Ancient Monuments

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Whaup Law, cairn

A Scheduled Monument in Tweeddale West, Scottish Borders

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Coordinates

Latitude: 55.719 / 55°43'8"N

Longitude: -3.2617 / 3°15'42"W

OS Eastings: 320840

OS Northings: 648009

OS Grid: NT208480

Mapcode National: GBR 52N9.NQ

Mapcode Global: WH6TQ.WJ02

Entry Name: Whaup Law, cairn

Scheduled Date: 22 November 1968

Last Amended: 12 December 2001

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Source ID: SM2755

Schedule Class: Cultural

Category: Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cairn (type uncertain)

Location: Eddleston

County: Scottish Borders

Electoral Ward: Tweeddale West

Traditional County: Peeblesshire

Description

The monument is a round cairn, a funerary monument dating from the early Bronze Age. The cairn was originally scheduled in 1968, but the area covered by the designation was not properly defined. The current rescheduling rectifies this.

The cairn sits at 465m on the summit of Whaup Law, where it would have commanded extensive views of the surrounding countryside. It is circular, roughly 12m in diameter and stands up to 0.75m high. A modern marker cairn has been built on its summit, presumably with stones from the original cairn.

The area to be scheduled is a circle 35m in diameter centred on the cairn, as shown in red on the attached map.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance for its ability to enhance our understanding of prehistoric ritual and funerary practices. The cairn appears not to have been greatly disturbed and may therefore preserve any original funerary or associated deposits intact. It may also seal a contemporary ground surface, preserving evidence for local environmental conditions at the time of construction.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

The monument is RCAHMS number NT 24 NW 2.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Other nearby scheduled monuments

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