Oakenknowes

Cairns, Sillyearn Hill.

The rather large number of cairns occurring in this area can be described most conveniently in a single article. They are as follows:-

(i) [NJ55SW 10] On the summit, presumably "Wattie's Cairn" as marked on the 6 inch O. S. map. This cairn measure s 22 ft from NW to SE by 19 ft transversely, and is 1 ft. 6 in. high. I t is constructed of the blocks of white and light- grey stone such as lie on the surface of the moor in large quantities , but is thickly covered over with peat and heather.

(ii) Some 200 yds NNE of the last there is a modern surveyors' cairn with an upright stone at the angle of two ditches. This seems to be based on a disturbed ancient cairn, perhaps originally about 10 ft in diameter.

(iii) Between (i) and (ii) five small indistinct cairns were noted on the summit of the ridge.

(iv) [NJ55SW 1] On the NE shoulder of Sillyearn Hill, about 400 yds NE of (ii), there is a round cairn 40 ft in diameter and 4 ft high. It is marked on the 6" OS map. Though covered with turf and heather, it has recently suffered very serious disturbance and its internal construction can consequently be seen - it is made of large or medium- sized stones no doubt collected from the surface , and is enclosed within a peristalith of laid or upright blocks. The largest that could be seen was prone and partly turfed over; it measured 3 ft 6 in in length. Another, in an upright position, was 2 ft high, 1 ft 6 in wide, and 1 ft thick, and was separated from it s neighbours by spaces of 2 ft and 3 ft respectively. In other parts of the circuit the stones of the peristalith seemed to be set closely together.

(v) About 300 yds SE of (iv) there is a group of at least three cairns, heavily covered with peat and over grown with heather . They are not marked on the 6" OS map. The largest is 15ft in diameter and 1ft high and has a shallow ditch 4 ft wide round its upper side from which the peat that covers it appears to have been cut .

(vi) At the top of the rough field about 300 yds, SW of Sillyearn farm there is a typical group (marked) of the small cairns so frequently found in association with hut circles or on the sites of early cultivation. If the heavy growth of heather that covers most of Sillyearn Hill were burned, a good many more small cairns would probably appear.

Visited by RCAHMS (AG) 21 July 1943

RCAHMS visited Sillyearn Hill on 21 July 1943 and recorded six cairns, or groups of cairns. At the time of writing, only two of these had equivalent entries in Canmore (relating to their subsequent inclusion by the Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division (ie NJ55SW 1 and NJ55SW 10), and an additional four records have been created.

The six sites are as follows:

(i) Wattie's Cairn ie NJ55SW 10.

(ii) A second cairn '200 yds NNE' of Wattie's Cairn, 'at the angle between two ditches'. This is probably the 'stone' depicted on the current OS map.

Entered as NJ55SW 37.

See also NJ55SW 15.

(iii) Five small cairns between (i) and (ii).

Entered as NJ55SW 38.

(iv) Cairn ie NJ55SW 1.

(v) At least three cairns 'about 300 yds SE of (iv).

Entered as NJ55SW 39.

(vi) A group of small cairns 300 yds SW of Sillyearn farmstead.

Entered as NJ55SW 40.

Information from RCAHMS (GFG) 9 January 2013