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

  Legal Documents for Unenclosed settlement, 250m NW of cemetery, Kirkton of Fetteresso (SM5449)

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600031518)

Summary

Description

The monument comprises an unenclosed settlement dating to the Iron Age (800BC-AD400). The settlement comprises a souterrain, roundhouses and pits which appear as cropmarks on oblique aerial photographs. These cropmarks are visible as dark lines and patches on the aerial imagery. The monument is located in an arable field at around 50m above sea level.

The souterrain is located in the north of the scheduled area and is 15m long by 3m wide. There are also up to 7 roundhouses in the field, measuring between 20m and 10m in width. There are also numerous pits across the field ranging in size from 2m to 6m wide. Excavations beyond the southern boundary of the scheduled area have shown that some of these pits may date to the Mesolithic or Neolithic periods.

The scheduled area is irregular. It includes the remains described above and an area around 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 scheduled area extends up to but does not include the modern field boundaries. 

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance as a group of settlement features of the prehistoric period. Even though the area is under the plough experience shows us that important archaeological deposits and structures will survive below plough level. The settlements show a range of features which have the potential to enhance considerably our understanding of prehistoric domestic, economic and agricultural activities. The monument is of particular importance because, unusually, the remains survive over an extensive area.

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.