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

  SM1307_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600004065)

Summary

Description

The monument comprises the remains of a partially excavated chambered cairn and nearby structures. The cairn itself has been scheduled for some years, but this proposal extends protection to the nearby remains in addition.

The cairn, of Orkney stalled variety, is oriented roughly NNW-SSE and is slightly over 30m long. Into it a souterrain was inserted during the later prehistoric period. A curvilinear bank about 2m across and 0.5m high encloses an area running from the cairn south-westward towards the sea. Other structures, particularly prominent for some 10m north-east of the cairn, appear as masonry foundations and slabs, including a socket-stone apparently intended to receive the pivot stone of a door. These remains of buildings appear to be broadly contemporary which those shown by excavation to have risen on the summit of the cairn at some time after its upper parts had fallen into ruin, and the enclosure in particular may be of ritual rather than agricultural significance.

The area to be scheduled measures 63m NNW-SSE by up to 50m WSW-ENE. The SSE corner is at the modern wall WSW of the cairn, 30m SE of the angle in the modern wall; its NNW corner is at that wall 35m NW of the angle, and its ENE side is 50m ENE of the angle (and thus slightly over 20m ENE of the ENE side of the mound of the chambered cairn), all as marked in red on the accompanying map extract. The scheduling excludes the modern wall above its foundations but includes its foundations below the modern ground surface and whatever lies beneath them.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance because of the importance of the chambered cairn and potentially ritual enclosure and associated remains to the understanding of Neolithic and later burial and ceremonial rituals.

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.