Archaeology Notes

Event ID 700236

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/700236

NS42NW 8 c.421 290.

Three cists were recently found about 5ft under the surface when levelling the ground about a quarter of a mile N of Fail Monastery (NS 421 286).

Two cists lay NE-SW the third lay NW-SE; lines connecting their centres form an equilateral triangle with sides 8ft in length. One cist held two urns, which fell to pieces on exposure to the air, they contained burnt bones. The second cist contained an urn, while a considerable quantity of burnt bones was in the third cist.

NSA 1845 (D Ritchie)

Macdonald is doubtless referring to the same find when, quoting from newspaper notices of objects donated to Ayr Mechanics'Museum, under the date of 1840, he notes: "A fragment of an urn, with bones in it as discovered, was presented by Mr Andrew, Fail Mill (NS 421 287) on whose farm three entire urns were lately found, which unfortunately crumbled away on exposure to the air.

J Macdonald 1878

There is no local knowledge or surviving tradition of these finds. The area in question comprises gently undulating fields under cultivation.

Visited by OS (JRL) 18 November 1980