Scheduled Monument

Fincastle Farm, dun 330m NW ofSM8000

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
03/03/1999
Type
Prehistoric domestic and defensive: dun
Local Authority
Perth And Kinross
Parish
Blair Atholl
NGR
NN 86520 62574
Coordinates
286520, 762574

Description

The monument comprises a dun or fortified homestead of prehistoric date.

The monument occupies the summit of a low knoll in an area of pasture, at around 330m OD. It consists of a dun or fortified homestead measuring about 25m in overall diameter. The structure is defined by a turf-covered wall measuring about 3m wide. There are several outer facing stones visible in the wall, particularly along the S arc. A gap in the wall at the SE represents the original entrance. A series of amorphous foundations within the structure may indicate the remains of secondary buildings.

Duns or fortified homesteads are defended farmsteads characteristic of the Iron Age.

The area proposed for scheduling comprises the remains described and an area around them within which related material may be expected to be found. It is a truncated circle with a maximum diameter of 50m, the northern boundary coinciding with a field boundary, 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 an understanding of prehistoric settlement and economy. Its importance is increased by its proximity to other monuments of potentially contemporary date.

References

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as NN 86 SE 7.

Reference:

Watson, W. J. (1915) 'Circular forts in Lorn and north Perthshire: with a note on the excavation of one at Borenich, Loch Tummel', Proc Soc Antiq Scot, Vol. 49, 20.

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.

Images

There are no images available for this record, you may want to check trove.scot for images relating to Fincastle Farm, dun 330m NW of

There are no images available for this record.

Search trove.scot

Printed: 05/11/2026 06:22