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

  SM10341_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600013625)

Summary

Description

The monument comprises a stone clapper bridge, sited above the outflow of the Barnagad Burn into Loch Sween, just to the south of Achnamara.

The footway of the bridge is built of two massive tapered flags, the S one measuring 4m long by 0.6-0.8m wide, and the N one measuring 3m long by 0.7-0.9m wide, both slabs being about 0.1m thick. The flags are supported at each end by drystone abutment piers, and the narrower ends of the flags rest on a central drystone pier, all three piers being about 1.4m high, and constructed of large thick stone slabs.

The narrower ends of the two flags forming the footway each have a hole in them, diameter 0.1m, presumably for ropes or slings used to manoevre them into position. A documentary reference suggests that the bridge was built by the Laird of Oib Graham in 1684, as a fine imposed by the Kirk Session of Knapdale parish for 'delinquency'.

The area to be scheduled is rectangular, 20m NE-SW by 8m NW-SE, to include the bridge and an area around in which evidence relating to its construction and use may survive, as marked in red on the accompanying map extract.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance as the last surviving example of a group of stone clapper bridges in mid-Argyll, in an excellent state of preservation, and with documentary references relating to its origin and date.

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.