Description

The monument consists of the remains of a chambered cairn at the head of a coastal bay.

Much of the cairn has been destroyed to provide building material for the surrounding township but the surviving remains show that this was a very substantial monument. These remains include part of the chamber and facade. The NE horn of the facade survives to about 1m in height, although damaged by a farm track. Several stones, some

fallen, mark the outer face of the facade, which was probably originally semicircular in plan, measuring about 18m across and 10m in depth.

The chamber is entered between a pair of impressive portal stones. The two remaining side slabs of the chamber are 1m and 1.4m in height. The capstone has slipped off and rests against the SW side-slab. At the present time the chamber measures 1.8m in length and 1.2m in breadth, but it probably once extended further NW. The footings of a rectangular building, about 10m by 5m, are located just

to the SSE of the remains of the chambered cairn and there is a large earth platform of unknown origin just to the S of this building.

The area to be scheduled measures 60m SE to NW by 40m NW-SE, to include the remains of the chambered cairn, the rectangular building, the platform and an area around in which traces of activities associated with the construction and use of the chambered cairn may survive, as shown in red on the accompanying map extract.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance for its potential to contribute to an understanding of prehistoric ritual belief and burial practices. Although damaged by later activities the remains of this monument indicate that it was an unusually substantial chambered cairn.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as NM 56 SE 1.

Reference:

RCAHMS (1972) Argyll Inventory, Vol. 3, No. 1.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland