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.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

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.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as NH75SE 2.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland