Documents

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The legal document available for download below constitutes the formal designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The additional details provided on this page are provided for information purposes only and do not form part of the designation. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within this additional information.

• Type

  Legal Documents

  Title

  SM11148_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600013887)

Summary

Description

The monuments, known collectively as 'Castle Hills' comprise two burial sites of prehistoric date, visible as a two prominent grass-covered mounds.

The monuments are known as East and West Castle Hills and comprise two probably modified prominent natural knolls, situated c.25m apart within pasture, at about 100m O.D. West Castle Hill measures c. 40m in diameter. A short cist, situated on the southern side of the summit and oriented NE-SW, was revealed by ploughing in the 1930s. The cist contained a single male inhumation and the cist slabs are still visible, lying loose, on the summit. A cremation burial was located and excavated some 6m to the south of the short cist. East Castle Hill measures c. 40m in diameter and at least four short cists have been recorded from the lower south-eastern quadrant of the mound, revealed during sand and gravel extraction.

Cairns of this type are funerary monuments dating to the Neolithic and Bronze Age, and may be expected to contain material relating to their modification and use. The utilisation of naturally occurring prominent knolls for burial purposes is characteristic in Aberdeenshire and on this basis it is considered likely that further evidence of human burial practices may be present in the form of stone cists and/or cremations concealed beneath the surfaces of the knolls.

The area proposed for scheduling comprises the remains described and an area around each of them within which related material may be expected to be found. They are both circular in shape, with diameters of 40m centred on each knoll, as marked in red on the accompanying map extract.

Statement of National Importance

The monuments are of national importance because of their potential to contribute to an understanding of prehistoric funerary and ritual practices. Their importance is increased by their proximity to other monuments of potentially contemporary date.

References

Bibliography

About Scheduled Monuments

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Scheduling is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for monuments and archaeological sites of national importance as set out in the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.

We schedule sites and monuments that are found to be of national importance using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Scheduled monument records provide an indication of the national importance of the scheduled monument which has been identified by the description and map. The description and map (see ‘legal documents’ above) showing the scheduled area is the designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The statement of national importance and additional information provided are supplementary and provided for general information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within the statement of national importance or additional information. These records are not definitive historical or archaeological accounts or a complete description of the monument(s).

The format of scheduled monument records has changed over time. Earlier records will usually be brief. Some information will not have been recorded and the map will not be to current standards. Even if what is described and what is mapped has changed, the monument is still scheduled.

Scheduled monument consent is required to carry out certain work, including repairs, to scheduled monuments. Applications for scheduled monument consent are made to us. We are happy to discuss your proposals with you before you apply and we do not charge for advice or consent. More information about consent and how to apply for it can be found on our website at www.historicenvironment.scot.

Find out more about scheduling and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.