Scheduled Monuments›Scotland›Southfield, cropmarks E and SE of
Cropmarks e and

Southfield, cropmarks E and SE of

Scotland
HES SM5065
Site type
Cropmarks e and
Nation
Scotland
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic Environment Scotland

Overview

History & significance

Southfield is a prehistoric enclosure revealed through cropmarks on agricultural land east and south-east of the settlement in Fife, Scotland. The monument lies on Pragian-age bedrock of the Arbuthnott-Garvock Group, a geological formation comprising sandstone interbedded with conglomerate, siltstone and mudstone. This varied geology has shaped the landscape and soil conditions across the Fife lowlands for over 400 million years.

The enclosure is visible only as cropmarks—differential patterns of crop growth that reveal the underlying archaeological features when viewed from above or in aerial photography. Such marks form where buried features like ditches and banks affect soil moisture and rooting depth. These ephemeral traces have proven invaluable for identifying settlement patterns and territorial boundaries across Scotland's agricultural zones.

The site is protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM5065, recognising its importance to understanding prehistoric settlement and land use in Fife. Without excavation, the precise date, form and function of the enclosure remain undetermined, though cropmark enclosures in eastern Scotland typically belong to the Bronze Age or Iron Age. The monument's survival depends on the continued use of the land for arable farming, which maintains the conditions necessary for cropmarks to form.

Southfield, cropmarks E and SE of is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM5065. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Southfield, cropmarks E and SE of?

Southfield is a prehistoric enclosure revealed through cropmarks on agricultural land east and south-east of the settlement in Fife, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM5065.

Who is responsible for protecting Southfield, cropmarks E and SE of?

Southfield, cropmarks E and 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 SM5065.

What other scheduled monuments are near Southfield, cropmarks E and SE of?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Pusk Farm Cottages, ring-ditch & enclosures 250m NE of (0.6 km), Southfield, unenclosed settlement W of (0.8 km), Leuchars Castle, settlement 200m and 400m W of and 240m WNW of (0.9 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Southfield, cropmarks E and SE of

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Southfield, cropmarks E and 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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Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

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Nearby

Other scheduled monuments within 10 km

Pusk Farm Cottages, ring-ditch & enclosures 250m NE of
Post-Medieval · Ring-ditch & enclosures0.6 km
Southfield, unenclosed settlement W of
Unenclosed settlement0.8 km
Leuchars Castle, settlement 200m and 400m W of and 240m WNW of
Settlement 200m and 400m w of and0.9 km
Leuchars Castle, motte and associated remains
Medieval · Motte and associated remains1.1 km
Pusk, enclosure 300m SSE of
Post-Medieval · Enclosure1.3 km
Leuchars Castle, unenclosed settlement 320m NNE of
Unenclosed settlement1.5 km
Earlshall, enclosures and settlements NNW of
Post-Medieval · Enclosures and settlements2.1 km
Kemback School,church 155m WNW of
Medieval · Church6.9 km
The ground beneath

The bedrock under Southfield, cropmarks E and SE of

Southfield, cropmarks E and SE of stands on Arbuthnott-Garvock Group, bedrock that formed in the Pragian. The rock here is sandstone with subordinate conglomerate, siltstone and mudstone.

All Scheduled Monuments