Scheduled Monument

Fordel, barrows & enclosures WSW ofSM6742

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
30/09/1997
Type
Prehistoric domestic and defensive: enclosure (domestic or defensive, rather than ritual or funerary), Prehistoric ritual and funerary: barrow
Local Authority
Fife
Parish
Leuchars
NGR
NO 44696 23811
Coordinates
344696, 723811

Description

The monument comprises a round barrow and rectilinear enclosures of prehistoric date, visible as cropmarks on oblique aerial photographs.

The monument lies in arable farmland at around 15m OD. It comprises the remains of a round barrow some 25m in overall diameter, with a ditch up to 5m wide. Approximately 120m to the SSE is a group of at least three ring-ditches, between about 5-12m in diameter, each with a dark amorphous cropmark in their interior.

Approximately 120m to the S are at least seven rectilinear enclosures. Five are in a row aligned NW-SE. They measure between about 12-30m in length. A small ring-ditch is intersected by one of the enclosures, but the sequence of this relationship is unclear from the aerial photographs.

The ring-ditches are likely to represent the remains of small barrows with central grave pits. Round barrows are burial mounds characteristic of the Bronze Age and may be expected to contain evidence of burials. The enclosures are likely to have been palisaded; a palisade is a timber fence of closely spaced posts set in to a narrow continuous bedding trench.

The area proposed for scheduling comprises remains described above and an area around them within which related material may be expected to survive. It is irregular in shape with maximum dimensions of 280m N-S by 310m W-E, as marked in red on the accompanying map extract.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance because of its potential to contribute to our understanding of prehistoric ritual and funerary practices. Its importance is enhanced by its proximity to sites of potentially contemporary date.

References

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as NO 42 SW 35 and 36.

Aerial photographs used:

RCAHMS (1976) F/5435 NO42SW36.

RCAHMS (1978) F/6309 NO42SW34, 35, 36.

RCAHMS (1990) F/6309/TR NO42SW34, 35, 36.

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: 04/04/2026 07:27