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

  SM5603_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600011501)

Summary

Description

The monument consists of the cropmark remains of a semi-circular ditched enclosure, which is located towards the NE end of Houdston Hill.

The enclosure is about 70m in overall diameter within a ditch 4m broad; the circuit is complete, but the NE area is under pasture and the enclosure is rarely visible here. The very slight traces of an inner enclosed area, perhaps a palisade, are visible on some aerial photographs. What appears to be the angled line of an old field boundary encloses the cropmark to the S, and may suggest that the

site was substantially extant in relatively recent times. Although now ploughed flat and visible only from the air, experience shows that such sites may contain important archaeological and structural evidence below the plough-soil.

The area to be scheduled measures 110m in diameter to include the enclosure and an area around in which associated remains may survive, as marked in red on the attached map.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance because it has the potential to provide information about the nature of prehistoric activity from a type of monument whose upstanding equivalent has not been recognised in this part of Scotland. The enclosure is probably a domestic site and may therefore contain the remains of timber round-houses and associated evidence for domestic and agricultural activities.

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.