Scheduled Monument

Burnt Humbleton,fortSM4668

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
22/05/1989
Type
Prehistoric domestic and defensive: fort (includes hill fort and promontory fort)
Local Authority
Scottish Borders
Parish
Yetholm
NGR
NT 85192 28046
Coordinates
385192, 628046

Description

The monument is a fort of the Iron Age, some 1500 to 2500 years old, situated on the summit of Burnt Humbleton. The most prominent feature of the fort is a walled enclosure measuring c. 48m NW-SE by 30m transversely, occupying the highest part of the summit. Outside this enclosure fragments of walling are visible at either end of the knoll, probably representing an earlier enclosure.

A further wall, which would have enclosed an area measuring c. 90m NW-SE by 58m, surrounds the inner enclosure. It is likely that there are at least three phases of construction visible in the defences. The area to be scheduled measures a maximum of 250m NW-SE by 180m transversely.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance as an Iron Age fort which shows clear signs of having a structural history of considerable complexity. Taken with the fort of very different form on Green Humbleton and the other Iron Age monuments in the area, it has the potential to enhance considerably our understanding of the development of prehistoric fortification and settlement, and of the organisation and use of the landscape in prehistory.

References

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as NT 82 NE 85.

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.

Images

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Printed: 01/11/2026 14:59