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Strathburn is a ring-ditch located in Fife, Scotland, approximately 400 metres north of the settlement. Ring-ditches are prehistoric monuments consisting of a circular or sub-circular ditch, typically surrounding a low mound or platform, and often represent the remains of Bronze Age burial structures or domestic enclosures. The monument sits on bedrock composed of mafic lava and tuff formed during the Devonian period, part of the Silurian to Devonian extrusive rock sequence underlying the area. This ancient volcanic geology provides a stable foundation, though it would have presented significant challenges to prehistoric communities undertaking the labour-intensive work of ditch construction.
The survival of the ring-ditch as an upstanding earthwork indicates relatively undisturbed preservation, despite the passage of over three thousand years. Such monuments are valuable archaeological features, as they retain information about settlement patterns, funerary practices and land use in Bronze Age Fife. The surrounding landscape and topography would have influenced the choice of this location for construction.
Strathburn ring-ditch is protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM6738, ensuring legal safeguarding of this important prehistoric resource and its potential for future archaeological investigation and understanding.
Strathburn, ring-ditch 400m N of is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM6738. View the official record →
Strathburn is a ring-ditch located in Fife, Scotland, approximately 400 metres north of the settlement. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM6738.
Strathburn, ring-ditch 400m N 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 SM6738.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Southfield, unenclosed settlement W of (2 km), Leuchars Castle, settlement 200m and 400m W of and 240m WNW of (2.7 km), Southfield, cropmarks E and SE of (2.7 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Strathburn, ring-ditch 400m N of'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.
Strathburn, ring-ditch 400m N of stands on Unnamed Extrusive Rocks, Silurian To Devonian, bedrock that formed in the Devonian. The rock here is mafic lava and mafic tuff.