Documents

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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

  SM5976_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600011871)

Summary

Description

The monument consists of the remains of a monastic grange, probably run by the Cistercians, which is likely to date from the 13th century. One of the buildings may have been a small chapel.

King David I (r.1124-56) granted "Morthuweit" (Moorfoot) to the monks of Newbattle Abbey and there are references to the "Grange of Morthweth" in the "Registrum de Newbotle". The monument is situated by Moorfoot farm, 700m S of Gladhouse Reservoir. It survives as a complex of turf covered footings, which represent the agricultural and domestic buildings, laid out around a courtyard about 30m square. The only upstanding fragments are situated in the SE part of the courtyard: two opposed portions of random rubble masonry which presumably formed the side walls of a rectangular building, perhaps the remnants of a chapel. The River South Esk's course has altered, eroding the E wall of the courtyard and exposing masonry courses. On the S side of the courtyard are three rooms. The yard is crossed by an E-W enclosure wall. To the N of the courtyard are the footings of three more buildings. To the N of the complex is a substantial L- shaped earthwork which was probably built to defend the settlement against flooding. To the S of the buildings is an elaborate system of banks for water control, perhaps fish ponds.

The area to be scheduled is irregular, measuring a maximum of 130m WSW-ENE by 355m NNW-SSE, to include the monastic grange and possible chapel, the area of possible fish ponds, and an area around these remains where further evidence is likely to survive, as marked in red on the accompanying map.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance because few settlements of this early date, type and complexity survive in Scotland. In addition, the monument has the potential to provide evidence, through excavation, which may yield more information about ecclesiastical architecture and about the social organisation, domestic architecture, agricultural land-use and economy of a small monastic community.

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.