Scheduled Monument
Cairn Galtar,dun 310m SW of,SandraySM5172
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
- 21/10/1991
- Supplementary Information Updated
- 17/02/2023
- Type
- Prehistoric domestic and defensive: dun
- Local Authority
- Na h-Eileanan Siar
- Planning Authority
- Na h-Eileanan Siar
- Parish
- Barra
- NGR
- NL 63749 91384
- Coordinates
- 63749, 791384
Description
The monument consists of a galleried dun, a defensive settlement probably of middle Iron Age date (c. 200 BC to c. 200 AD) situated on a ridge of the SW flank of Cairn Galtar. The dun has been of oval plan, measuring a maximum of 16m N-S by 12m E-W, with walls on average 4m thick. A maximum surviving height of 1.6m is estimated, but the walls are heavily masked by fallen stones.
The narrow entrance passage is in the NW arc, and a gallery 1m wide can be observed at several points in the circuit. A wall of boulders surviving to 0.5m high has cut off the natural line of approach along the ridge from the NW.
The area to be scheduled is D-shaped, with the chord of the D forming the NW boundary and aligned NE-SW. The area is 35m NW-SE by 35m NW-SE, to include the dun, the fallen reamins of its wall, and the NW outer wall, all as shown in red on the accompanying map.
Statement of National Importance
The monument is of national importance as a fine example of a small Iron Age fortification, the remains of which will conceal much information, accessible to excavation, concerning defensive architecture and domestic and agricultural economy during the middle Iron Age. It is also of importance as one of a local group of Iron Age sites, fortified and otherwise, which together can contribute much to our understanding of the variety of Iron Age settlement forms in Atlantic Scotland.
References
Bibliography
RCAHMS records the monument as NL 69 SW 3.
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 Canmore for images relating to Cairn Galtar,dun 310m SW of,Sandray
There are no images available for this record.
Search Canmore