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Esgar,two burnt mounds WSW of,Dounby

A Scheduled Monument in West Mainland, Orkney Islands

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Coordinates

Latitude: 59.0707 / 59°4'14"N

Longitude: -3.2298 / 3°13'47"W

OS Eastings: 329591

OS Northings: 1021068

OS Grid: HY295210

Mapcode National: GBR L4DR.F7M

Mapcode Global: WH69H.C87N

Entry Name: Esgar,two burnt mounds WSW of,Dounby

Scheduled Date: 16 February 1937

Last Amended: 1 December 2000

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Source ID: SM1262

Schedule Class: Cultural

Category: Prehistoric domestic and defensive: burnt mound

Location: Birsay and Harray

County: Orkney Islands

Electoral Ward: West Mainland

Traditional County: Orkney

Description

The monument comprises two oval burnt mounds, in close proximity, within poorly drained land. The monument was scheduled in 1937 but was incorrectly located and an inadequate area was included to protect all of the archaeological remains: this present re-scheduling rectifies this.

The two burnt mounds are both oval in shape with the long axis in each case aligned NE-SW. Their maximum length together is approximately 21m NE-SW and their combined width is approximately 18m NW-SE. The more southerly mound stands to approximately 1.25m high, its northern neighbour stands to about 1m high and is a less prominent feature in the landscape. There is a central hollow in the N mound, possibly the result of an unrecorded investigation. The mounds are separated by a steep-sided gully measuring approximately 0.5 m wide. The mounds are situated on a S trending gentle slope and are almost on the north-eastern shore-line of a now infilled, but still waterlogged, old loch basin. Both mounds have broad shallow clefts in their S sides, which may represent, in each case, the site of the trough. Burnt stone and charcoal is visible is small areas of disturbance on both mounds.

The area to be scheduled is four-sided, measuring about 30m on all sides and aligned NE-SW, to include both mounds and an area of ground extending 5m out from the outer edge of each mound on all sides, and includes the probable ancient shore-line of the loch as marked in red on the accompanying map extract. The scheduling specifically excludes the modern post and wire fence that crosses the SE part of the scheduled area.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance as two well'preserved examples of burnt mounds located in a setting that probably has not been significantly altered since their abandonment. As such the site retains a considerable potential to provide important information on their function and history of use.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

The monument is recorded by RCAHMS as HY 22 SE 11.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

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