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

  SM7314_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600012902)

Summary

Description

The monument is a later prehistoric unenclosed settlement that was occupied probably between 1800 BC and AD 400. The curved foundation trenches of at least 12 roundhouses are visible as cropmarks captured on oblique aerial photographs. The archaeological remains are not visible at ground level, but lie buried beneath the plough soil. The roundhouses are large, ranging from about 14m to 19m in external diameter. Cropmarks indicating several clusters of pits have also been recorded. The monument lies on relatively flat, low ground about 10m above sea level, 1km N of the town of Leuchars. The monument was originally scheduled in 1998, but the scheduled area needed to be better focussed on the known archaeological remains: the present amended entry rectifies this.

The scheduled area is an irregular shape on plan, to include the remains described above and an area around them in which evidence for the monument's construction, use and abandonment may survive, as shown in red on the accompanying map. On the S side, the scheduled area extends up to but excludes a post-and-wire fence.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance because it can make a significant addition to the understanding of later prehistoric settlement in eastern Scotland. It is particularly notable for the unusually high density of roundhouses within a relatively small area. This means that several of the structures may be contemporary and may represent evidence for settlement nucleation. This monument is part of a dense cluster of prehistoric and early historic settlement and funerary remains around Leuchars, which forms a multi-period archaeological landscape of great importance. Our understanding of the distribution and character of later prehistoric settlement in eastern Scotland, particularly the processes by which settlement might become concentrated in one location, would be diminished if this monument were lost or damaged.

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.