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

  SM3240_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600009340)

Summary

Description

The monument comprises prehistoric settlement remains, situated on a high terrace towards the NW end of St Kilda. The monument was first scheduled in 1972, but an inadequate area was included to protect all of the archaeological remains: the present rescheduling rectifies this.

This area is most significant for the presence of circular platforms, cut into the gentle slopes, defined on their upper edges by boulders. Their precise date and function is not known, but they can be assumed to be prehistoric house platforms. A stone dyke, apparently associated with one of these, is largely submerged beneath a depth of peat. There are relatively few cleitean (small drystone structures, distinctive to St Kilda) in this area.

The area to be scheduled is irregular on plan, and measures a maximum of 160 m from N-S by 250 m transversely, as marked in red on the attached map. It includes the remains described and an area around them in which related material may be expected to survive.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance because it represents the multi-period remains of structures, apparently prehistoric in origin, that are an unusual component of the wider St. Kilda archaeological landscape. These remains have the potential to provide important information about life on St. Kilda through the millennia, an extreme existence that has been of enormous interest to Scottish and international observers from early times.

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.