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

  SM10916_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600013800)

Summary

Description

The monument comprises a henge, a ritual enclosure dating to the Neolithic period, probably between 3500 and 2500 BC in date.

The henge is situated on a low, relatively dry, rise in damp ground, near the W end of Loch Migdale. It is almost exactly circular on plan, and measures about 12m across. An inner platform 7.4m across is surrounded by a ditch 1.1m wide and up to 0.2m deep, outside which is a bank 1.2m wide and up to 0.2m high. The outer face of the bank appears to be revetted with small blocks of stone, laid horizontally. A gap about 0.6m wide in both the outer bank and the ditch on the ESE side of the circuit appears to be the sole original entrance. Conventionally, the single entrance would make this a "Class 1" henge.

Partial excavation in 1971 revealed dark, possibly burnt, earth forming a rim around the central area, and scattered chips of quartz. It is now hard to discern, on the ground, the exact area excavated in that year.

The area to be scheduled is a circle 40m across, concentric with the henge, to include the henge and an area around it in which evidence relating to its construction and use is likely to survive. The area is indicated in red on the accompanying map extract.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance as a well-preserved example of a henge, a prehistoric ritual enclosure dating to the Neolithic period. Very small henges such as this are a characteristic of the eastern coastal zone of Caithness, Sutherland, Easter Ross and Inverness-shire. Despite limited archaeological work in 1971 (still not formally published) the site remains substantially undisturbed and has great potential, through properly conducted investigation, to provide important information about this obscure class of monument: function, mode of construction and contemporary land-use.

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.