Guidance for owners & occupiers

Owners, occupiers and managers are key to ensuring the survival of scheduled monuments and your help in protecting these remains will make a valuable contribution to Scotland’s future.

Ignorance is the greatest threat to our archaeological heritage.  Sites are damaged or neglected because people do not know they are there, how important they are or what actions may cause damage.

It is therefore particularly important to ensure that everyone working on your land (including contractors, who will be less aware of local features) knows of the presence, extent on the ground and value of scheduled monuments. If you permit work that damages a scheduled monument, then you may be legally liable.

Caring for scheduled monuments

Many scheduled monuments are stable and require little attention, but some will benefit from simple changes in landuse that will ensure no inadvertent damage. Others will benefit from more proactive management that will sometimes require access to specialist conservation skills.

Our monument wardens visit scheduled sites and their owners on a regular basis. They check the condition of the site, offer advice on monument management and ensure that everyone with a current interest in the site knows about its protection.

If there are particular problems, or the warden cannot answer detailed questions, the warden arranges for a Historic Scotland area inspector to visit.  Owners and occupiers can contact us for advice at any time.

Carrying out work

You may still need scheduled monument consent if you are trying to protect or repair the monument.  It is easy to damage a monument by well-intentioned but ill-informed action. The consent application process allows Historic Scotland an opportunity to provide formal expert advice.

Further guidance

To support you, our publications provide guidance in a number of areas, from the impact of scheduling and your rights and responsibilities, to how to seek advice and financial assistance.