Rhudil
Cairn (Prehistoric)
Site Name Rhudil
Classification Cairn (Prehistoric)
Canmore ID 39468
Site Number NR89NW 27
NGR NR 8459 9530
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/39468
- Council Argyll And Bute
- Parish Kilmichael Glassary
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Argyll And Bute
- Former County Argyll
NR89NW 27 8459 9530.
NR 845 953. ? Clyde group chambered cairn. The site is on a small rocky knoll, a short distance SW of NR89NW 26. The cairn has been much ruined, though a fairly definite edge can be traced round the SW half, in places edged by large stones, possibly the remains of a kerb. The edge round the NE half is difficult to define, for there is less cairn material there. In plan, the cairn appears to be elongated rather than round, measuring certainly 60' and perhaps 80' ENE-WSW, by c. 60', the maximum breadth being nearer the NE end. There seems to be little depth of cairn material and the capstone, 5'9" x 4'3", lies flush with the remaining stones. Below the capstone is a hollow, edged on the SE side by a slab on edge, 5'5" long. Also below, on the NW side, lies a flat slab, possibly a fallen side slab. It has been suggested that this structure may be part of a two-compartment chamber (Campbell and Sandeman 1964) but no transverse slabs nor an extension to the NE or SW can be traced at present. The structure seems to be aligned along the axis of the cairn, c. 50' from the SW end, but it gives the impression of always having been very low. Without excavation, the nature of this site is uncertain.
A S Henshall 1972; M Campbell and M Sandeman 1964; J H Craw 1930.
NR 8459 9530. Generally as described. This cairn measures up to 22.0m SW-NE by 16.0m. Only the capstone remains visible. There is no certainty that this was a chambered cairn.
Surveyed at 1:2500.
Visited by OS (I A) 4 May 1973.
No change to the report of 4 May 1973.
Surveyed at 1/10,000.
Visited by OS (B S) 14 April 1977.
Field Visit (May 1982)
This cairn stands on a low knoll 400 m ENE of Rhudil Mill and 250m SW of the chambered cairn (NR89NE 13). The original form of the cairn is uncertain, but it appears to be oval, measuring about 24m from ENE to WSW by 18m transversely and surviving to a height of up to 1m, with the remains of a kerb on the W. A capstone, 1.75m by 1.3m and 0.l5m thick, lies near the centre of the cairn about 8m from its ENE end. Defining the SE edge of the slight hollow beneath it there is a slab 1.7m long and 0.15 m thick, set on edge and aligned ENE and WSW; below the capstone on the NW is a possible fallen side-slab. A shallow depression about 4m SW of the cover slab suggests that the cairn has been dug into. A turf-and-stone dyke partly overlies the cairn material on the SE. The evidence does not support the identification of the site as a chambered cairn (Henshall 1972; Campbell and Sandeman 1964).
Visited May 1982
RCAHMS 1988
Measured Survey (May 1985)
RCAHMS surveyed Rhudil cairns on May 1985 with plane-table and alidade producing a plan at a scale of 1:100. The plan of the cairnks was redrawn in ink and published at a scale of 1:250 (RCAHMS 1988a, 71).
