Scheduled MonumentsScotlandHardcroft,burnt mound 1500m SE of
Burnt mound

Hardcroft,burnt mound 1500m SE of

Scotland
HES SM4938
Site type
Burnt mound
Nation
Scotland
Boundary

Scheduled area

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Overview

History & significance

Hardcroft Burnt Mound is a prehistoric cooking site located in Wigtownshire, south-west Scotland, approximately 1,500 metres south-east of Hardcroft. The monument comprises a mound of burnt stone and charcoal, evidence of repeated heating activities that date typically to the Bronze Age. Such burnt mounds are among the most common prehistoric monuments in Scotland, though their precise function remains debated; they may represent communal cooking places, steam baths, or specialised industrial sites. The underlying bedrock of Portpatrick and Glenwhargen Formation wacke would have provided suitable stone for repeated use in the heating process, where rocks were burned and used to heat water in wooden or hide-lined containers.

The mound's survival in the Wigtownshire landscape reflects the durability of burnt stone accumulations, which can endure for millennia. The site is protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM4938. Despite its modest appearance today, Hardcroft Burnt Mound represents an important record of prehistoric activity and resource use in this part of south-west Scotland, contributing to understanding of Bronze Age settlement and subsistence practices in the region.

Hardcroft,burnt mound 1500m SE of is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM4938. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Hardcroft,burnt mound 1500m SE of?

Hardcroft Burnt Mound is a prehistoric cooking site located in Wigtownshire, south-west Scotland, approximately 1,500 metres south-east of Hardcroft. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM4938.

Who is responsible for protecting Hardcroft,burnt mound 1500m SE of?

Hardcroft,burnt mound 1500m SE of 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 SM4938.

What other scheduled monuments are near Hardcroft,burnt mound 1500m SE of?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Craig, cairn 700m SW of (3.8 km), Cascreugh Castle (4.6 km), Glenluce Abbey (5 km).

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Everything a full report reveals about Hardcroft,burnt mound 1500m SE of

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Hardcroft,burnt mound 1500m SE of's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman Britain
The Roman roads, forts and towns near here, and the Iron Age people who held the land before Rome arrived.
Stat Accounts
The parish Statistical Accounts of the 1790s and 1830s, describing life, work and population here.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
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The ground beneath

The bedrock under Hardcroft,burnt mound 1500m SE of

Hardcroft,burnt mound 1500m SE of stands on Portpatrick Formation And Glenwhargen Formation (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Caradocian. The rock here is wacke.