Scheduled Monument
Ravenscraig CastleSM90244
Status: Designated
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.
Summary
- Date Added
- 30/09/1935
- Last Date Amended
- 28/04/1999
- Type
- Secular: castle
- Local Authority
- Fife
- Parish
- Kirkcaldy And Dysart
- NGR
- NT 29080 92486
- Coordinates
- 329080, 692486
Description
The monument comprises the remains of Ravenscraig Castle, built across the neck of a narrow promontory to the S of Dysart in the mid 15th century. Protected on the S, E and W by steep rocky cliffs and on the landward side by a wide ditch, Ravenscraig is believed to be the first castle in Scotland to be systematically planned for fire-arm defence.
The castle consists of a keep at the NW angle presenting a rounded front to the landward side. A curtain wall extends eastwards to join a projecting round tower at the NE angle which is similar in outline to the keep but not so high. It rises, however, from a lower level and contains the same number of floors. The entrance lies in the centre of the curtain wall and leads through a vaulted entrance passage to a courtyard. The considerable foundations of ancillary buildings extend seaward along the narrow top of the promontory.
The castle itself has been scheduled since 1935, but this rescheduling clarifies the extent of the protected area. The area now to be scheduled is irregular in shape with maximum dimensions of 130m from its northernmost point to its southernmost point by 75m from its easternmost point to its westermost point, to include the castle and an area around it within which associated remains are expected to survive. From the NW-most corner of the scheduled area the boundary runs in a clockwise direction along the line of a boundary wall, which is itself excluded from this scheduling, for a distance of 60m. It then runs for 50m in a direction S of SSE to meet the top of the coastal cliffs. The boundary then follows the line of the clifftop around the headland for 230m before turning NNE for 10m to meet the starting point. The area is marked in red on the accompanying map extract.
References
Bibliography
No Bibliography entries for this designation
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.