Documents

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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

  SM10233_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600013617)

Summary

Description

The monument consists of a large turf-covered mound, which is recorded as containing a chamber accessed by a passage. Resistivity survey has located a geophysical anomaly, which may correspond to the chamber, and a possible ditch feature encircling the mound.

The mound measures approximately 50m N-S by 42m E-W and stands up to about 4m in height. The mound profile is gently convex with a slightly flattened summit. No other features are visible. The field was last ploughed for improvement in the 1970s but the farmer deliberately excluded the mound from the ploughing. The chamber is first recorded in an itinerary published in 1899. This report refers to its discovery some four years earlier.

Geophysical survey in 2001 has shown that the mound is encircled by what appears to be a substantial ditch and a distinct anomaly towards the northern end of the summit of the mound is likely to represent the chamber. The northern edge of the mound is thought to have been removed when the road was first made.

The area to be scheduled is roughly circular, flattened on its N side where it abuts the road. It has maximum dimensions of 70m E-W by 55m N-S, to include the mound, the probable ditch and a surrounding area in which evidence relating to its construction and use may survive, as marked in red on the accompanying map extract. The boundary wall adjacent to the road is excluded from the schedule.

Statement of National Importance

The site is of national importance as a prehistoric burial monument, probably a chambered cairn. As well as the 19th century discovery of a chamber and passage, recent geophysical survey has indicated the presence of a surrounding ditch. The site has the potential to provide important evidence about prehistoric ritual and burial practices.

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.