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

  SM7659_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600013112)

Summary

Description

The monument comprises the footings of a rectangular house of probable Viking or Norse-Medieval date, lying downslope from the present croft house at Gue.

The remains show very distinctly as grass-covered rises in grassland. The main structure is aligned N-S, running downslope. The S end is least well-preserved. The house measures some 19m long by 4m wide within walls up to 1m thick and does not have markedly bowed side walls. It appears to have been subdivided transversely and has two opposed entrances towards its upper end.

A small extension appears to have been attached on the W side. There are many old field walls nearby, especially to the E and S. These are now tumbled and largely grass-covered. They are clearly earlier than the recent drystone walls which are still partly in use as field boundaries.

This house, on current typologies, should lie relatively early in the Viking-Norse-Medieval timespan.

The area to be scheduled is rectangular, oriented NNE-SSW, and bounded on the NW by a recent drystone wall, which is excluded from scheduling. It measures 50m by 30m, to include the house, its extension, and an area around in which remains associated with their construction and use, and with contemporary agriculture, are likely to survive. The area is marked in red on the accompanying map extract.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance as a rare occurrence of a house of probable early Norse date identifiable on field characteristics. It gains additional importance as a member of a group of several such sites on the island of Unst. The important evidence regarding Norse settlement and agricultural economy which this monument can provide could be further expanded by comparative study of the related monuments in the island, several of which are being scheduled at this time.

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.