Woodend
Cairn (Period Unassigned), Cist(S) (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Woodend
Classification Cairn (Period Unassigned), Cist(S) (Period Unassigned)
Alternative Name(s) Mossfennan; River Tweed
Canmore ID 49904
Site Number NT13SW 14
NGR NT 1213 3135
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/49904
- Council Scottish Borders, The
- Parish Broughton, Glenholm And Kilbucho
- Former Region Borders
- Former District Tweeddale
- Former County Peebles-shire
NT13SW 14 1213 3135
(NT 1213 3135) Cairn (NR)
OS 6" map, (1967).
A cairn is situated on the left bank of an old bed of the River Tweed at a distance of 60 yds NE of Woodend cottage. It is a grass-covered stony mound which measures about 60ft in diameter and rises to a height of 2ft above the level of the ground to the W. Near the centre there can be seen the remains of a cist consisting of two side slabs, each 3ft 10ins in length and 1ft 6ins in depth, and the N end slab which measures 1ft 11ins in length. The contents of the cist were removed many years ago, when it was first discovered, and have not been recorded. This cairn, like the one at Drumelzier (NT13SW 12), three-quarters of a mile to the north, contained several other burials "apparently in less well-constructed cists".
RCAHMS 1967, visited 1958.
As described by RCAHMS.
Re-surveyed at 1/2500.
Visited by OS (RDL) 16 March 1964 and (IA) 18 August 1972.
Excavation
NT 1213 3135 Investigation of this site, visible as a grassy mound with a summit cist partially exposed, was unfortunately begun before it was realised that it is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The overlying turf was removed and the surface trowelled to reveal the natural alluvial mound had been covered with a domed cairn measuring c12m in diameter and possibly 0.5m deep at the summit, composed for the most part of small
cobble-sized stones. The visible cist measured 1m long by 0.6m wide, the long axis being N/S. A slab lying askew in the cist is probably the northern end slab. A second cist, similarly aligned and of similar dimensions, is located on the east side. This has a capstone lying over and in the cist. An angular rock embedded in the cairn on the west side of the open cist has up to eight concentric semi-circles pecked into its flat surface. The cairn may have been kerbed, as larger earth-fast angular stones surround much of the perimeter. The SE quadrant is badly damaged by rabbit activity and it appears both cists were opened in previous excavations in the 1930s. Scheduled Ancient Monument Consent was granted to reinstate the site without further investigation.
Sbc Note
Visibility: This is an upstanding earthwork or monument.
Information from Scottish Borders Council
