Stroanfreggan Cairn

NX69SW 4 6401 9142.

(NX 6401 9142) Stroanfreggan Cairn (NR)

OS 6" map (1957)

Stroanfreggan Cairn, situated at the edge of a bank on low-lying ground, is a large circular cairn, 73 ft N-S by 76 ft transversely. It has been much used as a quarry and in 1910 a cist was found at a point 25 ft in from the E arc of the perimeter. This measured 3 ft 5 ins x 2 ft x 2 ft 3 ins internally, beneath a cover stone, 5 x 4 ft. The sides were formed by four large slabs the joints between which were eked with smaller stones and luted with clay. It contained a plano-convex flint knife, now in the NMAS. The periphery of the cairn has been marked by large boulders, 2-3 ft in length and 1 1/2-2ft in height of which three only remain, while the beds from which others have been removed are distinct. Some loose soil lying in the neighbourhood yielded four small chippings of flint and bone fragments mixed with charcoal in 1910. Flints, clay luting and a fragment of thin bronze, possibly from a bifid razor, from this cairn, are in Dumfries Museum.

RCAHMS 1914, visited 1911; J Corrie 1911; R W Feachem 1963; A E Truckell 1964

The remains of Stroanfreggan Cairn, name verified, are generally as described. Heavily robbed, it measures 26.5m in overall diameter and survives 1.6m high on its S side. The cist, in situ and sunk into the floor of the cairn, is only partially visible beneath its cover stone (A on plan). Three set stones (B, C and D) and three probable socket holes (E, F and G) suggest an intermittent kerb. The socket holes average 0.8m by 0.6m and are 0.3m deep. A stone (H) of similar proportions to the kerb stones is embedded in the central area of the cairn to the W of the cist. Its significance is not evident.

Surveyed at 1:10 000.

Visited by OS (JRL) 7 October 1978.