Description

The monument comprises a well-preserved group of shieling huts and associated enclosures of the later medieval to post-medieval period, together with two possible hut circles of later prehistoric date. It is located in an area of grouse moor to the W of the Burn of Badanseanach.

This complex shieling site consists of a group of huts and pens disposed around the remains of three curvilinear enclosures and associated banks. The sub-rectangular huts, the largest of which is a two-celled structure measuring 9.8m long overall, are defined by the footings of what have probably been drystone and turf walls and may represent more than one period of construction. Boulders delineate the enclosures; the largest enclosure measures 35m by 25m. Two of the structures are sub-circular, measuring up to 7.2m across internally within walls spread to 1.5m thickness. These structures have the appearance of small hut circles and potentially date to the later prehistoric period.

The area to be scheduled comprises two discrete areas, pentagonal and circular on plan, to include the visible remains and an area around in 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 monument's cultural significance can be expressed as follows:

Intrinsic characteristics: The various elements of this monument are in a relatively good state of preservation. They are upstanding and clearly visible in the landscape. The continued landuse as pasture and now as grouse moor has probably resulted in the preservation of further archaeological deposits within the structures and enclosures. The monument therefore has the potential to reveal further information about local variations in vernacular architecture and building use, as well as upland landuse from the later prehistoric period through to the agricultural improvements in Strathdon in the 18th century.

Contextual characteristics: The possible hut circles have the potential to reveal much about house building and domestic life in later prehistoric communities in NE Scotland. These can be compared and contrasted to nearby upland hut circles, with and without associated enclosures, and also to lowland cropmark sites. The later group of shieling huts and their associated enclosures represents a class of site which to date has been the subject of relatively little archaeological research, but which together with other historic rural settlement sites in the region have the potential to illuminate the practice of transhumance in medieval and later rural communities.

Associative characteristics: With the physical evidence of pre-Improvement settlement in the valleys largely removed by later activity, upland shieling sites such as this are increasingly rare monuments to a way of life and a once much larger rural population swept away by the 18th- and early 19th century Clearances.

National Importance

This monument is of national importance because it is a well-preserved, multi-period rural settlement of a type which is rare both in this region and nationally and which to date has been the subject of relatively little archaeological research. It has the potential to make a significant contribution to our knowledge of upland landuse and society in this locality and, by association, the rest of Scotland from the later prehistoric period through to the end of the 18th century. The loss of the site would erode our ability to understand these issues and detract from the historic landscape of Western Strathdon, which preserves tangible evidence of the way of life prior to the age of agricultural improvement.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

RCAHMS record the site as NJ30NE 57.

References:

RCAHMS 2007, IN THE SHADOW OF BENNACHIE: THE FIELD ARCHAEOLOGY OF DONSIDE, ABERDEENSHIRE, Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland