© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic Environment Scotland
Airigh Allt an Eilein is a shielings settlement in Perthshire, Scotland, situated on bedrock of the Argyll Group, a Neoproterozoic geological formation composed of psammite, semipelite and pelite. The site consists of the ruins of seasonal pastoral dwellings used by communities managing cattle and sheep herds across the Highlands. Shielings such as this were typically occupied during summer months when livestock were moved to higher pastures, allowing arable land at lower elevations to recover.
The monument lies protected under Historic Environment Scotland's scheduling as SM10719. The underlying metamorphic geology, common throughout this region of Perthshire, provided local stone for construction of the shieling structures. The landscape itself shaped the pastoral economy that these buildings served, with the upland terrain suitable for grazing but requiring seasonal migration strategies to maximise agricultural productivity across both high and low ground.
The surviving remains offer evidence of the social and economic organisation of Highland communities, particularly before widespread changes to land use and agricultural practice from the 18th century onwards. Shielings sites across Scotland represent a distinctive settlement pattern reflecting the integration of upland and lowland resources within traditional Highland pastoral systems.
Airigh Allt an Eilein, shielings is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM10719. View the official record →
Airigh Allt an Eilein is a shielings settlement in Perthshire, Scotland, situated on bedrock of the Argyll Group, a Neoproterozoic geological formation composed of psammite, semipelite and pelite. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM10719.
Airigh Allt an Eilein, shielings is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic Environment Scotland — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Scotland. The official designation reference is SM10719.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Airigh Dalach, shielings (1.6 km), Allt Dhuin Croisg, farmstead (3.6 km), Allt Dhuin Croisg, peat stores (3.6 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Airigh Allt an Eilein, shielings's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Airigh Allt an Eilein, shielings stands on Argyll Group, bedrock that formed in the Neoproterozoic. The rock here is psammite, semipelite and pelite.