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

  SM11741_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600014083)

Summary

Description

The monument is a small Iron-Age dun situated on top of a small rocky knoll, on a sloping hillside 750m ENE of the large fort at Castle Findlay.

The dun measures 20m from NE to SW, and 14m from NW to SE, and occupies most of the flat summit of the knoll. Several base stones of the outer wall face survive in place in the NW and SE, with some rubble wall-fill exposed in the NW. Turf-covered banks indicate the line of the walls elsewhere. In the NE and SW quarters, where the wall had overlaid bare rock, it has tumbled down the side of the knoll, leaving no trace. No entrance or internal features can be identified. An Ordnance Survey trig point is built within the dun.

The area to be scheduled is an irregular polygon on plan, to include the remains described and an area around in which evidence relating to the dun's construction and use is likely to survive, as shown in red on the accompanying map.

Statement of National Importance

Cultural Significance

The monument's archaeological significance can be expressed as follows:

Intrinsic characteristics: This small Iron Age dun is in good condition, retaining outer facing stones, as well as some wall-fill. Lack of cultivation due to its position, as well as turf banks covering walls, means that the potential for preservation of internal features and evidence relating to the site's construction and use is high.

Contextual characteristics: Their builders often sited Iron Age duns on rocky knolls for a variety of potential reasons: defence; availability of building material; visibility within the landscape; avoiding the use of land that could otherwise be cultivated. Spatial analysis of the site's relationship with nearby Iron Age duns and forts in the wider landscape may enhance our understanding of the role of such structures, particularly about society and economy. Comparison of the dun with others will enable a better understanding of the construction and form of Iron Age drystone structures.

National Importance

The monument is of national importance because it is a good example of an Iron Age dun, with parts of the outer wall-face and rubble wall-core remaining, associated with a landscape of comparable structures. It has the capacity to enhance our understanding of duns as a whole and increase our understanding of site intervisibility. It has the potential to provide well-preserved archaeological deposits within its interior. Its loss would impede our future ability to appreciate and understand the Iron-Age landscape and its inhabitants.

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.