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

  SM5629_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600011527)

Summary

Description

The monument consists of the remains of a settlement, almost certainly a monastic establishment of early medieval date, located on the E side of the small islet called Kirk Holm.

The settlement consists of the foundations of eight rectangular structures, each having rounded corners. They vary from 13.5m by 4.7m overall down to 10.0m by 3.9m. Their walls are about 1m wide and turf-covered. Six of the houses lie close together and are aligned NNE-SSW, with entrances towards the sea. A further house, severely eroded, lies just to the N, and another some 40m beyond this.

The two last-mentioned have been subject to erosion, as have the seawrd ends of the group of six. There are no visible traces of any associated structures or boundaries. The location, nature of the remains and the placename suggest an ecclesiastical origin, presumably as an

eremitical establishment. The likely date would be 11th or 12th century AD, on analogy with other monastic settlements in Shetland and beyond.

The area to be scheduled is irregular, consisting of the entire northern end of the islet above the steep but low rocky cliffs. It measures a maximum of 130m N-S by 50m transversely, and includes all the houses of the settlement and an area between and around them in which evidence relating to their construction and use may survive, as marked in red on the accompanying map.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance as a good example of a possible Norse-Medieval period monastic establishment, of the same nature as examples elsewhere in Shetland and Orkney. The closest analogies are with Strandibrough on Fetlar and the settlement on the S side of the Brough of Birsay. The monument has the potential, through archaeological excavation and analysis, to provide importance information about the organisation and development of the church in the Northern Isles.

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.