Arran, Whiting Bay, Giant's Graves South

NS02SW 3 04310 24636

(NS 0430 2463 and NS 0429 2467) Giants' Graves (NR)

Cairns (NR)

OS 6" map, (1924).

For cairn at NS 0429 2467, see NS02SW 2.

Giants' Graves S: This Clyde group, long cairn lies about 60ft S of, and at right angles to, the larger N cairn. It measures 42ft along the WNW-ESE axis by 36ft atits maximum width at the W end tapering to a rounded E end. The cairn remains 3-4ft high. The edge at the E end is steep and a single upright stone seems to revet the edge as a kerb. About 9ft W of this stone the tops of two stones just protrude above the cairn material; they are set transversely to the cairn axis, 10ft apart. The chamber, 14ft by 4ft 7ins, is aligned along the main axis and is entered from the W end. Excavation in 1902 was confined to the area between the W and central pairs of side slabs. The chamber contained "only soil and stones" and there were no finds; it had probably been rifled already. However, in 1961-2 further exploration produced nine sherds of a round-based vessel, and fragments of burnt bone, now in the NMAS (Acc No EO 976).

Source: T H Bryce 1903; A S Henshall 1972, visited 1962.

"Giants' Grave S" (name confirmed) is as described by Miss Henshall.

Surveyed at 1:2500.

Visited by OS (B S) 24 November 1977.