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Latitude: 59.539 / 59°32'20"N
Longitude: -1.6382 / 1°38'17"W
OS Eastings: 420562
OS Northings: 1072624
OS Grid: HZ205726
Mapcode National: GBR Q39J.B3S
Mapcode Global: XHD63.1HTL
Entry Name: Burrashield, house to N of, Fair Isle
Scheduled Date: 23 December 1996
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
Source ID: SM6580
Schedule Class: Cultural
Category: Prehistoric domestic and defensive: enclosure (domestic or defensive); Prehistoric ritual and funera
Location: Dunrossness
County: Shetland Islands
Electoral Ward: Shetland South
Traditional County: Shetland
The monument comprises a ruined house of prehistoric date with a later extension.
The structure is about 7m by 3.5m internally, elongated NE-SW. It appears to have originated as a D-shaped double-faced construction of large boulders with an entrance on the SW side, with subsequent extension to the SW resulting in a roughly rectangular form.
The area to be scheduled is circular, 40m in diameter, to include the house and an area around it in which evidence relating to its construction and use may survive, as marked in red on the accompanying map extract.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
The monument is of national importance as an example of a small prehistoric house in an unusually isolated and exposed location. It has the potential, in comparison with other houses in more congenial settings, to provide information about the wide range of settlement locations required for the varied economic strategies used during the prehistoric period.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
Bibliography
Reference:
Hunter, J. R. (ed.) (1985) Fair Isle survey: interim 1984, Bradford University Schools of Archaeological Sciences and Physics Occasional Papers, No. 5 Bradford. No. 272.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
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