The Properties in Care dataset comprises information on properties in the care of Historic Environment Scotland on behalf of Scottish Ministers and others. The properties in care estate is a collection of monuments, which define significant aspects of Scotland's history, brought into care for their long term preservation and public benefit through the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The dataset identifies the approximate location of properties and sites.

Scheduled monuments are nationally important monuments and sites. The aim of scheduling is to preserve sites and monuments as far as possible in the form in which they have come down to us today. They are legally protected through the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. National importance takes account of a wide range of factors, including artistic, archaeological, architectural, historic, traditional, aesthetic, scientific and social. Guidance and criteria to assess national importance of monuments is set out by Scottish Ministers in The Scottish Historic Environment Policy. This data allows you to identify the approximate position, size and extent of scheduled monuments in Scotland.