Cambusbarron
Cairn (Prehistoric), Cemetery (Bronze Age), Cist(S) (Bronze Age), Inhumation(S) (Bronze Age), Food Vessel(S) (Bronze Age)
Site Name Cambusbarron
Classification Cairn (Prehistoric), Cemetery (Bronze Age), Cist(S) (Bronze Age), Inhumation(S) (Bronze Age), Food Vessel(S) (Bronze Age)
Alternative Name(s) Birkhill, Coneyhill
Canmore ID 46193
Site Number NS79SE 18
NGR NS 7821 9257
NGR Description Centred on NS 7821 9257
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/46193
- Council Stirling
- Parish St Ninians
- Former Region Central
- Former District Stirling
- Former County Stirlingshire
NS79SE 18 c. 781 926.
(Area centred NS 781 926) A Bronze Age burial ground, occupying the area of Cambusbarron Sand Pit (NS 779 925) and part of the adjoining lands of Birkhill (NS 780925) and Coneypark Nursery (NS 783926), has yielded since 1859 at least six short cists, six food vessels, five cinerary urns, and a beaker. Some of the vessels are in the Smith Institute, Stirling - Food Vessels: AP 1, 2, 7 and 8; Cinerary Urn: AP 5; and Beaker: A 193; and others in the NMAS (Food Vessels: EE 19, EQ 239; Cinerary urns: EQ 151, 152, 153 and an unspecified urn EQ 154.) Some of the food vessels were found in cists but others were alone. Some cists were empty. Other objects which have survived are in the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland (NMAS).
They are a stone mace-head, and a piece of a bronze plate - Accession nos. EQ 155, 156; and a flint knife - Acc.No. EQ 240.
RCAHMS 1963; Proc Soc Antiq Scot 1862; 1865
The following are in the Smith Institute:
Acc. No. 265 (Catalogue No. AP 1). Food Vessel.
Acc. No. 266 (Cat. No. AP 2). The bottom portion of a food vessel.
Acc. No. 2028 (Cat. No. AP 7). A beaker 'C' type-this is listed in the catalogue as an urn.
Acc. No. 2029 (Cat. No. AP 8). Food vessel.
Acc. No. 269 (Cat. No. AP 5). Three fragments of a cinerary urn.
The beaker listed as A 193 (Proc Soc Antiq Scot 1887) is not in the museum. Also on display in the museum are the remains (human bones) of an inhumation burial from an EBA - MBA cist found on 6 January 1879 at Drummond's nurseries (centred on NS 783 926) Coneypark; two individuals are represented: Acc. No.1215.
No further information.
Visited by OS (EGC) 16 January 1964
NS c. 77 92 A cemetery of four Cinerary Urns (NMAS EQ 151, EQ 152, EQ 153 and EQ 154) containing cremations were discovered in a gravel-pit near Cambusbarron; one of the urns contained a mace-head, another a piece of bronze plate (NMAS EQ 155 and EQ 156 respectively). A fifth Cinerary Urn (SAG MS A269) may also have been found in this cemetery.
(RCAHMS 1963, 24, nos. 14-18)
NS 77 92 There are two Food Vessels in the Smith Art Gallery and Museum, Stirling (A265 and A266 respectively) which were found in sand-pits in the vicinity of Cambusbarron. (RCAHMS 1963, 24, nos. 9 and 10).
NS c. 781 926 A cist containing an inhumation with a Food Vessel (NMAS EQ 239) was found in a gravel mound in the garden E of Birkhill House; a flint knife (NMAS EQ 240) is also reported to have been found in the cist although it is not recorded in the original account of the discovery. (RCAHMS 1963 no.ii).
NS 780 926 A 'grave and remains' was found 'some years' before 1880 in a gravel mound W of Birkhill House. (RCAHMS 1963 no.iii)
NS c.781 926 A Food Vessel in the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland (EE 19) was found 'on the lands of Birkhill'. (RCAHMS 1963 24 no.12)
NSc.779 925 A Food Vessel (SAGMS A2029) was found in Birkhill sand-pit in 1905; a horizontal slab of stone, which was discovered quite close to the Food Vessel, possibly marked the site of a further burial. (RCAHMS 1963 no.v)
NSc.779 925 A Beaker (SAG MS A2028) was found in Birkhill sand-pit. (RCAHMS 1963, 24 no.1)
RCAHMS 1963, 1979
Note (1979)
Coneypark NS 783 926 NS79SE 18
This cairn measures about 12.5m in diameter; a cist containing an inhumation was found in it in 1879, and excavations in 1972 revealed a second cist, which contained an inhumation with a Beaker (SAGMS A7800).
RCAHMS 1979
(Hutchison 1879; RCAHMS 1963, p. 62, no. 18, i; DES 1972, 39)
Note (1979)
Cambusbarron 1 NS c. 77 92 NS79SE
A cemetery of four Cinerary Urns (NMAS EO 151, EO 152, EQ 153 and EO 154)
containing cremations were discovered in a gravel-pit near Cambusbarron; one of the urns contained a mace-head, another a piece of bronze plate (NMAS EQ 155 and EQ 156 respectively). A fifth Cinerary Urn (SAGMS A269) may also have been found in this cemetery.
RCAHMS 1979
(PSAS, v, 1862-4, 213-14; RCAHMS 1963, p. 24, nos. 14-18)
Cambusbarron 2 NS C. 77 92 NS79SE 18
There are two Food Vessels in the Smith Art Gallery and Museum, Stirling (A265 and A266 respectively) which were found in sand-pits in the vicinity of Cambusbarron.
RCAHMS 1979
(RCAHMS 1963, p. 24, nos. 9 and 10)
Note (1979)
Birkhill 1 NS c. 781 926 NS79SE 18
A cist containing an inhumation with a Food Vessel (NMAS EO 239) was found in a gravel mound in the garden E of Birkhill House; a flint knife (NMAS EO 240) is also reported to have been found in the cist although it is not recorded in the original account of the discovery.
RCAHMS 1979
(Hutchison 1880; PSAS, xxi, 1886-7, 265; RCAHMS 1963, p. 24, no. 13 and p. 62, no. 18, ii)
Birkhill 2 NS c. 780 926 NS79SE 18
A 'grave and remains' similar to the cist burial above was found 'some years' before 1880 in a gravel mound W of Birkhill House.
RCAHMS 1979
(Hutchison 1880, 49; RCAHMS 1963, p. 62, no. 18, iii)
Birkhill 3 NS c. 781 926 NS79SE 18
A Food Vessel in the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland (EE 19) was found 'on the lands of Birkhill'.
RCAHMS 1979
(PSAS, iii, 1857-60, 245; RCAHMS 1963, p. 24, no. 12)
Birkhill Sand-pit 1 NS c. 779 925 NS79SE 18
A Food Vessel (SAGMS A2029) was found in Birkhill sand-pit in 1905; a horizontal slab of stone, which was discovered quite close to the Food Vessel, possibly marked the site of a further burial.
(Morris 1907; RCAHMS 1963, p. 62, no. 18, v)
Birkhill Sand-pit 2 NS c. 779 925
A Beaker (SAG MS A2028) was found in Birkhill sand-pit.
RCAHMS 1979
(RCAHMS 1963, p. 23, no. 1; Clarke 1970, 521, no. 1782)
