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

  SM12710_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600014331)

Summary

Description

The monument comprises the remains of a burnt mound, likely to date to the later prehistoric period. The monument, measuring around 10m N-S by around 6.6m transversely, is located at around 230m above sea level on the E slope of Hind Hill, between two tributaries of the Blae Beck.

The monument consists of an earthen, grass-covered mound, beneath which it is composed of a mixture of reddened stone, soil and charcoal. The monument is roughly oval in shape and measures around 10m N-S by 6.6m transversely and up to 0.7m high. The mound has a distinct central hollow on the W side, which faces onto the E side of the stream. The hollow contains a subrectangular pit measuring 2.8m N-S by 0.9m transversely, which is up to 0.3m deep.

The area to be scheduled is irregular in plan, to include the remains described and an area around within which evidence relating to the monument's construction and use may survive, as shown in red on the accompanying map.

Statement of National Importance

Cultural Significance

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

Intrinsic characteristics

Burnt mounds are heaps of fire-cracked stone, within a matrix of dark soil and or charcoal and ash, and often set beside a stream. A trough or pit may be set into the inner curve of the crescent, facing the watercourse, and excavation of some examples has shown that the trough may be lined with clay, wood or stone. Most examples date to the Bronze Age but others have been dated to between the late Neolithic through to early historic period. The exact function of these monuments is not clear and they may relate to a number of different processes. The favoured interpretation in Scotland is that they were domestic in origin and probably used to heat stones to boil water, probably for cooking.

The monument survives as an upstanding earthwork, in which the classic form of a burnt mound is clearly visible. In this instance, and unusually, the clear outline of a central pit is also visible marking this monument as exceptionally well preserved. There is no evidence that the site has been excavated and it is very likely that the mound has not been disturbed. The monument therefore has an inherent capacity to inform our understanding of the date and nature of construction of burnt mounds as well as to understand how they may have functioned and the duration and possible phases of use. The potential presence of associated artefacts within and around the mounds reinforces this potential. The mound may have been directly deposited onto the surface of the land and important environmental information may therefore be preserved beneath and within it. This may have the potential to further our knowledge of the contemporary landscape and land use practices at the time.

Contextual characteristics

The monument is located between two unnamed burns at a height of around 230m above sea level in a steep and narrow river valley, around 1.9 km east of the River Annan, into which the Blae Beck eventually feeds. The location is a typical one for burnt mounds, which tend to cluster along river valleys and coastlines in close proximity to watercourses, on S-facing slopes and between 100-300m above sea level. There are around 1900 recorded examples within Scotland with notable concentrations in some areas, including Dumfries and Galloway. However, these concentrations correlate with areas that have been surveyed so may not reflect true groupings. The concentration in eastern Dumfries and Galloway may also reflect good survival due to the locations chosen. These are often rural and on the edges of water courses, and so are unlikely to be disturbed by construction.

In this case the nearest recorded example is 120m to the SE, with another example 700m SW and a third 1.4 km to the WNW in the adjacent valley of the River Annan. There is a dense concentration of prehistoric remains with many enclosures, cairns, settlements and cultivation remains found within close proximity to the burnt mound. Further study of these monuments may increase our understanding of the nature of any relationships between them and improve our knowledge of the way in which different parts of the landscape may have been used by contemporary society.

Study has also identified a trend in the average size of mounds; smaller mounds are located in the south and larger mounds further north in mainland Scotland, and the Northern and Western Isles. In eastern Dumfries and Galloway the size of mounds tends to vary between 2m to 12.5m in diameter with the majority between 4-10m and up to 1.2m in height. Archaeologists have identified two distinct groups in the area: smaller mounds often appear in concentrated groups and may have had a single or limited use. Larger examples tend to have the classic kidney shape and may have been reused on many occasions over a significant time. These two types may have served different social functions.

National Importance

This monument is of national importance because it has an inherent potential to make a significant addition to the understanding of the past, in particular prehistoric society and the construction and use of such monuments, and their placing in the landscape. The good preservation and the exceptional survival of marked field characteristics of this mound, enhance this potential. The loss of this monument would significantly impede our ability to understand the nature of later prehistoric ritual and domestic practice, both in eastern Dumfries and Galloway and in Scotland.

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.