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

  SM3482_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600009548)

Summary

Description

The monument comprises the remains of a prehistoric house, built probably between 3000 and 1000 BC. The house is visible as an oval bank of earth and stone, partly turf-covered. The site lies 1km from the W coast of Mainland. It stands 40m above sea level on ground that slopes west to Bays Water, a small freshwater loch. The monument was first scheduled in 1974 but the documentation does not meet modern standards: the present rescheduling rectifies this.

The house has external dimensions of about 13m E-W by 10m transversely. The walls are substantial, up to 2m thick, and many large stones are visible within them. The walls survive to a height of around 0.9m on the outside and 0.6m on the inside. The entrance appears to be in the W wall, looking down slope. An additional bank projects westwards for 8.5m from the NW corner of the house, then turns south and terminates after a short distance; this may represent the remains of a front enclosure.

The area to be scheduled is irregular on plan, to include the remains described above and an area around them within which evidence relating to the monument's construction, use and abandonment may survive, as shown in red on the accompanying map.

Statement of National Importance

Cultural Significance

The monument's cultural significance can be expressed as follows:

Intrinsic characteristics

This is a substantial monument and survives in good condition. Buried features and deposits are highly likely to be sealed below the house walls and within and around the structure. Examination of the structure could improve our understanding of prehistoric building techniques and demonstrate whether the building was constructed in one phase or whether there is a development sequence. In particular, there is potential to examine whether the bank to the west represents the remains of a forecourt associated with the prehistoric house and to ascertain its date and function. There is high potential for the recovery of artefacts and ecofacts, as demonstrated by the earlier recovery of two stone implements from the surface of the site, one axe-shaped, and the other part of a rounded tool made by pecking, but smoothed by rubbing on the underside. Further artefacts and ecofacts can enhance our knowledge of everyday domestic and agricultural life, and improve understanding of the economy and exchange contacts of the inhabitants.

Contextual characteristics

There are several other important prehistoric sites in close proximity to this house. These include a heel-shaped cairn 85m to the southwest and other prehistoric houses 190m and 300m to the northwest. There is high potential to make detailed comparisons between the evidence recovered from these various sites. For example, all three houses appear to have adjoining banks that may represent forecourts or elaborate entrances. Together, these monuments can enhance our understanding of how this part of Mainland was used in prehistory, how the land-use developed over time, whether sites are contemporary and what relationships existed between them.

National Importance

This monument is of national importance because it has an inherent potential to make a significant addition to our understanding of the past, particularly prehistoric settlement and early farming in Shetland. The monument comprises the remains of a substantial and well-preserved prehistoric house, whose importance is significantly increased by the presence nearby of two other prehistoric houses and a heel-shaped cairn. Together, these monuments can provide insights into the chronology of settlement, burial and land-use in one area of Mainland. The loss of this monument would significantly diminish our future ability to appreciate and understand the early settlement and agriculture of Shetland.

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.