Hagg Wood, Moorpark
Burial Cairn (Bronze Age), Cist (Bronze Age), Axe Hammer (Bronze Age), Food Vessel Urn (Bronze Age)
Site Name Hagg Wood, Moorpark
Classification Burial Cairn (Bronze Age), Cist (Bronze Age), Axe Hammer (Bronze Age), Food Vessel Urn (Bronze Age)
Canmore ID 60035
Site Number NT95NW 1
NGR NT 9175 5723
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/60035
- Council Scottish Borders, The
- Parish Foulden
- Former Region Borders
- Former District Berwickshire
- Former County Berwickshire
NT95NW 1 9175 5723.
(NT 9175 5723) Cairn (NR)
OS 1:10,000 map, (1977).
Cairn, Hagg Wood: This low, grass-grown cairn was excavated by Craw in November 1913 (see J H Craw 1914 plan and section). At least three constructional phases were found. In the earliest phase it was probably oval (5.8m by 4.6m) with a boulder kerb, and covered two primary cists and a secondary. One of the primary cists (A) measured 3ft 4ins by 2ft 1in by 1ft 10ins deep, built of slabs with corners packed with small stones and an unpaved floor. It contained the partly cremated bones of an adult accompanied by a food vessel, a flint knife and three other flints (now in the NMAS, Accession Nos: EQ 315, 316 and 317-9 respectively). The other (B) measured 3ft 9ins by 1ft 10ins by 1ft 8ins deep and was also unpaved. It contained a food vessel (EQ 320) and two flints (EQ 321) but no bones were found. The third cist (C) measured 2ft 2ins by 1ft 1in and 1ft 1in deep.
It had been rifled and so its contents, apart from a charcoal fragment, are unknown. A battle-axe (F E S Roe 1966) (EQ 322) was picked up at 'X' on plan, on the original ground surface beneath the cairn. In a second phase the cairn was enlarged to a diameter of 9.2m and provided with a boulder kerb; two pits (D, centrally placed and measuring 3ft 2ins by 1ft 7ins by 1ft 6ins deep, containing 'organic matter' and a decayed 'human femur'; the other, 'E', near the kerb on the NW, circular, cup-shaped, 1ft 6ins deep and 1ft 6ins in diameter - charcoal and hazel nuts were found beneath forced soil) may be attributed to this phase. A third phase saw a further extension on the W arc, which produced the final cairn measuring about 12m by 11m and 1m in height.
J H Craw 1914; RCAHMS 1980, visited 1979.
The remains are much as shown on the plan. Cist 'A' is still intact. The cairn has been constructed of large stones, average size 2ft by 1 1/2ft by 1ft and the rim of stone still exists, being approximately 10m in diameter.
Surveyed at 1:2500.
Visited by OS(RD) 13 August 1970.
Field Visit (November 1913 - December 1913)
161A. Cairns, Hag Wood.
The following two cairns situated in the Hag wood to the north-west of Foulden Hag cottages have been excavated, and interesting results obtained there from while this Inventory was going through the press;
No. 1 Cairn. [NT95NW 1]
This cairn. situated on a prominent knoll about 450 feet above sea-level, some 530 yards north-west of Foulden Hag cottages, measured externally 40 feet in diameter and was 3 feet in height. On excavation the original periphery of the cairn was found to be marked by a ring of boulders which measured 31 ½ feet by 28 feet; within this outer ring on the west, running from north to south in crescent form, was a cross wall consisting for the most part of a double line of boulders; beyond this was another ring of boulders, within which were disclosed two cists, lying east and west, and measuring (the first) 3 feet 4 inches by 2 feet 1 inch and 1 foot 10 inches deep, and (the second) 3 feet 9 inches by 1 foot 10 inches and 1 foot 8 inches in depth, the bottom being 9 inches above that of the other cist. The first-mentioned cist was covered with a large flag measuring 4 ½ feet by 3 ½ feet. In each of the cists was found an urn of food-vessel type, and there were also recovered a knife and other implements of flint, besides fragments of oak-wood and charcoal, and a number of human bones incompletely incinerated. On the original surface of the ground, some 5 feet to the west of the first-mentioned cist, was found a well-preserved axe-hammer of greenstone. The relics recovered are preserved in the National Museum of Antiquities, Edinburgh.
Another but smaller cist, measuring 2 feet 2 inches by 1 foot 1 inch and 1 foot 1 inch deep, with a cover 2 ½ feet by 1 ½ feet by 8 inches, was found to the south of the first pair, and close to the inner ring of boulders. This cist was unfortunately rifled during a temporary stoppage of the operations, and the only evidence recovered was a small fragment of charcoal found in the soil. Within the inner ring of boulders, 2 feet to the west of the second cist above described, was a cist-like pit without slabs, 3 feet 2 inches by 1 foot 7 inches and 1 foot 6 inches deep; and midway between this ring and the crescent wall was another pit, circular and cup-shaped, measuring 1 foot 6 inches deep and 1 foot 6 inches in diameter at the top. Amongst the finds in the forced soil of the former pit were found a human femur, remains of charcoal, and evidence of the oak; in that of the circular pit charcoal remains and evidence of the oak and hazel.
No. 2 Cairn. [NT95NW 16]
The second cairn, situated some 460 yards to the south-east of the other cairn, and 70 yards north-north-west of Foulden Hag cottages, measured 24 feet in diameter. Within a ring of boulders, open for about 16 feet on the north-east, was a D-shaped structure enclosing a cist which measured 5 feet 4 inches by 2 feet 9 inches by 1 foot 4 inches. Neither urn nor bones were found in this cist, but fragments of pottery and charcoal and flakes of flint were recovered.
See Antiquaries, xlviii. (illus.).
RCAHMS 1915, visited Nov. and Dec. 1913.
O.S.M. Ber., xi. SE. (unnoted).
Field Visit (March 1979)
NT 917 572. When this cairn was excavated in 1913 at least three constructional phases were found. In the earliest phase it was probably oval (5.8m by 4.6m) with a boulder kerb, and covered two primary cists and a secondary, which had been inserted through the kerb on the S. One of the primary cists contained the partly cremated bones of an adult accompanied by a Food Vessel, a flint knife and three other flints (NMAS EQ 315, 316 and 317-9); the other contained a food vessel (EQ 320) and two flints (EQ 321), but no bones were found. A perforated axe-hammer (NMAS EQ 322) was discovered beneath the cairn on the NW. In a second phase the cairn was enlarged to a diameter of 9.2m and provided with a boulder kerb; two pits (one centrally placed, containing 'organic matter' and a decayed 'human femur'; the other near the kerb on the NW) may be attributed to this phase. A third phase saw a further extension on the W arc, which produced the final cairn measuring about 12m by 11m and 1m in height.
RCAHMS 1980, visited March 1979.
Sbc Note
Visibility: This is an upstanding earthwork or monument.
Information from Scottish Borders Council
