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Howgate Mouth
Cairn(S) (Prehistoric), Sheepfold(S) (Post Medieval)
Site Name Howgate Mouth
Classification Cairn(S) (Prehistoric), Sheepfold(S) (Post Medieval)
Canmore ID 47593
Site Number NS93SW 4
NGR NS 9176 3456
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/47593
- Council South Lanarkshire
- Parish Carmichael
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Clydesdale
- Former County Lanarkshire
Measured Survey (30 June 1971)
This site was surveyed by RCAHMS in 1971. The survey drawing was inked for publication in 1974 but was not ultimately published, presumably due to the damage that was recorded during a return visit in 1975.
Field Visit (October 1975)
1 and 2 (NS 918 346); 3-8: (NS 918 347) Cairns, Howgate Mouth. A group of eight cairns is situated on gently inclined ground on the NE slopes of Howgate Hill, 100m W of the track leading through Howgate Mouth. Since they were first visited in 1971, afforestation has virtually destroyed five of them, and has damaged two of the others. They are described here as the lie from S to N.
1. the most southerly cairn, measures 3.0m in diameter and 0.3m in height; its stony nature is revealed in the forestry plough-furrow that bisects it.
2. 9m WNW of '1', is now irregular in shape, measuring 6.1m by 5.2m and 0.5m in height. Its stony content is clearly visible in the
furrows. Before it was ploughed, the top of this cairn was slightly hollowed.
3. the largest of the group, lies 50m N of '2'. It measures 11.9m in diameter and up to 1.0m in height. Though untouched by the recent ploughing, it has been disturbed at some time previously, robber-scoops being visible on the top and round the W perimeter. Between this cairn and the two mentioned above, there are the remains of a circular, turf-walled enclosure, probably a sheepfold of no great age. Faint traces of another similar enclosure, oblong in shape, are just visible immediately NE of this cairn.
The other five members of the group have been almost obliterated, but are described as they appeared before being ploughed:
4, 16m NW of '3', consisted largely of earth and measured 4.0m in diameter and 0.3m in height.
5, 4m NE of '4', and similar to it in size, this cairn was mainly of stone.
6, 4.2m E of '5' and composed mainly of earth, this cairn measured 3.0m in diameter by 0.3m in height.
7, 23m N of '6', measured 3.0m in diameter by 0.3m in height.
8, 49m NNW of '7', measured 4.0m in diameter by 0.5m in height.
(For discussion on the period and purpose of small cairns of this type, see NT05SE 3.)
RCAHMS 1978, visited October 1975.
Field Visit (7 February 1979)
NS93SW 4 918 346.
Cairns 'A' and 'B', at NS 9178 3455 and NS 9176 3456 respectively, lie on either side of a forest ride. Their sites are still discernible although they are almost completely destroyed by forestry ploughing. 'C', at NS 9176 3460, is a grass-grown cairn, situated within a small clearing, and is as described by the RCAHMS. It has been untouched by ploughing.
The remainder of the cairns noted above are unidentifiable in dense afforestation.
Cairn 'C' surveyed at 1:10,000.
Visited by OS (BS) 7 February 1979.
