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Rig Hill, Nith Lodge
Cairn (Period Unassigned)(Possible), Battleaxe (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Rig Hill, Nith Lodge
Classification Cairn (Period Unassigned)(Possible), Battleaxe (Period Unassigned)
Canmore ID 43489
Site Number NS50NW 2
NGR NS 5306 0977
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/43489
- Council East Ayrshire
- Parish New Cumnock
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Cumnock And Doon Valley
- Former County Ayrshire
NS50NW 2 5306 0977.
There is an enclosure, bounded by 15 standing stones up to 2' high, at 1097' OD near the summit of the long ridge of Rig Hill, 1/2 mile NW of Nith Lodge. It is an irregular ellipse, 30' x 15' internally, the shape being determined by rock outcrops to NW and SE. It is uniformly depressed towards the centre.
Excavations in 1937 revealed eight cremation burial-pits. Two (a, b on plan) were accompanied by pygmy vessels; a collared cinerary urn was inverted over burial 'c', and a Scotsburn group battle-axe was found at 'c'. Around the outside of the enclosure was a kerb of packed boulders. McLeod concludes that this must have been the site of a cairn, otherwise completely removed, (but he is writing before enclosed cremation cemeteries were recognised as such). All the finds are in the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland (NMAS Accession nos: EP 56-59).
A G McLeod 1938; A Morrison 1968; F E S Roe 1967
This enclosure could not be located. There are two standing stones at NS 53090980 and although their location does not tally with McLeod's, the description of the site does. Mr McLeod is now unable to recollect the precise location of this feature.
Visited by OS (JLD) 1 December 1959
The area has been deep ploughed and afforested. The undulating summit of Rig Hill (NS 53070975) comprises turf-covered granite outcrops with a scatter of earthfast boulders, many of which have been uprooted by the forestry plough. The site cannot now be positively identified but the description and ground inspection suggests that it was 20.0m N of the highest point of the hill at NS 53070977 where there is an amorphous spread of boulders and outcropping rock.
APs (106G/Scot/UK90: 4159/60, flown 1946) revealed nothing significant.
Visited by OS (MJF) 22 September 1980
The battle-axe is of the Intermediate-Developed variant and is held in the Royal Museum of Scotland under accession number NMS EP 57. It has been petrologically attributed to group XXIX (Essexite from central Ayrshire).
F E S Roe; T H McK Clough and W A Cummins 1988.
