A scheduled monument in Scotland is a nationally important archaeological site or monument which is given legal protection by being placed on a list (or "schedule") maintained by Historic Environment Scotland. The aim of scheduling is to preserve the country's most significant sites and monuments as far as possible in the form in which they have been inherited.
The process of scheduling is governed by the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979, which aims "to make provision for the investigation, preservation and recording of matters of archaeological or historical interest". The term "scheduled monument" can apply to the whole range of archaeological sites which have been deliberately constructed by human activity but are not always visible above ground. They range from prehistoric standing stones and burial sites, through Roman remains and medieval structures such as castles and monasteries, to later structures such as industrial sites and buildings constructed for the World Wars. Some buildings or structures which were both scheduled and listed have had their listing designations removed to reduce the duplication.
In 2017 there were 8238 scheduled monuments in Scotland.
Notable Scheduled Monuments in East Lothian Name LocationDescription Ref NoImageBlack Castle Garvald Iron Age hillfort White Castle Fort Garvald Iron Age hill fort Keith Marischal Kirk and Dovecot Humbie Ruined chapel of early Norman Gothic style and dovecot Barnes Castle Haddington Remains of fortified grange Bass Castle Bass Rock Ruined castle Red Friar's Monastery Dovecot Dunbar 15th-century former bell tower Preston Tower and dovecot Prestonpans Late medieval towerhouse and dovecot Redhouse Castle Aberlady Ruined 16th-century fortified tower-house Saltcoats Castle Dirleton 16th-century courtyard castle Gamelshiel Castle Stenton Remains of small 16th century towerhouse Garleton Castle Athelstaneford Ruined 16th-century castle Tantallon Castle North Berwick Ruined 14th-century towers Hailes Castle Prestonkirk Ruined 13th-century castle Chesters Hill Fort Drem, Athelstaneford Multivallate fort of later prehistoric date Dirleton Castle, dovecot and gardens Dirleton Ruined castle Preston Market Cross Prestonpans Mercat St Martin's Kirk Haddington Ruined medieval church
See also List of Category A listed buildings in East Lothian
References