Ancient Monuments

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Hallhole, square barrow and pit alignment 600m east of

A Scheduled Monument in Strathtay, Perth and Kinross

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Coordinates

Latitude: 56.5376 / 56°32'15"N

Longitude: -3.3249 / 3°19'29"W

OS Eastings: 318619

OS Northings: 739182

OS Grid: NO186391

Mapcode National: GBR V8.Y5K2

Mapcode Global: WH6PM.WYX3

Entry Name: Hallhole, square barrow and pit alignment 600m E of

Scheduled Date: 17 December 1998

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Source ID: SM6933

Schedule Class: Cultural

Category: Prehistoric ritual and funerary: barrow

Location: Caputh

County: Perth and Kinross

Electoral Ward: Strathtay

Traditional County: Perthshire

Description

The monument comprises a square barrow of probable Pictish date, visible as an upstanding earthwork, and a pit alignment of prehistoric date, visible as a series of cropmarks on oblique aerial photographs.

The square barrow survives as an upstanding earthwork within a former plantation. It comprises a low central mound, measuring about 10m in diameter and 0.5m high, which is set within double ditches, with medial banks of earth and stone construction surviving up to 1m high.

The ditches are roughly square in plan with well-defined causeways at the N, S and ESE corners. On the N, the outermost bank is obscured by that of the plantation. Although unusually large, the plan of this earthwork is characteristic of square barrows which are thought to date to the Pictish period, during the first millennium AD.

Running NNE-SSW, and passing close to the NE of the barrow, is a sinuous line of at least 25 irregularly-spaced pits, measuring approximately 350m in overall length. The pits are of varying sizes, measuring up to about 2m in diameter. Pit alignments of this type generally represent ritual or ceremonial sites dating to the Neolithic period, although some may represent land boundaries of later prehistoric date.

The area proposed for scheduling comprises the remains described and an area around them within which related material may be expected to be found. It is irregular with maximum dimensions of 420m from its N-most point to its S-most point and 360m from its E-most point to its W-most point, as marked in red on the accompanying map extract.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance because of its potential to contribute to our understanding of prehistoric funerary and ritual practices. Its importance is increased by its proximity to other monuments of potentially contemporary date.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as NO 13 NE 10 and 70.

Aerial Photographs used:

RCAHMS (1989) B22377 NO13NE70, 92.

RCAHMS (1989) B22378 NO13NE70, 92.

RCAHMS (1990) B43172 NO13NE10.

RCAHMS (1991) B46722 NO13NE10.

CUCAP (1961) ADW68.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

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