Scheduled Monument

Loch of Niddister,burnt mound,Ness of HillswickSM6113

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
17/10/1994
Type
Prehistoric domestic and defensive: burnt mound
Local Authority
Shetland Islands
Parish
Northmaven
NGR
HU 27889 75591
Coordinates
427889, 1175591

Description

The monument consists of a burnt mound, a prehistoric cooking place, situated on a promontory on the NW side of Loch of Niddister. The burnt mound is substantial, measuring about 17m by 14m and standing 1.7m high. It is of characteristic crescentic plan, with the concave side facing the water. On this side are several large earthfast slabs, probably the remains of the water trough normally found in this location.

The area to be scheduled is irregular, consisting of the promontory on which the mound stands, bounded on the NW by a line linking the head of two small bays and elsewhere by the edge of the loch. This area measures a maximum of 70m E-W by 45m N-S, to include the burnt mound and an area around it in which evidence relating to its accumulation and use may survive, as marked in red on the accompanying map.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance as a good example of a burnt mound, probably of Bronze Age date, which has the potential, through excavation and analysis, to provide information about prehistoric domestic economy.

References

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as HU 27 NE 12.

Reference:

RCAHMS (1946) No. 1372.

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: 01/04/2026 13:41