Loch Loyal
Burial Cairn (Prehistoric)
Site Name Loch Loyal
Classification Burial Cairn (Prehistoric)
Canmore ID 5768
Site Number NC65SW 1
NGR NC 6212 5095
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/5768
- Council Highland
- Parish Tongue
- Former Region Highland
- Former District Sutherland
- Former County Sutherland
NC65SW 1 6212 5095
(NC 6212 5095) Cairn (NR)
OS 6" map, (1961)
A prominent round cairn 16m in diameter and 1.5m high, with a kerb of contiguous large stones placed point upward. The cairn is heather-covered and has been robbed in the centre and on the S but no internal structure has been revealed.
Visited by OS (J L D) 25 April 1960.
RCAHMS 1911, visited 1909.
No change to the previous field report.
Visited by OS (J B), 6 September 1978.
Field Visit (31 May 1909)
Cairn, Loch Loyal.
Situated on the S. side of the ridge separating Loch Craggie from Loch Loyal at its extreme E. end, and overlooking the latter loch which lies about 50ft directly beneath it, is a circular cairn, with a diameter of about 50ft. The outline is definitely marked with large boulders (the largest over 2ft high), laid contiguously point upwards. The cairn is for the most part overgrown with heather, but towards the centre a quantity of stones have been pulled out, without, however, disclosing any structure. The height of the cairn is about 6ft. Along the top of a bank which projects to the SE. are three large boulders, set in a row - the first 2ft from the cairn, the next 9ft, and the next 16ft, but it is very doubtful if these are in situ*.
RCAHMS 1911, visited 31 May 1909.
OS 6” map (1906)
*This cairn is noted as a ‘broch’ in Antiquaries, vii. p. 278
Field Visit (6 September 1978)
NC65SW 1 6212 5095
No change to the previous field report.
Visited by OS (J B), 6 September 1978.
Publication Account (2007)
NC65 4 LOCH LOYAL
NC/622510
Cairn, once thought to be a possible broch, in Tongue, Sutherland, on the spit of land which divides Loch Craggie from Loch Loyal. Horsburgh says there were the remains of a Pictish tower there [3, 277] but the Commission diagnosed it as a round cairn [2]. The kerb of boulders doubtless caused the confusion. This mistake illustrates why an early diagnosis of a site as a “Pictish tower” does not necessarily mean that the author concerned saw a tall tower, since demolished; he may only have noted the remains of a ring of massive stones and made the assumption from that.
Sources: 1. NMRS site no. NC 65 SW 1: 2. RCAHMS 1911a, 186, no. 538: 3. Horsburgh 1867.
E W MacKie 2007
