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

  SM6426_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600012314)

Summary

Description

This monument consists of a small promontory fort in a cliff-top location. The fort is formed by a drystone wall 37m long, constructed across the neck of a coastal promontory. The wall is at least 4m thick and stands to a maximum height of 2m. There are traces in places of both the outer and inner wall face. About 5m from the S end of the wall is evidence for a gap which may have been the original entrance.

Within the fort are the remains of 3 stone-walled huts. One is oval and measures about 6m by 5m with an entrance in the NE. The second is circular and about 6m in diameter, and the third is visible as a turf-covered stony bank defining a roughly circular area about 8m in diameter. Two small shieling-type structures lie just outside the wall of the fort.

The area to be scheduled is irregular, bounded on three sides by the top of the cliff. It measures 115m WNW-ESE by a maximum of 60m, to include the fort, internal buildings, external shielings and an area around in which deposits associated with the construction and use of the fort may survive, as shown in red on the accompanying map extract.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance for its potential contribution to an understanding of prehistoric domestic life and defensive architecture. There are only two convincing prehistoric coastal forts on Rum and monuments of comparable date are rare on the island.

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.