Archaeology Notes

Event ID 655188

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/655188

ND34SW 32 31093 44295.

(ND 3110 4429) Carn Reain (NAT)

Chambered Cairn (NR)

OS 1:10,000 map, (1976)

Cairn Righ or Cairn Reain. Anderson, in 1865 or 1866 (Henshall 1963), found the chamber of this round cairn destroyed and the whole cairn greatly disturbed, but noted a double wall 3 to 4ft high running round the cairn at a distance of 6ft within the loose stones at the edge of the cairn.

The RCAHMS state that this cairn has been removed but note what appears to be a second cairn (unexcavated) nearby, with a diameter of 40 to 50ft and a height of c. 5ft. The cairn is turf-covered and the edge is indefinite.

RCAHMS 1911; A S Henshall 1963.

Cairn Reain is generally as described by the RCAHMS. A low ridge surrounding a hummocky area may mark the cairn outline. The adjoining 'cairn', at ND 3108 4428, as described by the RCAHMS, may be merely the top of a natural knoll but this could only be determined by excavation.

Resurveyed at 1/2500.

Visited by OS (R L) 25 April 1967.

The remains of this chambered cairn are situated on a low rise immediately E of North Yarrows farmsteading (ND34SW 148). Oval on plan, it measures at least 31m from ENE to WSW by 22m transversely overall, but it is divided roughly in half by a post-and-wire fence. To the W of the fence the mound is grass-grown and relatively undisturbed, measuring about 17m from N to S by 11m transversely and 1.5m in height. To the E of the fence the mound is heavily-disturbed and measures about 22m from N to S by 20m transversely and about 1m in maximum height. Close to the centre of this disturbed part of the mound a small slab has been set upright; it is aligned N and S and measures 0.6m in length by 0.1m in thickness and 0.15m in height.

(YARROWS04 302)

Visited by RCAHMS (JRS) 15 June 2004