Field Visit
Date 26 February 1992
Event ID 738963
Category Recording
Type Field Visit
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/738963
NX88NW 14.16 820 872.
On a well-drained terrace on the SW-facing side of the valley of the Skelston Burn there are six burnt mounds, two huts and at least 20 small cairns. Of the six burnt mounds, five are situated beside a tributary of the Skelston Burn, with the northernmost lying on a small terrace to the N of the burn. Sods were lifted on all the mounds revealing densely packed cracked stones set in a matrix of black soil. Running from NE to SW the dimensions and characteristics of the mounds are as follows:
NX 8222 8737. 9.5m NE-SW by 4.1m, 0.4m high. Oblong with two hollows, S most opens on ESE, N most within mound. (Nith 276)
NX 8216 8723. 9.7m E-W by 7.6m, 0.8m high. C-shaped, open on N.
(Nith 275)
NX 8215 8724. 6.3m N-S by 4.2m, 0.5m high. Oval, possibly extends to N to form pear-shaped, opening on E. (Nith 274)
NX 8214 8722. 7m NE-SW by 5.8m, 0.5m high. Oval with well-defined hollow in centre, possibly opening out on S. (Nith 273)
NX 8211 8715. 15m NNE-SSW by 5.8m, 0.5m high. Oblong with hollow, opening on ESE, at NNW end. (Nith 272)
NX 8210 8712. 4m ESE-WNW by 2.7m, 0.3m high. Crescent-shaped, opening on NNE. (Nith 271)
The cairns measure between 2m and 5m in diameter and up to 0.4m in height. At NX 8208 8719 there are two rickles of stone, presumably clearance lines at the edge of a block of cultivation.
The two huts (NX 8190 8725, NX 8198 8727) have been disturbed by cattle and measure no more than 6m by 4m over stony banks spread to about 1m in thickness. The northernmost hut lies within a fragmentary enclosure.
Visited by RCAHMS (DCC) 26 February 1992.
