Description

The monument comprises the remains of six circular house stances or hut circles of the Later Bronze Age or Iron Age, three of them grouped together, the others spread across the hillside to the W, and four contemporary field systems. In addition there are the remains of a number of poorly preserved houses of the period before the agricultural improvements. The easternmost settlement comprises the remains of three circular house stances, all more or less scooped into the hillside.

The field system is defined by a series of field clearance cairns, lynchets and fragmentary banks. To the W lies a further circular house stance, which lies near the S edge of an extensive and well preserved field system. Within the area there are also traces of later occupation, comprising the remains of three long houses of the pre-improvement period. There are also traces of rig and furrow cultivation contemporary with these houses. Immediately to the W lies a further portion of filed system, associated with the prehistoric settlement.

Immediately to the W lies another circular house stance which lies within an extensive field system. To the W again lies the sixth stance situated on the E bank of an un-named burn. Close to the two westernmost stances are the remains, poorly preserved, of rectangular buildings of the period before the agricultural improvements. An area measuring a maximum of 1020m (SW-NE) x 470m transversely is proposed for scheduling, to include all the remains described above and areas around all the stances in which the remains of activities associated with their occupation and use will be preserved.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance because it is a fragment of the prehistoric landscape which has survived almost untouched, incorporating the remains of three settlements or farmsteads and an individual stance. This group of houses and their associated field systems have the potential to enhance considerably our understanding of prehistoric settlement and agricultural practices, and to help us to a greater knowledge of the development and use of the prehistoric landscape. The interest of the area is increased by the presence of house stances of the pre-improvement period; the remains of these structures have the potential to increase our knowledge of pre-improvement settlement and landscape.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as NN 94 NW 10, 11, 12, 13 and NN 95 SW 23.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland