Skye, Vatten
Cairn (Prehistoric)(Possible), Clearance Cairn(S) (Post Medieval)
Site Name Skye, Vatten
Classification Cairn (Prehistoric)(Possible), Clearance Cairn(S) (Post Medieval)
Alternative Name(s) Barpannan; Barpa
Canmore ID 10839
Site Number NG24SE 10
NGR NG 2915 4417
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/10839
- Council Highland
- Parish Duirinish
- Former Region Highland
- Former District Skye And Lochalsh
- Former County Inverness-shire
NG24SE 10 291 441.
(NG 291 441) About 1/2 mile NE of Vatten about 700 yards W of Barpannan (Cairns: NG24SE 6) on a rocky shelf on the hillside at an elevation of 100' above sea-level, is a ruined cairn reduced to about 4' in height and augmented round the edge by stones gathered from the fields adjoining. It seems to have been circular and about 70' in diameter. (This cairn is listed with the Barpannan/Barpa group NG24SE 6 and NG24SE 7 under the heading "Cairns (probably chambered), Vatten")
RCAHMS 1928.
This feature seems to be nothing more than the results of field clearance piled onto a natural rock outcrop; its classification as a prehistoric cairn cannot be substantiated.
Visited by OS (C F W) 10 April 1961.
Field Visit (13 May 1915)
Cairns (probably chambered), Vatten.
About ½ mile north-east of Vatten on a rocky shelf on the hillside at an elevation of 100 feet above sea-level, is a ruined cairn [NG24SE 10] reduced to about 4 feet in height and augmented round the edge by stones gathered from the fields adjoining. It seems to have been circular and about 70 feet in diameter. About 700 yards to the east of the last cairn and some 150 yards south-west of the Dunvegan and Struan road, on a slight plateau to the north-east of the summit of a small hill of about 200 feet elevation above sea-level, is a circular cairn [NG24SE 6] about 90 feet in diameter and 20 feet in height. The surface of the cairn is considerably disturbed, but the core seems to be intact. Apparently it has been surrounded by a kerb of stone blocks set edge to edge, as a section of this ring remains in position on the eastern arc. One large block set on edge measures 7 feet in length and 3 feet 2 inches in height, and another 3 feet in height and 3 feet 3 inches in breadth. There is no indication of an entrance passage to a central chamber. Nearly 100 yards to the south-south-east is another cairn [NG24SE 12] utterly ruined, the interior having been opened and the stones thrown over the sides of the cairn. The heap of stones now measures 120 feet in length and no feet in breadth, and the height of the stones above the excavated hollow measures about 11 feet. Two large blocks of stone are seen amongst the debris. Two of these cairns are marked "Barpannan" on the O.S. map. (Fig. 236.)
A fourth cairn [NG24SE 7] lies about ¼ mile to the south, but has been greatly pillaged. It is 58 feet in diameter and is reduced to a height of 4-feet. Evidently the larger stones have all been removed to build an adjoining dyke. This cairn is marked "Barpa" on map.
RCAHMS 1928, visited 13 May 1915.
OS map: Skye xxviii.
