Sanquhar Moor

NS81SW 1 8008 1050.

(NS 8008 1050) Tumuli (NR)

OS 6" map (1959)

A number of small artificial-looking hollows, one 9' by 7' and 1'6" deep, and one or two small circular hut foundations. Also several small oval mounds about 1' high and one measuring 17' by 12', each with a hollow behind, from which the soil of the mound had been thrown out. Simpson says that these are graves, but admits that no human remains were found when some were opened. ("Uprooted trees probably" - MS note in margin of RCAHMS.)

RCAHMS 1920; R Simpson 1853

A cluster of about 12 turf-covered heaps of stones varying from 2.0m to 4.0m in diameter and no more than 0.3m in height, some with associated hollows, possibly the result of the excavations (?) c. 1853. They would appear to be possibly only field clearance heaps.

Visited by OS (JLD) 9 July 1954

Scott-Elliott notes a cairnfield of twenty-five cairns in this area and compares them with the mound excavated at Whitestanes Moor, where post holes etc were found (see NX98NE 5). (For discussion on the period and purpose of groups of small cairns of this type, see NT05SE 3).

J Scott-Elliott and I Rae 1965

These small cairns are almost completely grass-covered and barely recognisable. There is nothing resembling a burial cairn within the group and they are most probably field clearance cairns. No other features are evident.

Visited by OS (BS) 1 November 1978