Scheduled Monument

Hansie's Crooie,chambered cairnSM5546

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
22/01/1993
Type
Prehistoric ritual and funerary: chambered cairn
Local Authority
Shetland Islands
Parish
Walls And Sandness
NGR
HU 24481 51478
Coordinates
424481, 1151478

Description

The monument consists of the remains of a prehistoric chambered burial cairn.

The cairn is of the Shetland "heel-shaped" variety, circular except for a concave facade on the SSE. It is about 8.2m in diameter, and bounded by a kerb of large boulders, in some places still two courses high. The facade consists of larger boulders, up to 0.7m high, and is continuous, suggesting it was added after the interior chamber was out of use. The interior chamber is oval, 3m long by 2m wide, with an upright stone halfway down each long side.

The area to be scheduled is circular, centred on the cairn, and 30m in diameter, to include the cairn and an area around it in which traces of its construction and use may survive, as indicated in red on the accompanying map.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance as a good field monument, and example of a typical Shetland heel-shaped cairn. It gains additional importance from its proximity (300m) to Cattapund Knowe, the only convincing long cairn in Shetland. Together these sites offer the possibility of comparative study to illuminate the development of funerary traditions in Shetland.

References

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as HU25SW 2.

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.

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Printed: 19/10/2026 18:39