Description

The monument comprises the remains of a settlement of prehistoric date, visible as cropmarks on oblique aerial photographs. The monument lies in arable farmland, at a height of around 20m above sea level.

The scheduled area contains the buried remains of a settlement probably dating to the late Bronze Age (2500BC-800BC) or Iron Age (800BC-500AD). The settlement includes ring ditches, a substantial souterrain complex and a sub-circular enclosure  represented by dark circular and crescent-shaped cropmarks.

The souterrain complex, comprising at least five passages, is associated with a ring ditch cropmark. Ring ditches have been shown by excavation to represent the remains of timber roundhouses of the later prehistoric period. The examples here measure at least 6m in diameter within ditches about 1m wide. Souterrains were semi-underground cellars associated to above-ground settlements during the Iron Age and are generally thought to have been used for storage. Aerial photographs suggest that these examples are stone lined. A sub-circular enclosure, measuring at least 16m in diameter, immediately northeast of the souterrains might represent a large roundhouse or part of an enclosure, possibly representing a later phase of site development. Two small ring-ditches, measuring about 4m in internal diameter lies about 80m west northwest of the main focus of the settlement; these also are likely to represent the remains of timber roundhouses.

The scheduled area is rectangular and includes the remains described above and an area around within which evidence relating to the monument's construction, use and abandonment is expected to survive, as shown in red on the accompanying map.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance because of its potential to contribute to our understanding of prehistoric settlement and economy.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography
No Bibliography entries for this designation

Canmore

https://canmore.org.uk/site/30523/

Source: Historic Environment Scotland