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

  Legal Documents for Dunfermline,remains in Pittencrieff Glen to north-west of abbey church (SM9279)

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600035860)

Summary

Description

A dog-legged section of medieval wall of carefully constructed masonry rising from a double-chamfered plinth course and supported by five buttresses. The wall is pierced by two levels of rectangular windows with chamfered surrounds, now mostly blocked. This wall appears to have belonged to the substructures of a range of buildings associated with the outer courtyard of the Benedictine abbey church.

There is a tradition that it was a part of the chapel of St Catherine, from which the post-medieval St Catherine's Wynd, to its east, took its name. The alignment of the wall perhaps makes its association with a chapel unlikely, however, and some other function associated with the outer courtyard, such as a guest house, may be more plausible. Excavations on St Catherine's Wynd in 1993 located foundations associated with these walls.

The area to be scheduled is a rectangle measuring about 33m NNE to SSW by 18m transversely. This area is marked in red on the accompanying map extract.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance as a rare example of part of a high quality structure associated with the outer courtyard of a major monastic house.

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.