Documents

Where documents include maps, the use of this data is subject to terms and conditions (https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/termsandconditions).

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

  SM7647_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600013101)

Summary

Description

The monument consists of a pair of standing stones and a cairn within an area which is likely to contain remains associated with their construction and use.

The standing stone at HY30341283 is about 2.7m high and the standing stone at HY30351283 is about 1.7m high. The cairn centred at HY30391280 is the remains of a previously substantial cairn in which many unspecified finds have been made at various times and from which it is thought likely that a carved stone ball came.

Although it has been reduced on its SW side by cultivation, and has been damaged by quarrying and road construction to the NE, a substantial swelling in the ground remains and it is likely that burial remains survive, on or inserted into the underlying old ground surface. An access road to Lochview has been excavated into the area between the cairn and the standing stones and a septic tank exists 2.4m or thereabouts from the standing stone at HY30341283.

The area to be protected is irregular on plan, to contain the standing stones, the cairn and an area around them in which remains associated with their construction and use are likely to survive, and measures a maximum of 85m from NW to SE by a maximum of 33m from NE to SW as marked in red on the accompanying map extract. The scheduling excludes the surface of the access road referred to above to a depth of 0.3m, and the septic tank.

Statement of National Importance

This monument is of national importance as part of the internationally important complex of fourth to second millennium BC remains in the Brodgar Rural Conservation Area. The siting of the stone alignments is related to that of the Watch Stone and its (destroyed) companion and also to that of the stone rings at Ring of Brogar (or Brodgar) and at Standing Stones of Stenness. The cairn is the remains of a prehistoric burial cairn, either of the third or of the second millennium BC.

It is comparable to the four larger burial mounds at the Ring of Brogar. Despite the damage to it, including its possible re-use as an Iron Age structure, a substantial mass remains and it is likely that burials and evidence of funerary practices will survive which have the potential to increase substantially understanding of the funerary and ritual practices of this archaeological highly important part of Scotland.

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.