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

  SM6577_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600012461)

Summary

Description

The monument comprises the remains of a World War 2 radar station on Ward Hill, the highest point of Fair Isle.

The remains consist of a range of concrete constructions, some reduced to their lower wall courses, with a small number of minor structures of stone and turf construction. There are four main groupings of structures.

1. At the summit of the hill are the remains of several accommodation structures and one large (metal-framed) plus four small (wooden framed) aerial footings: the metal aerial mast was deliberately felled by explosive some years ago, but survive as tangled wreckage. The rusted remains of the antenna turntables from the top of these masts survive.

2. At the foot of the slope to the SE are several generator and control houses, some of the former still containing the rusted remains of generators, and this group is linked to the hilltop by the remains of a cable-hauled railway of very narrow gauge. There are also several footings and platforms for wooden or metal huts here, but the superstructure of these has vanished.

3. To the NE of the hilltop structures are two outlying roofed structures and a mast foundation.

4. Finally, on an isolated knoll to the S of the hilltop are structures which represent the remains of a large collapsed Nissen-type hut and an associated low-walled paved enclosure, possibly comprising a heavy anti-aircraft battery for a mobile gun. An interesting feature of the site is the presence on the hilltop of two stone-and-turf built enclosures which are probably pits for heavy machine guns: this use of local material is paralleled widely, notably in the Faroe Islands, where similar radar establishments were erected at almost exactly the same date.

The area to be scheduled is in two parts. The larger area is an irregular quadrilateral covering the whole top and SE flank of Ward Hill, just excluding the modern transmitter which stands on the SE shoulder of the hill, and measuring a maximum of 400m N-S by 525m WNW-ESE. The smaller area is a circle 25m across to include the outlying structures to the SSE of the summit of Ward Hill. The area to be scheduled is shown in red on the accompanying map extract.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance as the well-preserved remains of a very early radar station, which despite some deliberate destruction still preserves excellent evidence for the construction, layout and interlinkage of the various elements of such sites. Its construction on Fair Isle represents a considerable logistic feat, and indicates the continuing importance of Fair Isle in national schemes of defence into the modern era.

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.