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

  SM6059_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600011951)

Summary

Description

The monument consists of a prehistoric chambered burial cairn.

The cairn, sometimes called the March Cairn, is situated on a low ridge called The Hamars of Houlland, less than 200m to the WSW of another chambered cairn (scheduled separately). It was partly excavated in 1949, and has an almost square plan, with a low kerb of large boulders defining an area some 5m square, although the cairn material had been spread out beyond the kerb in places. The cairn now stands up to 1m in height.

Large blocks occur at the corners, except the S, where one appears to have been removed. There is a chamber of rectangular plan with two side recesses, and this was entered by a passage from the SE. The entrance to the passage has been blocked, in antiquity, by a large slab.

As it now appears, the best preserved face of the cairn is the NE, but this may be the result of differential robbing, and the true facade probably lay on the SE side. This would be consistent with an entrance from this side. The area to be scheduled is a square of side 25m oriented NE-SW, to include the cairn and an area around it in which evidence relating to its 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 fine example of a small chambered cairn, one of a pair of near neighbours which are also close to settlement remains of broadly similar date. Together the group has considerable potential to provide evidence relating to Neolithic settlement, economy and funerary practice.

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.