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

  SM6583_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600012467)

Summary

Description

The monument consists of the remains of a rocket signalling establishment built in 1885 to provide warning of the existence of Fair Isle to passing ships during fog.

The establishment lies immediately beyond the hill dyke. It was set up as an interim measure prior to the establishment of lighthouses on Fair Isle, and commenced operations in 1885. It operated for only a few years before the 2 Fair Isle lighthouses, with foghorns, were opened in 1892. The establishment fired rockets at 10-minute intervals during "thick weather and snow showers". The rockets burst at a sufficient height to ensure that they could be heard from all bearings around the island.

The surviving remains are in two parts. A rectangular concrete accommodation block is flanked by two concrete blocks bearing iron firing rings. The more southerly firing mount is incorporated within the hill dyke. 150m to the ESE is the magazine where the rockets were stored.

This is ruined, with only the lower wall courses surviving to show the original form, which was a semi-cylindrical vault with fire-proof ventilators at ground level. The magazine was the target of enemy bombs in the Second War, when the South lighthouse was also attacked: the attack on the long-abandoned magazine was presumably a result of long outdated intelligence information. An unfilled bomb crater nearby must be one of the very few such traces of hostile action to survive in Britain.

The area to be scheduled consists of two parts, each 30m square. The part to the WNW includes the accommodation block, the 2 signal-rocket firing stances and short stretch of the near-contemporary hill dyke. The part to the ESE includes the remains of the magazine and is bounded on the SSW by the hill dyke, which in this case is not included. The areas to be scheduled are shown in red on the accompanying map extract.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance as a very rare survival of an early maritime warning installation, illustrating an important phase between the recognition of the need for a comprehensive network of lighthouse and other navigational aids and the availability of resources to allow the full development of such a system. As such, it is a very important part of the national maritime heritage.

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.