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Latitude: 60.7355 / 60°44'7"N
Longitude: -0.9541 / 0°57'14"W
OS Eastings: 457140
OS Northings: 1206279
OS Grid: HP571062
Mapcode National: GBR R0ZC.KFH
Mapcode Global: XHF7B.0FCB
Entry Name: Newgord, rectangular house and field system SE of Loch of Quoy, Unst
Scheduled Date: 2 March 1998
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
Source ID: SM7652
Schedule Class: Cultural
Category: Secular: house
Location: Unst
County: Shetland Islands
Electoral Ward: North Isles
Traditional County: Shetland
The monument comprises the remains of a house of probable Viking or Norse-Medieval date, together with part of its associated field system.
The turf-covered wall footings of this house are situated on a gently sloping hillside. The house is located just NW of a modern fence junction and is aligned approximately N-S. There are no traces of entrances in the slightly-bowed side walls, but an internal cross-wall is quite clear, as is a subsidiary structure lying to the W. Internally the house measures some 20m by 4m. On all sides of the house except the N there are distinct traces of field walls from a field system long pre-dating the recent pattern.
The area to be scheduled is a square of side 50m, aligned NNW-SSE. The S corner of the area lies at a point measured 20m at right angles from the S side of each of the two modern fences which have their junction within the area to be scheduled. This area includes the house, outbuilding and the better-preserved parts of the early field walls as well as an area around these features in which traces of activity relating to their construction and use may survive. The area is marked in red on the accompanying map extract. The modern fences are excluded from scheduling to simplify maintenance.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
The monument is of national importance as a rare occurrence of a house of probable early Norse date identifiable on field characteristics, and has the added significance of an apparently contemporary field system. It gains additional importance as a member of a group of several such sites on the island of Unst. The important evidence regarding Norse settlement and agricultural economy which this monument can provide could be further expanded by comparative study of the related monuments in the island, several of which are being scheduled at this time.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
Bibliography
RCAHMS records the monument as HP 50 NE 15.
Reference:
Stummann-Hansen, S. (1994) Report No. 1. Newgord II.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
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