Documents

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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

  SM4708_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600010617)

Summary

Description

The monument comprises a fort or defended settlement of the Iron Age and a farmstead and cultivation remains of the pre-improvement period. The wall of the fort is much spread, and although it may have been robbed it is likely that it was never of any great size. The fort is pear-shaped and has an entrance on the SSE. There is an outer rampart on the NE, S and SW; on the E it has been removed by a later enclosure. There are no visible features in the interior but remains of houses and other structures will survive below the topsoil.

The fort is about 2000 years old. To the E lies the second part of the monument, a farmstead of the pre-improvement period some 200 to 500 years old. A rectangular house stance lies on the E side of a circular enclosure 23m in diameter defined by a low stony bank. An irregular shaped enclosure 12m to the NW overlies the defences of the fort. The two enclosures are linked by walls, forming a third, four sided enclosure between them. There are clear traces of rig-and-furrow cultivation to the E and to the W. As the complete field system does not survive, only a sample of these remains is proposed for scheduling. An area measuring 200m NW-SE by 135m transversely is proposed for scheduling, to include the fort, the farmstead and some of the rig and furrow.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is well preserved. An upstanding Iron Age hillfort or defended settlement is rare in this part of Scotland; the majority of the surviving examples have been ploughed flat or destroyed. This example is therefore of particular interest. It is of national importance to the themes of Iron Age settlement and defence. The pre-improvement farmstead is also well preserve and is of particular interest because part of its field system survives. Important information on the way of life and system of agriculture of the inhabitants before the agricultural improvements will survive on the site.

It is of national importance to the theme of pre-improvement settlement and agriculture. Taken with the three other sites of the period which survive to the S and SW, it is of national importance to the theme of the organisation of the landscape before the period of agricultural improvements. It is of particular interest because it is of a different form to the other sites; comparison would be valuable.

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.