Barnshangan

NX16NE 9 190 662.

(NX 1898 6611) Cairns (NR)

OS 6" map (1957)

On the open moorland within an area approx 200.0m square centred on NX 1900 6610, at about 400 feet OD, are at least fifty small cairns composed of smallish stones. These cairns, mostly devoid of grass or turf-covering, are irregular in shape, varying in size from 2.0m to 6.0m in diameter with an average height of 0.6m; they are almost certainly stone clearance heaps.

No remains of hut circles or buildings were seen within the area nor any evidence of field walling or lynchets.

Within the large stone-walled enclosure (centred NX 1900 6630), immediately to the north of the area of clearance heaps, are about thirty of a similar kind.

RCAHMS 1912, visited 1911

Visited by OS (WDJ) 6 March 1968

No change to previous field report.

Visited by OS (BS) 5 May 1976

A large group of cairns extends over an area of about 18ha along the hillside to the SE of the Knockiebae lead mines. At the S end of the group the cairns straddle the track leading up to the lead mines from Barnshangan, extending northwards through en enclosed field of cultivation ridges. To the NE of this field the cairns are scattered along the W flank of the hill round on to the N-facing slopes. At the date of visit many of the cairns were obscured by bracken and long grass but they measure between 2m and 6m in diameter and are up to 0.6m in height. The larger cairns are concentrated within the ridged field and have probably been added to in the course of the more recent period of cultivation.

RCAHMS 1987, visited (SH) 1 July 1986