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

  SM7778_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600013196)

Summary

Description

The monument comprises a chambered burial cairn of prehistoric date. This chambered cairn is situated on a terrace on the E bank of of the Allt Sordail, in an area of rough grassland at around 10m OD. The cairn measures approximately 45m NW-SE by about 30m across at its SE end and about 6m across at its NW end. The cairn has been heavily robbed in antiquity and now stands only about 0.5m high.

It has also been disturbed in more recent times by the addition of stones cleared from the fields, which form a marked bulge at its SE end. At the SE end of the cairn the remains of a chamber are visible, measuring about 3m E-W by about 1m transversely. The chamber is divided into two, the end-slab of the inner compartment standing to a height of about 1m. It is recorded that a 'stone cist' was found at this site in 1860.

This type of chambered cairn is known as the Clyde type. Chambered cairns are funerary monuments dating to the Neolithic period, and may be expected to contain material relating to their mode of construction and use.

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 an irregular quadrilateral, measuring a maximum of 55m WNW-ESE by 50m NNE-SSW, as marked in red on the accompanying map.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance because of its potential to contribute to our understanding of prehistoric funerary and ritual practices. Despite having been robbed of stone over the years, sufficient survives to indicate that there will be undisturbed archaeological deposits within and beneath the cairn. Chambered cairns are a relatively rare monument type in Ardnamurchan, this example being one of only two reasonably well preserved examples in the area.

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.