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

  SM7591_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600013065)

Summary

Description

The monument comprises the roofless shell of a late medieval tower and a set of surrounding earthworks, which may be of rather earlier date.

The monument lies at around 125m OD, on a prominent knoll at the mouth of Glen Eagles. The tower measures approximately 13.5m E-W by 7.5m within walls 2.3m thick. The remains of an entrance door can be seen in the SE corner and there is evidence for spiral staircases in the SE and NW corners. Little survives of the E wall but the N, S and W walls survive up to 6m high with windows at ground and first floor level, and evidence of a possible vaulted ceiling over the ground floor level.

At least three of the ground level windows feature inverted keyhole gunloops, a style popular in the late 15th century. A feature in the SW corner may represent an oven and the remains of a drain or garderobe chute can be seen emerging from below the N wall. The footings of a later rectilinear building or enclosure can also be traced inside the shell of the tower, built against the N wall.

The tower is surrounded by a clearly defined earth and stone bank that follows the summit of the knoll. This bank measures up to 7m in width at its base, standing about 1.3m high internally and 2.7m externally. This bank probably represents the remains of a barmkin wall, although it could also incorporate the remains of a small Iron Age earthwork, for which the location would have been suitable.

Two large mounds within the barmkin on the E side of the tower may represent debris from consolidation works carried out in the 1920's. These works are commemorated on a plaque, situated in the central ground level window of the N wall, which reads "Gleneagles Castle. Repaired by Sir General Aylmer Haldane under the direction of HM Office of Works 1927-28."

The area proposed for scheduling comprises the remains described and an area around them within which related material may be expected to survive. It is irregular in shape and measures a maximum of about 95m E-W by 100m N-S, as marked in red on the accompanying map extract.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance because of its potential to contribute to our understanding of medieval defensive settlement and architecture.

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.