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

  SM1045_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600003841)

Summary

Description

The monument comprises the remains of two circular cairns, funerary monuments dating from the Early Bronze Age period (c. 2000-1500 BC). The monument was originally scheduled in 1938, but the area covered by the designation was not properly defined. The current rescheduling rectifies this.

The cairns lie at around 220m and 240m OD respectively, on a S to SW-facing hillslope looking down the valley of the Boreland Burn towards the Solway Firth. The cairns are both approximately 10m in diameter and stand around 1m high. They are approximately 120m apart on plan, aligned on a NE-SW axis, and would have been clearly intervisible before modern forestry planting. Although there are some signs of surface interference on both cairns, this does not appear to have caused any major disturbance and it is likely that both would retain any original burial or votive deposits intact. Faint traces of a small rectilinear enclosure, probably a recent stock enclosure, can be seen on the N side of the N cairn.

The area to be scheduled comprises two circular areas, both 30m in diameter, centred on the cairns, as shown in red on the accompanying map.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our understanding of prehistoric ritual and funerary practices. The relationship between these cairns and an earlier long cairn situated c. 400m to the W, which was itself the successor of an earlier timber mortuary structure, is of particular interest and shows a long history of burial activity in this 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.