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Belmaduthy

Chambered Cairn (Neolithic)

Site Name Belmaduthy

Classification Chambered Cairn (Neolithic)

Canmore ID 13565

Site Number NH65NW 2

NGR NH 64469 55977

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/13565

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
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Administrative Areas

  • Council Highland
  • Parish Knockbain
  • Former Region Highland
  • Former District Ross And Cromarty
  • Former County Ross And Cromarty

Archaeology Notes

NH65NW 2 6446 5597

(NH 6446 5597) Cairn (NR)

OS 6" map, (1959)

This is a severely robbed chambered cairn whose extent has obviously been curtailed by ploughing. The chamber is rectangular, Orkney-Cromarty type. Beaton indicates that the cairn was oval, measuring about 65' by 45' with the long axis ENE-WSW. He also shows an additional upright stone, 3' high, on the eastern edge of the cairn.

The surviving stones range from 2' to 5' high.

A group of five hollows on the inner face of the E end stone may be cup-marks.

A S Henshall 1963, visited 11 July 1956.

The chambered cairn is generally as described and planned above. It has been greatly reduced by ploughing. The alleged cup-marked stone has eight circular indentations on its inside face, which are probably natural as these 'type markings' are common on stones of the conglomerate sandstone variety.

Visited by OS (R B) 9 March 1966.

NH 64373 55873 to NH 64592 56040 A watching brief was undertaken in September 2005 for a new water main, close to

Belmaduthy chambered cairn (NH65NW 2). No archaeological deposits or features were revealed.

Full report lodged with Highland SMR and NMRS.

Sponsor: Halcrow Group Ltd for Scottish Water.

S Farrell 2005.

Activities

Field Visit (23 August 1943)

This monument stands about 850 yds WSW of Belmaduthy, on the crest of a very low ridge at an elevation of about 430ft above sea level. The surrounding land is under cultivation. The cairn itself is reduced to a low mound, 4ft high at highest, measuring 63ft from NW to SE by 43ft from NE to SW. About the centre of the mound, but SE of the highest part, there is an assemblage of stones representing remains of a chamber, but they have suffered so much disturbance that the plan of the structure cannot be recognised with certainty. Stones A (5ft by 6ft by 1ft 9in), G (4ft by 3ft by 1ft 8in) and F (2ft 1in by 4ft 3in b y1ft 9in) might well be part of a cist, and it would be tempting to associate Stone B (3ft 5in by 4ft 9in by 6in) with them did not its thinness suggest it had been placed longitudinally and therefore probably displaced. No conjecture can be made about the original function of Stones C (3ft 3in by 5ft by 1ft), D (3ft 6in by 4ft 6in by 1ft) or E (1ft 4in by 4ft 9in by 1ft 8in); while Stones H, L and M, two tumbled stones lying between Stones M and E but not shown on the plan, probably possess no significance. The position of Stone K (3ft 3in by 3ft 3in by 1ft 2in) suggests the possibility that it may have formed part of a peristalith.

Visited by RCAHMS (AG, VGC) 23 August 1943.

Map ref: lxxxix (‘Stone Circle’)

Field Visit (May 1979)

Belmaduthy (ROS 8) NH 644 559 NH65NW 2

This Orkney-Cromarty cairn stands 470m WSW of Balmaduthy farmhouse; it has been disturbed since 1882 when it measured about 20m from NE to SW by 11 m transversely. The rectangular chamber measures 5.2m from NE to SW by 1.5m transversely and was entered at right angles from the SE. The outer end of the entrance-passage is flanked by a portal stone and two facade stones.

RCAHMS 1979, visited May 1979

Woodham 1956, 72, no. 8; Henshall 1963-72, i, 338

References

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