Description

The monument is a prehistoric settlement comprising six round houses dating to the Bronze Age or Iron Age (around 2500 BC to 400 AD). They are visible as vegetation covered circular banks of stone and earth and are located within forest clearings on the lower slopes of Creag Craiggan, Grandtully.

The six round houses are grouped in three distinct pairs. The northern pair are roughly circular on plan, measuring between 12.3m and 12.5m in diameter, and survive as stone and earth banks with a break for an entrance on the south. The central pair of round houses are visible as low stone and earth banks, roughly circular on plan, measuring between 10m and 11.5m in diameter with entrances on the southeast to south-southeast. The southern pair of round houses are both similarly located on small rises, surviving as roughly circular stone and earth banks up to 1m high and measuring around 12.7m in diameter with entrances on the south. One of the southern round houses has evidence for a wall subdividing the interior, which is probably a later alteration of the structure.

The scheduled area comprises three areas, each rectangular on plan, to include the remains described and an area around within which evidence relating to their construction and use may survive, as shown in red on the accompanying map

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

Cultural Significance

The cultural significance of the monument has been assessed as follows:

Intrinsic Characteristics

The components of this monument are located in three separate forestry clearings. The individual elements are heather and grass covered but retain clear and interpretable field characteristics.  As the monument is in an upland location on land that has not been subject to intensive cultivation, it is likely that archaeological deposits relating to construction, use and abandonment of the round houses will survive beneath and around the intact elements of the monument. These deposits could include artefacts such as pottery, and environmental remains such as charcoal or pollen. Such deposits can help us understand more about prehistoric domestic and agricultural practice, and the significance of materials, technology and craft in a domestic-agricultural context.

The monument contributes to the understanding of settlement and economy in the later prehistoric period. The round houses have the potential to add to our knowledge of settlement of this period in general and specifically the nature and character of the round houses including the building techniques used to construct them. In particular, one of the southern round houses suggests a complexity of design or later re-use as it has evidence for internal subdivision in the form of a low stone and earth wall.

Contextual Characteristics

The monument is a good example of the remains of a later prehistoric settlement. The remains comprises an important domestic group in its own right, but is part of a group of other broadly contemporary domestic and agricultural monuments which include round houses, cairn fields and field systems in the local area. Examples of nearby similar, broadly contemporary sites include Creag Eilid, settlements, field system and cairn (Scheduled Monument reference SM5321) located around 1.4km northeast and Castle Dow, hut circles (Scheduled Monument reference SM5910) located around 1.4km north-northeast.  Archaeological excavation of similar sites in Scotland have shown that there can be a complex sequence of development with earlier structures underling those visible on the surface. An excavated example of a roundhouse settlement, displaying development sequencing and complex structures, is Badyo, located near Moulin, in Perthshire (Canmore ID 26422)

The monument has the potential to reveal much about the form, construction and occupation of settlements during later prehistory. Such remains were widespread across much of Scotland, although many examples do not retain field characteristics to the extent of those at Meall Uaine. They reflect the widespread settlement of the country and in this case may be part of a disparate community in upland Strathtay and the surrounding area. Comparing these examples to others in Highland Perthshire and across Scotland has the potential to add to our understanding of regional identities and economies and wider society during the first and early second millenniums BC.

Associative Characteristics

The monument has no known associative characteristics.

Statement of National Importance

This monument is of national importance because it makes a significant addition to our understanding of the past, in particular of prehistoric society in Highland Perthshire. It is a good example of a later prehistoric settlement that retains its field characteristics. As a well-preserved example it can significantly expand our understanding of prehistoric domestic buildings, their occupants and their day-to-day activities. The monument's importance is enhanced by its position within a wider grouping of later prehistoric settlement in the surrounding area. The loss or damage of the monument would diminish our ability to appreciate and understand the character of prehistoric settlement in Strathtay, as well as society and economy during this period.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

Historic Environment Scotland http://www.canmore.org.uk reference number CANMORE IDs 26241, 26242 and 26243 (accessed on 02/08/2018).

Perth and Kinross Council HER http://www.pkht.org.uk/resources/her/ reference numbers MPK 1582, 1583 and 5316 (accessed on 02/08/2018).

Armit, I. (1998). Scotland's hidden history. Stroud, Gloucestershire.

Feachem, R. (1963). A guide to prehistoric Scotland. London.

RCAHMS. (1990). The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. North-east Perth: an archaeological landscape. Edinburgh.

RCAHMS. (1994). The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. South-east Perth: an archaeological landscape. Edinburgh.

Canmore

https://canmore.org.uk/site/26243/
https://canmore.org.uk/site/26241/
https://canmore.org.uk/site/26242/

Source: Historic Environment Scotland