Ancient Monuments

History on the Ground

This site is entirely user-supported. See how you can help.

Framgord, house 60m north west of chapel, Unst

A Scheduled Monument in North Isles, Shetland Islands

We don't have any photos of this monument yet. Why don't you be the first to send us one?

Upload Photo »

Approximate Location Map
Large Map »

If Google Street View is available, the image is from the best available vantage point looking, if possible, towards the location of the monument. Where it is not available, the satellite view is shown instead.

Coordinates

Latitude: 60.705 / 60°42'17"N

Longitude: -0.8682 / 0°52'5"W

OS Eastings: 461879

OS Northings: 1202958

OS Grid: HP618029

Mapcode National: GBR S06F.W7D

Mapcode Global: XHF7K.4657

Entry Name: Framgord, house 60m NW of chapel, Unst

Scheduled Date: 2 March 1998

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Source ID: SM7657

Schedule Class: Cultural

Category: Secular: house

Location: Unst

County: Shetland Islands

Electoral Ward: North Isles

Traditional County: Shetland

Description

The monument comprises the footings of a house which may be of Norse-Medieval date.

The remains lie on a SE-facing slope overlooking the sea, NW of the churchyard and ruined chapel of Framgord. Trial excavations in 1980 produced steatite artefacts and pottery consistent with a Norse-Medieval date, although there are some elements which may be slightly earlier. The house remains are grass-covered and aligned NW-SE, up and down the slope.

The internal dimensions are 26m by 4m. To the SE are footings of a smaller rectangular structure aligned more nearly E-W. This is one of a group of houses of similar period in the immediate vicinity, two examples having been excavated, one at each end of Sand Wick, in 1978-80 and in 1994-5.

The area to be scheduled is a rectangle 70m NW-SE by 50m, to include the remains of the house and the smaller structure and an area around them in which evidence relating to their construction and use, and to the agricultural use of the area, is likely to survive. The area is marked in red on the accompanying map extract.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance as a house of proven Norse-Medieval date, with possible earlier Norse period occupation. 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

Sources

Bibliography

Reference:

Stummann-Hansen, S. (1994) Report No. 15. Framgord.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Other nearby scheduled monuments

AncientMonuments.uk is an independent online resource and is not associated with any government department. All government data published here is used under licence. Please do not contact AncientMonuments.uk for any queries related to any individual ancient or schedued monument, planning permission related to scheduled monuments or the scheduling process itself.

AncientMonuments.uk is a Good Stuff website.