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

  SM13314_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600014476)

Summary

Description

The monument is a multi-period site comprising the remains of part of a ditch-defined cursus of probable Neolithic date (between 4000 BC and 2000 BC); an enclosed settlement of likely Iron Age date (sometime between 500 BC and AD 500); and a timber hall and four sunken buildings of probable early medieval date (between about AD 500 and AD 1000), all visible as cropmarks captured on oblique aerial photographs.

The cursus is a substantial ritual Neolithic monument, consisting of two, approximately parallel linear ditches, aligned E-W and some 85m apart. The total length of the cursus is around 1310m and is visible intermittently on aerial photographs: this scheduling relates to a length of about 380m at its eastern end. There is a 'gap' of some 350m in the central section of the cursus, where the ditches have been obscured by the remains of a later enclosed settlement; and the probable western section of the cursus lies on the same alignment around 470m to the WSW. The later settlement is of probable Iron Age date and is enclosed by a series of sub-surface circular ditches that define an internal area measuring around 60m E-W by 60m N-S. A sub-rectangular cropmark overlying the eastern ditches of the enclosure probably represents an early medieval timber hall measuring 20m E-W by 8m transversely. The southern side of the enclosure is overlain by four smaller rectilinear features, the largest measuring 8m N-S by 4.5m transversely, which appear to represent the remains of sunken buildings, also of probable early medieval date. The cursus, enclosed prehistoric settlement and early medieval settlement all occupy an area of relatively level ground immediately S of the modern farm of Preston Mains at around 15m OD.

The scheduled area is irregular on plan to include the remains described above and an area around them within which evidence relating to the monument's construction, use and abandonment is expected to survive, as shown in red on the accompanying map. The scheduling specifically excludes the above-ground elements of all post-and-wire fences, stone boundary walls and hedgerows to allow for their upkeep and maintenance.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance because it has an inherent potential to make a significant addition to our understanding of the past, in particular the study of a rare multi-period landscape in eastern Scotland, comprising a major Neolithic ritual monument, partly overlain by Iron Age and early medieval settlements. The cropmarks visible on aerial photographs indicate high potential for the presence of complex buried archaeology, including structural remains of different types, both ritual and domestic, as well as a range of artefacts and ecofacts relating to the various components of the site, both during their construction and use and after they were abandoned. The monument's importance is enhanced because of the size of the ditch-defined cursus, which is the largest currently known in Scotland. There is potential to examine the spatial relationships between cursus monuments in the locality and the variations in their design and construction, which may enhance our understanding of how and why these enigmatic monuments were built and used. The monument has a particular capacity to inform debate on how major Neolithic ceremonial centres were remembered in later prehistory, how that may have influenced the siting and nature of later settlement, and how the use of landscape changed through time. The loss or diminution of this monument would impede our ability to understand the distinctive cursus monuments of Scotland and their importance to Neolithic people, as well as the evolution of domestic settlements from the Iron Age through to the early medieval period, including changes in their function, organisation, contacts, economy and use of landscape.

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.