Arran, Catacol

NR94NW 5 c91 49.

"Last week, Mr Robertson of Catacol Farm, Arran, in the course of ploughing struck a stone which uncovered the leg bone of a man. At first it was thought that it might be one of the Bronze Age cists, a type of burial which is not uncommon in Arran, but on investigation the skeleton was found to be stretched out in a narrow trough of stones about 5ft 6ins long. Each side of this sort of coffin was made up of three slabs of stone 1 1/2ft to 2ft in length, roughly rectangular in shape but none was dressed in any way. The trough was partially paved with smaller slabs and was nowhere wider than 1 1/2ft; it had no stones to close it at the ends, head or feet and was barely 12ins in depth; it was covered by five slabs, the largest of which was 2ft by 1 1/2ft. The skeleton lies on its back and though the whole frame can be seen from skull to foot the bones have been much broken by the falling in of the stones and are not in a good state of preservation; only fragments of the skull and pelvis remain. No relics of any kind were found. The grave lies on the edge of a ridge and when found was very near the surface for each successive ploughing must have made earth fall down the slope and so bring it nearer the plough. The grave is orientated east and west with the head to the west so that the burial must have been carried out with some care but there is no evidence to give any clear indication of the date; while not prehistoric it must be some centuries old. The rough structure of the grave and its situation would seem to point to an isolated sepulture, the result perhaps of some sudden death or tragedy. The site was visited by Dr Marshall of Rothesay."

Information from Anon MS and photographs, one dated 28 April 1936.

In Brodrick Castle is an iron rod, 170 mm long and about 2 mm in diameter. The centre is hollow, but this may be the result of corrosion. This is not any identifiable object. A letter from the finder, John Robertson, described it as "an iron bar, found in a stone grave discovered by me at Catacol Farm on 15th April 1936".

Information from TS of 'List of material in Brodick Castle', 1981, No.91