The Historic Rural Settlement Group exists to provide a forum for discussion on the understanding, conservation and management of historic rural settlement in Scotland.

Understanding
The Group seeks to identify priorities and encourage action that will enhance our understanding of the nature of the resource. It seeks to take an inter-disciplinary approach, including historical, archaeological, palaeoenvironmental and architectural interests, and also those concerned with conservation and management of the physical resource.

Conservation and Management
The Group seeks to build on acquired knowledge and apply this to the preparation of guidelines for the conservation and management of the surviving resource, whether at a local, regional or national scale. This will build on the work already achieved with the production of the HS policy paper (1998).

Awareness Raising
The Group seeks to identify mechanisms with which to raise the awareness of the resource, and to spread its improved understanding, conservation and management to the wider public.