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

  SM6195_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600012087)

Summary

Description

The monument comprises the remains of a prehistoric settlement of at least four houses, with traces of field walls and field clearance cairns.

The settlement lies on a S-facing slope, and has been cut by a modern road. Of the four definite oval prehistoric houses, one has been almost completely covered by the road, the second lies beneath a small garage but is probably little disturbed, the third was excavated in the early 1950s, but still contains considerable archaeological potential and the fourth appears relatively undisturbed.

The excavated house measures 16m by 12m externally, and contains a two-celled interior, with the larger cell at the E end measuring 8m by 5.6m and the smaller, inner cell at the W end measuring 2.9m across. the entrance is from the E. The fourth house lies 230m ESE of the excavated one, and measures 10.5m by 8m externally over walls some 2m thick. Several large stones protrude, suggesting a sub-division of the interior wall face into recesses.

Around the third and fourth house there are a large number of small cairns composed of stones cleared from the fields, but only fragmentary stretches of tumbled drystone walling survive to confirm the former presence of an extensive field system. The area to be scheduled is irregular on plan and in three parts: the main portion lying N of the road and two smaller areas lying S of it.

The main area measures a maximum of 360m NW-SE by 140m, bounded on the S by the N edge of the modern road, and the two smaller areas are a maximum of 70m WNW-ESE by 25m around the garage on the second house site (the above-ground structure of the garage is excluded) and a maximum of 90m NW-SE by 35m at the S extremity of the larger area.

Both smaller areas are bounded on the N by the S edge of the road. These areas are marked in red on the accompanying map.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance as a prehistoric settlement of considerable extent with a variety of house-types, which may indicate either a considerable sequence of use or a variation of contemporary architectural styles. In either case, the monument has proven potential, through excavation and analysis, to provide additional important information about prehistoric settlement structure and farming economy, material culture and contemporary environmental conditions.

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.