Hillend

NS57NE 15 569 750.

Three inverted urns, surrounded by charred wood, were found by Mr Mitchell, the farmer at Hillend, in 1878 while excavating for sand. Two were full of human bones and the third contained a burnt substance. The urns were found 3 ft below the surface and were placed about a yard apart. They are fully 12 ins in diameter at the widest part, taper from top to bottom, and are composed of a hard, coarse burnt clay, about 3/4 ins in thickness, the outer surface being almost black, and the inner of a brownish or yellowish colour.

W Nimmo 1880.

Mr T Ripley Kerr, Eastertoun, Milngravie, who was proprietor of the ground at the time, has in his possession a number of urn fragments which were found at Hillend farm about 1888 when the farmer was filling up a small sand pit. The find spot is in a small field just outside the Back Wood and some 20 yds from the Tinkers' Burn. The largest urn ( a cinerary urn) seems to have been about 12 1/2 ins in diameter and is said to have been 16 ins high, but it fell to pieces on being removed. Within it was a complete incense cup. There were also fragments of another three possible cinerary urns and two fragments of a possible food vessel.

J M Davidson 1940.

The find spot may be approximately sited to NS 5694 7504 from Davidson's description. Nothing suggestive of the remains of a cairn or tumulus was seen. No local information could be obtained, the farm having recently changed hands several times. Nimmo and Davidson would appear to be referring to two separate finds, made in the same sandpit.

Visited by OS (W M J) 3 August 1951.