Archaeology Notes

Event ID 697646

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/697646

NR89NW 26 8476 9548.

(NR 8476 9548) Cairn (NR) (Cist found) (NAT)

OS 6" map, (1924)

This chambered cairn is situated on a terrace, broken up by mounds of outcrop, and seems to be on one of those knolls. There is now a low mound, covered with grass and bracken, which is delimited by the edge of the ploughing, and on to which some field stones have been cleared. It measures c. 84' N-S by 75'. The size of the cairn itself may actually be less, but its edge cannot be differentiated from the knoll. There is probably about 2' of cairn material remaining, but on the N side the rise from the field is c. 5', presumably natural.

Four stones of an irregular facade, 22'6" across, facing NNE, remain, set 30' inside the apparent edge of the cairn. The entry between the portal stones is 13" wide. There has been a double portal, for there is a second stone, 2'8" high, immediately behind the W portal stone; there is no sign of the corresponding stone on the E. The chamber has two compartments aligned on slightly different axes. Of the other compartment, the NW side stone is missing, but the NE stone remains, 8' long, 1'6" above ground level. The inner compartment is cleared out to a lower level, the side stones exposed to a height of 3'2", and the low back-slab to 1'9". The septal stone, 2'10" long, is c. 1'6" lower than the side stones. 41' N of the westernmost facade, and 17' from the apparent edge of the cairn, there lies a flat slab partly buried, 6' x 3'6". About 14' beyond it, there is another, c. 4' x 2'6".

Excavations were carried out on this cairn by Craw in 1929, but no artifacts were found (Craw 1930).

A S Henshall 1972; J H Craw 1930; M Campbell and M Sandeman 1964.

NR 8478 9548. As described.

Resurveyed at 1:2500.

Visited by OS (I A) 3 May 1973.

NR 8477 9549. A chambered cairn as planned and described in the previous information. The two slabs noted by Henshall are well beyond the extent of the cairn; neither appears to have been disturbed and they cannot be identified as cist covers.

Surveyed at 1/10,000.

Visited by OS (B S) 13 April 1977.