Description

The monuments are a pair of scooped homesteads of the Iron Age, some 1500 to 2500 years old, situated close together on the SW slope of Fasset Hill. The western homestead consists of a roughly rectangular enclosure, measuring 30m NW-SE by 26m transversely, within a wall 2m thick. The interior is divided between an excavated forecourt on the W and and a terrace on the E.

The other homestead lies 100m to the E. It consists of a roughly rectangular enclosure 30m N-S by 52m transversely within a boulder faced wall. The interior is divided into two courts. A later rectangular building overlies the eastern court. There are two further scooped courts to the W.

A possible cairn lies to the E. An area measuring a maximum of 250m E-W by 70m transversely is proposed for scheduling, to include the two homesteads and an area between and around in which traces of activities associated with their use (including the possible cairn) will survive, as marked in red on the attached map.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance as a complex and well preserved pair of homesteads which have the potential to enhance considerably our understanding of prehistoric settlement. They are of particular importance firstly because they lie in a complex landscape, in which remains of prehistoric and medieval settlement survive in good condition; this monument is an important part of that preserved landscape fragment.

The two homesteads are also of interest because they are so alike yet so close together; comparison of the settlement histories of the two homesteads would be of considerable value, as they may well have been occupied simultaneously. Taken with the other monuments in the area the homesteads have the potential to increase our knowledge of the development and use of the prehistoric and historic landscape.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as NT 82 SW 18 and 41.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland