Scheduled Monument

Viewhill,rectilinear enclosure 500m NNE ofSM5001

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
13/03/1991
Type
Ecclesiastical: monastic settlement, Secular: castle
Local Authority
Highland
Parish
Ardersier
NGR
NH 78698 54539
Coordinates
278698, 854539

Description

The monument comprises the remains of a Medieval fortalice or religious house belonging to the Knights Templar. It appears in arable fields as marks in cereal crops; experience shows that further archaeological features will survive in the areas (not susceptible to cropmarks) between the visible marks. The remains appear as a rectilinear enclosure measuring c. 100m square within two ditches c. 20m apart; dark marks within the enclosure may be the remains of internal structures or features. The area to be scheduled measures a maximum of 290m NE-SW by 200m NW-SE to include the area within which cropmarks are visible and an area around where further features are likely to survive, as marked in red on the attached map. Modern boundary features and the modern road running through the scheduled

area are specifically excluded from the scheduling.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance as a rare example of a religious house or fortalice of the Knights Templar. Even though the area is under the plough experience shows that important and extensive archaeological features and deposits will survive below plough level. The monument, recorded as still standing in the eighteenth century has the potential to increase considerably our knowledge of many aspects of early medieval religious life; it is of particular importance as it represents rare archaeological evidence of the activities of this religious order in the north of Scotland. In addition, it affords the chance to observe the process of destruction of remains and formation of cropmark traces over a known period of time.

References

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as NH75SE 2.

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: 29/03/2024 13:28