Scheduled Monument

Ness of Gruting,burnt mound,farmsteads and field systemsSM5558

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
08/02/1993
Type
Prehistoric domestic and defensive: burnt mound; field or field system; homestead
Local Authority
Shetland Islands
Parish
Sandsting
NGR
HU 28124 48240
Coordinates
428124, 1148240

Description

The monument consists of two areas of prehistoric settlement remains, comprising a burnt mound, foundations of at least three houses and a large number of fragmentary field walls and cairns of field-cleared stone, the whole dating to the early second millennium BC (2000 to

1500 BC).

The W area lies on the shoulder of a low rise, and contains the remains of two houses and a mound of burnt stone. The more westerly house foundation is oval in plan with overall dimensions of 12m by 10m, and lies partly below a much later enclosure. The second house is of similar size, and lies about 75m to the E. A similar distance to the N are the remains of a sizeable burnt mound, approximately 12m

in diameter. Between and around these three main structures are a large scatter of small cairns, a series of irregular stone enclosures and, to the S of the two houses, a series of lynchetted fields on the side of the hill.

The E area has the remains of a single house, excavated in the early 1950s. It is oval on plan, 9m by 5m inside a very thick wall, which excavation demonstrated to be of double-skin construction with a peat-ash core. 30m to the W is a roughly rectangular enclosure some 28m by 25m. A series of small cairns of field-cleared stone, some stretches of fragmentary walling and slightly terraced cultivation

plots mark a contemporary field system on the slope between the house and enclosure and the sea.

The area to be scheduled is in two portions, both irregular on plan. The W area is a maximum of 270m N-S by 160m E-W. The E area is a maximum of 280m N-S by 250m E-W, with its S edge defined by the high water mark of ordinary tides. These areas are marked in red on the accompanying map.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance as one of the finest examples of a prehistoric agricultural landscape in Scotland. Its importance is enhanced by the partial excavation of a small proportion of the site, which allows its date to be stated with a degree of certainty. Together with other broadly similar sites in the general area of West Mainland Shetland, this monument has a very high potential for contributing to our knowledge of the prehistoric agricultural economy of northern Scotland.

References

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as HU24NE 13.

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.

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Printed: 05/11/2026 07:37