romans in their northern invasion and also instrumental in subsequent eras' military movements.

Only a small section of masonry survives today on the site, which is a scheduled monument.