Mod A Cheann Drochaid

NN32NE 6 3535 2891.

(NN 3535 2891) Mod a Cheann Drochaid (NAT)

OS 6" map, Perthshire, 2nd ed., (1900)

The remains of a circular cairn, called Mod a Cheann Drochaid are visible south of Auctertyre. Only the revetment stones remain, the centre having been entirely robbed of its rubble stone. The cairn resembles the Clava type.

There are traces of an extension of the cairn for about 30 yds, due north. It is probable that a Neolithic cairn was robbed in the Bronze Age to build a circular cairn at its south end.

A D Lacaille 1924.

This is a nearly circular bank of earth and stone with average diameter 10.0m and maximum height 0.6m.

The arrangement and setting of the stones is unlike that of the retaining circle of a cairn and in places there appear to be an inner and outer facing of stones laid flat, suggesting the foundations of a dry stone wall from 1.0m to 1.2m thick. There is no certain trace of an entrance or of any internal structure. The northward extension referred to by Lacaille (1929) is, on the east, a stony bank up to 0.6m high, and elsewhere a scatter of stones. The 'extension' appears to be mostly field clearance and not evidence of a long cairn. No certain conclusions could be reached regarding the origin or purpose of the feature. It is probably not the remains of a cairn, and the evidence suggests only a small walled enclosure. The OS 6" map Perthshire, 1st ed., (1867) described it as 'Old Kiln' but there is no evidence of burning and it is too big.

The Gaelic name 'Mod a Cheann Drochaid' (the court of justice or assembly on the head land by the bridge) may be significant.

Local enquiries revealed no traditions regarding the site.

Visited by OS (E G) 9 May 1962.

Generally as described by previous field surveyor, this sub-square feature is undoubtedly the remains of an enclosure. There is a possible entrance in the south-west.

Visited by OS (R D) 30 April 1969.

A long low stony turf-covered mound which it has been suggested may represent the last remains of a much robbed long cairn. However, it may be no more than an area left unploughed because of its rocky nature, to which field-gathered stones have been added. Similar areas can be seen in adjacent fields. The 'circle', Mod a Cheann Drochaid, 32ft N of the S end, appears to be the ruin of a circular wall 36ft in external diameter and about 3ft thick.

M E C Stewart 1961; J G Scott 1969; A S Henshall 1972.

A near-circular stone-walled enclosure 8.3m internal diameter within the remains of a double-faced wall 1.0m broad. It is not definitely the remains of a modern enclosure, and has some affinities with ring-cairn construction. Contrary to the assumptions of (Stewart 1961) and (Scott 1969) there is no evidence for this having been a long cairn.

Surveyed at 1:2500.

Visited by OS (D W R) 5 March 1973.

This is a stone-walled subrectangular agricultural enclosure, probably of 18th or 19th century date.

Visited by RCAHMS (SDB, SPH) 22 July 1999