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

  SM7002_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600012680)

Summary

Description

The monument comprises a boulder marked with cups and rings of prehistoric date.

The stone lies in a bracken-covered strip between a modern fence and an older wall at the edge of an arable field. It lies on the edge of a low rise which, prior to the planting of modern woodland, would have formed a prominent landscape feature, and which would have given views across the Lake of Menteith to the NE and Lake Macanrie to the SW.

The roughly circular boulder measures some 1.2m in surface diameter. The surface is entirely covered with cup and ring marks (22 cups in all) varying in size from about 2.5 - 5cm in diameter. All are very symmetrically formed. Although much weathered since it was originally described and recorded in 1899 some of the detail is still clearly visible. The 1899 record describes it as having a cup mark in the centre surrounded by four circular grooves. Other markings include incomplete triple and quadruple circles.

Cup and ring marks are thought to date principally to the Bronze Age and to have been related to acts of ritual and religious significance.

The area to be scheduled encompasses the stone and the summit of the low rise on which it sits plus an area around in which traces of associated activity may be expected to survive. It is sub-circular with a maximum diameter of 25m as marked in red on the accompanying map. It excludes the above-ground remains of the field wall which forms the SE boundary of the scheduled area and the above ground elements of the modern fence.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance because of its potential to contribute to our understanding of prehistoric ritual practices.

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.