Scheduled Monument

Birkhill, cairns 650m ESE ofSM6911

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
30/05/1997
Type
Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cairn (type uncertain)
Local Authority
Angus
Parish
Glenisla
NGR
NO 21151 59578
Coordinates
321151, 759578

Description

The monument comprises the remains of a series of burial and field clearance cairns of prehistoric date surviving as turf-covered mounds in rough pasture.

The monument lies on relatively level ground around a pond on the N flanks of Druim Dearg at around 350m OD. The largest of the cairns is represented by a substantial, grass-covered, stony mound some 7m in diameter and about 1m high, lying immediately N of the pond. Fairly large stones set together forming a kerb can be seen, particularly on the SW side.

The cairn is characteristic of Bronze Age burial mounds found in the Angus and Perthshire uplands. The surrounding area contains at least 40 smaller cairns of various sizes, generally ranging between 3m to 6m in diameter and from 0.2m to 0.6m in height. Some of these are likely to represent further burial monuments although others may simply be related to prehistoric field clearance.

The area to be scheduled encompasses the cairns and the pond, and an area around them in which traces of associated activity may be expected to survive. It is irregular in shape with maximum dimensions of 320m ENE-WSW by 160m as marked in red on the accompanying map.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance because of its potential to contribute to our understanding of prehistoric ritual and funerary practices, and to prehistoric farming and economic practices. The pond may contain deposits relating to the environment and economy of the site in prehistory.

References

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as NO 25 NW 3.

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.

Images

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Printed: 30/10/2025 20:52