Description

The monument consists of two areas of prehistoric settlement remains, comprising a burnt mound, foundations of at least three houses and a large number of fragmentary field walls and cairns of field-cleared stone, the whole dating to the early second millennium BC (2000 to

1500 BC).

The W area lies on the shoulder of a low rise, and contains the remains of two houses and a mound of burnt stone. The more westerly house foundation is oval in plan with overall dimensions of 12m by 10m, and lies partly below a much later enclosure. The second house is of similar size, and lies about 75m to the E. A similar distance to the N are the remains of a sizeable burnt mound, approximately 12m

in diameter. Between and around these three main structures are a large scatter of small cairns, a series of irregular stone enclosures and, to the S of the two houses, a series of lynchetted fields on the side of the hill.

The E area has the remains of a single house, excavated in the early 1950s. It is oval on plan, 9m by 5m inside a very thick wall, which excavation demonstrated to be of double-skin construction with a peat-ash core. 30m to the W is a roughly rectangular enclosure some 28m by 25m. A series of small cairns of field-cleared stone, some stretches of fragmentary walling and slightly terraced cultivation

plots mark a contemporary field system on the slope between the house and enclosure and the sea.

The area to be scheduled is in two portions, both irregular on plan. The W area is a maximum of 270m N-S by 160m E-W. The E area is a maximum of 280m N-S by 250m E-W, with its S edge defined by the high water mark of ordinary tides. These areas are marked in red on the accompanying map.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance as one of the finest examples of a prehistoric agricultural landscape in Scotland. Its importance is enhanced by the partial excavation of a small proportion of the site, which allows its date to be stated with a degree of certainty. Together with other broadly similar sites in the general area of West Mainland Shetland, this monument has a very high potential for contributing to our knowledge of the prehistoric agricultural economy of northern Scotland.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as HU24NE 13.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland