Documents

Where documents include maps, the use of this data is subject to terms and conditions (https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/termsandconditions).

The legal document available for download below constitutes the formal designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The additional details provided on this page are provided for information purposes only and do not form part of the designation. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within this additional information.

• Type

  Legal Documents

  Title

  SM11010_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600013837)

Summary

Description

The monument comprises the remains of a fort of prehistoric date with later buildings and cultivation remains within it.

The fort occupies the whole summit of a low rock stack rising above a raised wave-cut platform. The stack itself occupies a rocky promontory with sea all around except to the NW and commands extensive views in all directions. The fort is approximately lozenge-shaped in plan, fitted to the edges of the stack. It has an outer wall between 2.1m and 2.7m thick, enclosing an area 29m N-S by 39m E-W. The mainly turf-covered wall is built on the cliff edge, and the outer face, preserved to a height of 1.2m at one point along the N face, can be seen for most of the periphery. The base course of the inner face can be seen occasionally, especially in the NE. The entrance is on the NNE.

The interior is occupied by the ruins of a relatively recent rectangular house and the turf-covered traces of two, possibly more, smaller rectangular buildings. Traces of lazybed cultivation cover much of the interior. Outside the fort in the W a wall about 2m thick has been constructed across the head of a slope between the stack and the sea, and a similar wall curves around the N side, with two ruinous rectangular buildings in the interspace. There are traces of a similar wall in the E. These walls appear to be later than the fort and are probably contemporary with the rectangular buildings.

The area to be scheduled comprises the remains described and an area around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive. It is irregular on plan, defined around most of its perimeter by the high water mark of ordinary spring tides, and measures a maximum of 170m NNW-SSE by a maximum 160m NE-SW, to include the whole of the tip of the promontory, as marked in red on the accompanying map extract.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance as a good example of a multi-period settlement site. The prehistoric fort and later settlement have the potential to enhance knowledge of economy and social organisation over an extended period of time.

References

Bibliography

About Scheduled Monuments

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Scheduling is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for monuments and archaeological sites of national importance as set out in the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.

We schedule sites and monuments that are found to be of national importance using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Scheduled monument records provide an indication of the national importance of the scheduled monument which has been identified by the description and map. The description and map (see ‘legal documents’ above) showing the scheduled area is the designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The statement of national importance and additional information provided are supplementary and provided for general information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within the statement of national importance or additional information. These records are not definitive historical or archaeological accounts or a complete description of the monument(s).

The format of scheduled monument records has changed over time. Earlier records will usually be brief. Some information will not have been recorded and the map will not be to current standards. Even if what is described and what is mapped has changed, the monument is still scheduled.

Scheduled monument consent is required to carry out certain work, including repairs, to scheduled monuments. Applications for scheduled monument consent are made to us. We are happy to discuss your proposals with you before you apply and we do not charge for advice or consent. More information about consent and how to apply for it can be found on our website at www.historicenvironment.scot.

Find out more about scheduling and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.