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

  SM4420_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600010337)

Summary

Description

The monument includes a fort and adjacent house. The fort comprises a central dun and traces of at least 2 outer ramparts, both apparently robbed. The central fortification cuts off the ENE part of the promontory in which is at least one slightly scooped round house. South of the fort, on a small terrace, is a well preserved round house measuring 15m x 16m over a stony bank 1.7m in width with, on the east side are expanded terminals to either side of an entrance. Inside the bank is a broad shallow annular depression, deeper to the N than the S, surrounding a central raised area up to 8m across.

Statement of National Importance

The house is of particular interest because of the asymmetry of the annular depression and its overall similarity to an excavated house of the mid 1st millenium BC at Douglasmuir, near Friockheim. The type occurs fairly abundantly as a cropmark and the existence of upstanding example on high ground is of national importance to the theme of early Iron Age settlement in E Scotland. The fort is of particular interest because of its similarity to Western Scottish fort types, and because it contains at least one house of a type dissimilar to those occurring in isolation or in unenclosed settlements. It is quite different from the other inland forts although comparable in siting and size to the small promontory forts of the coast. It is of national importance to studies of Iron Age and early medieval fortification in E Scotland because of its links with western and eastern coastal forts.

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.