Scheduled Monument

Birkford, burnt mound 420m N ofSM11401

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
23/11/2006
Type
Prehistoric domestic and defensive: burnt mound
Local Authority
Aberdeenshire
Parish
Strathdon
NGR
NJ 35104 09506
Coordinates
335104, 809506

Description

This monument is a burnt mound, a prehistoric monument comprising burnt stones and charcoal frequently covering the remains of associated structures. Timber has previously been exposed at the site, which may indicate the preserved remains of a wood-lined trough. It is situated in pasture at the foot of a knoll on the N bank of a burn and NE of a marsh.

The monument is concentric on plan with a hollow in its open side, facing S into the burn. It measures 7m from E to W by 5m transversely, and is about 0.5m high to the W.

The area to be scheduled measures 10m in diameter, centred on the burnt mound, as marked in red on the accompanying map. The fence to the west is excluded from the scheduling.

Statement of National Importance

The monument's archaeological significance can be expressed as follows:

Intrinsic characteristics: This monument is a well-preserved archaeological site with upstanding remains and possibly has preserved wooden features. There is a high likelihood of further associated well-preserved sub-surface remains. It has a typical location for this class of monument, situated adjacent to a burn. It has the potential to provide information about socio-economic structures of the prehistoric or early historic communities that built them, as well as about the environments in which they lived, farmed, gathered and hunted.

Contextual characteristics: This monument is one of only ten burnt mounds identified in NE Scotland. Similarities and differences in date, form and use between examples of this class of monuments have the potential to provide information about interactions between members of the society that built them, and between communities in this area and in the rest of Scotland.

National Importance: This monument is of national importance because it is a well-preserved example of this monument type in an area where they do not appear to have been common, or have yet to be identified. It is also a typical representative of its class. This monument has the potential to answer questions about why burnt mounds may not have been built frequently in the region and answer specific questions about local communities, how they lived and interacted with the world and people around them. The loss of this example would severely restrict the ability to study these interactions.

References

Bibliography

The monument is recorded by RCAHMS as NJ30NE 31.

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.

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Printed: 01/04/2026 18:58