Scheduled Monument

Esky Loch, barrows 400m E ofSM7090

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 ritual and funerary: barrow
Local Authority
Fife
Parish
Forgan
NGR
NO 41886 25097
Coordinates
341886, 725097

Description

The monument comprises a group of barrows of prehistoric date, visible as cropmarks on oblique aerial photographs.

The monument lies in arable farmland at around 25m OD. It comprises the remains of a square barrow some 12m across with a grave pit slightly off centre. It appears to have causeways across the corners of the ditch. About 40m to the ESE are the remains of a round barrow some 14m in maximum diameter, with a central grave pit.

Some 5m to the S are the remains of a second square barrow, about 10m across, with a grave pit slightly off centre. Square barrows such as this are characteristic funerary monuments of the first half of the first millennium AD. Round barrows are normally characteristic of the Bronze Age. All the barrows may be expected to contain evidence of burials.

The area proposed for scheduling comprises the remains of the barrows as described and an area around them within which related material may be expected to survive. It is an irregular quadrilateral in shape with maximum dimensions of 110m NW-SE by 60m NE-SW 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 funerary and ritual practices. Its importance is enhanced by its proximity to a range of other sites of potentially contemporary dates.

References

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as NO 42 NW 55.

Aerial Photographs used:

RCAHMS (1991) A22165/TR NO42NW55.

RCAHMS (1991) F/8293/TR NO42NW55, 56.

RCAHMS (1981) F/8293 NO42NW55.

RCAHMS (1984) A22165 NO42NW55.

RCAHMS (1981) F/8293 NO42NW55.

RCAHMS (1984) A22165 NO42NW55.

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: 13/08/2025 19:05