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

  SM1970_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600004634)

Summary

Description

The monument comprises the remains of a broch, an Iron Age drystone fortification. The broch is set on a narrow rocky promontory, cut off on the landward side by a natural gully, across which a causeway has been built. Inside the gully is an outwork in the form of a wall at least 2.6m thick, which appears to enclose an area some 15m by 10m between the broch and the gully. Up to 6 courses of masonry survive on the face of this outwork on the W side of the broch. The broch has been considerably disturbed by excavation and by amateur rebuilding, but seems to have measured 9m in diameter within a wall from 3.7m to 4.6m thick. The rubble of the broch stands almost 2m high, and facing stones can be seen at various points, sufficient to give the dimensions and to reveal an entrance on the S side, and a second entrance (perhaps secondary to the broch's original design) on the NNE. Chambers within the wall exist on the W and E sides. The area to be scheduled consists of the entire promontory, down to high water mark of spring tides, and is irregular on plan, to include the broch, outwork, causeway and an area around in which evidence relating to their construction and use may survive. It measures a maximum of 95m N-S by 40m WSW-ENE, as marked in red on the accompanying map.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance as a broch which forms one of a group of three lying well away from the main concentration of such fortifications in N and W Scotland. Although partly excavated it retains the potential, through excavation and analysis, to provide important information about the unresolved question of the reason for the existence of brochs so far from their normal area of occurrence, and also for Iron Age defensive architecture and domestic economy.

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.