Balnacoil Hill
Cairn (Prehistoric)
Site Name Balnacoil Hill
Classification Cairn (Prehistoric)
Canmore ID 6605
Site Number NC81SW 16
NGR NC 8104 1157
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/6605
- Council Highland
- Parish Clyne
- Former Region Highland
- Former District Sutherland
- Former County Sutherland
NC81SW 16 8104 1157.
(NC 8104 1157) Cairn (NR)
OS 6" map, (1969)
Near the top of Balnacoil Hill is a cairn of from 48 to 50ft in diameter and about 4ft high. Slight excavations have been made in several places, but no cist is exposed.
RCAHMS 1911, visited 1909.
Generally as described by RCAHMS, this cairn is of bare stones 1.5m high, 12.0m in diameter with a tendency to spread downhill on the S side.
Surveyed at 1:10,560
Visited by OS (R D L) 1 May 1964.
No change since report of 1 May 1964.
Revised at 1/10,000.
Visited by OS (J B) 30 December 1975.
Field Visit (25 August 1909)
42. Cairn, etc., Balnacoil. Near the top of the hill at Balnacoil, and somewhat less than ½ m. NE. of the lodge, is a cairn of from 48' to 50' diameter and about 4' high [NC81SW 6]. Slight excavations have been made in several places, but no cist is exposed.
Between the cairn and the lodge, and also along the S. slope and level summit of the hill for a considerable distance to the eastward, are numerous small mounds of the usual type [NC81SW 16].
OS 6-inch map: Sutherland Sheet lxxxviii.
RCAHMS 1911, visited (AOC) 25th August 1909.
Field Visit (30 March 2017 - 27 June 2017)
NC 81272 11420 A desk-based assessment, walkover survey and watching brief were undertaken, 30 March – 27 June 2017, during the construction of a telecommunication mast and associated access track. Borrow pits and ditches were noted alongside the existing access track. A scheduled cairn (SM 1769) was located and an extensive cairn field recorded to the S and E of the cairn. This consisted of low, heather covered
mounds
the track was adjusted to avoid upstanding features, and no other finds or features of archaeological significance were recorded.
Archive: Highland HER and NRHE
Funder: Kilarney Telecommunications Ltd and PHA Communications Ltd
Lynne McKeggie, Pete Higgins, Steve Worth and Stuart Farrell – Highland Archaeology Services
(Source: DES, Volume 18)