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

  SM1702_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600004408)

Summary

Description

The monument comprises an artificial earthen motte of truncated conical form, located on the high ground above the west bank of the Siltrig Water, some 500m SSW of its confluence with the River Teviot. The monument was last scheduled in 1958, but the area defined was inadequate to protect the likely bailey.

The motte rises to some 7.6m and has a diameter at its base of about 29.75m. Excavation in 1912 located a ditch around the base which varied in width from 4.25m to 8.5m, and in depth between 1.2m and 2.15m. The limited finds located in the course of excavation, including a coin of Henry II, pointed to a twelfth-century date of construction, at a time when Hawick was a possession of the Lovell family.

No traces of baileys or courtyards have so far been identified, though it is likely that one or more would have been associated with a motte of this scale.

The area tobe scheduled is intended to cover the motte itself, together with the area likely to have been occupied by the bailey. It is defined by the inner edges of the path surrounding the parkland around the motte, excluding the seating area to the north and the playground to the SW, extending to an area with extreme dimensions of 153m NE-SW and 102m NW/SE, as marked in red on the accompanying map extract.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance as a finely preserved example of an earthwork motte that is likely to date from the period of the introduction of military feudalism to Scotland. It has the added significance of having high archaeological potential.

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.