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Houston, Old Bridge Of Weir Road, South Mound
Cairn (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Houston, Old Bridge Of Weir Road, South Mound
Classification Cairn (Period Unassigned)
Alternative Name(s) Gryffe High School; Houston South Mound
Canmore ID 43127
Site Number NS46NW 9
NGR NS 40100 66487
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/43127
- Council Renfrewshire
- Parish Houston
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Renfrew
- Former County Renfrewshire
NS46NW 9 40100 66487
(NS 4009 6647) South Mound (NAT)
Cairn (NR)
OS 6" map (1970).
For Houston North Mound (NS 40346 67390), see NS46NW 8.
Location formerly entered as NS 4009 6647.
The Statistical Account (OSA) describes this feature as 'a mount composed of a vast number of small stones in which was found a stone coffin', and adds that it had recently been enlarged, enclosed, and planted with trees. TheOrdnance Survey Name Book (ONB) notes the removal of many stones from this site; they were used to build the wall connecting this with the North Mound (NS46NW 8). Noted as a Bronze Age cairn by Newall.
OSA 1791; Name Book 1856; F Newall 1964
In the centre of a modern plantation is a large, spread, circular, grass-covered stony mound 34.0m in diameter with a height of about 1.5m on the E side. On the top of the mound, abutting on to the W side of a dyke, is a stony hollow, 4.0m by 3.0m, and a few metres to the S is another similar hollow. These seem to be the result of excavations and reveal only the stony nature of the mound.
Surveyed at 1/2500.
Visited by OS (WDJ) 12 May 1964
This cairn is still as described in the previous field report.
Visited by RCAHMS March 1984.
NS 4012 6652 In September 2001 an archaeological watching brief was undertaken on the excavation of two foundation trenches to the E and W of the present building at 1 South Mound. No pre-19th-century archaeology was encountered. (GUARD 1119).
Sponsor: Mr W Fulton.
D Sneddon 2001.
Scheduled as 'Houston South Mound, cairn 155m W of Gryffe High School...'
Information from Historic Scotland, scheduling document dated 11 February 2011.
South Mound
Cairn [NAT]
OS (GIS) masterMap, March 2011.
