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Coilsfield Mains, King Coil's Grave
Cairn (Prehistoric)
Site Name Coilsfield Mains, King Coil's Grave
Classification Cairn (Prehistoric)
Canmore ID 42711
Site Number NS42NW 11
NGR NS 44699 26247
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/42711
- Council South Ayrshire
- Parish Tarbolton
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Kyle And Carrick
- Former County Ayrshire
NS42NW 11 44699 26247
(NS 4469 2624) King Coil's Grave (NAT) Cairn (NR)
OS 6" map (1967)
In 1856, King Coil's Grave was described as a mound, about 20 yds in width, with three small whinstone boulders on its top, the whole was surmounted by a clump of trees. "It was opened some years ago when a great quantity of bones, and warlike implements were found."
Name Book 1856
King Coil's Grave, a tumulus which was surmounted by two large stones, was opened in May 1837. The centre of the mound was occupied by boulders, some of which were of considerable size. A circular flagstone about 3ft in diameter, was encountered at a depth of about 4ft. Under this stone was a quantity of yellow clay, then a small flagstone laid horizontally, covering the mouth of an urn filled with burnt bones. In removing the clay surrounding the urn, several small heaps of bones were found under flat stones, surrounded by the clay. Other urns (Wilson states a total of four) were also found. They disintegrated on exposure to the air. The urns were plain apart from an edging or projecting part 1/2in from the top, and were flower-pot shaped. The largest was 7 7/8in in height and the same in diameter. The NSA also notes that "pieces of ancient armour and fragments of bones" had been ploughed up here many years previously.
NSA 1845 (D Ritchie); D Wilson 1863
King Coil's Grave, a tumulus, now appears as a low, circular mound 15.5m in diameter and 0.5m high. There are a few stones lying on it, of the three stones mentioned in the ONB, it is evident that one of them has been split. No information was obtained regarding the finds.
Visited by OS (JLD) 14 May 1954
This turf-covered cairn, on the crest of a prominent W-facing rise at c.91m OD is as described.
Visited by OS (JRL) 18 November 1980
Field Visit (March 1985)
King Coif's Grave, Coilsfield Mains NS 4469 2624 NS42NW 11
This cairn, which is situated on the crest of a hill immediately W of Coilsfield Mains steading, has been reduced to an oval stony mound measuring 14m by 12m and 0.5m in height. In 1837 an urn containing a cremation was discovered at the centre of the mound beneath a circular slab 0.9m in diameter; the mouth of the urn was covered by a small slab and there were also several other deposits of cremated bone beneath small slabs in
the clay around the urn. A number of other urns were found in the cairn but they were all broken. The surviving urn was taken to Eglington Castle and may be the Cinerary Urn (RMS EA 19) 'from a tumulus near Eglington Castle' which was presented to the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland in 1846.
RCAHMS 1985, visited March 1985
(NSA, v, Ayrshire, 752; Wilson 1863, i, 481; Macdonald 1878, 52; Archaeologia Scotica, v, pt 3, 1890, donations, p. 57; Catalogue of the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland, 1892, 163; Smith 1895, 149; Morrison 1968, 107, no. 29).
