Description

The monument consists of the remains of a prehistoric chambered burial cairn, on low ground at the NE foot of Craonaval. The cairn has been disturbed, and has shielings built into it on the NW side. The original diameter varies from 14 to 17m. The entrance passage has been from the SSE, and 5 upright stones flanking a very large oval chamber protrude through the mound.

This cairn is one of a large local group on and around the low hill, Craonaval. The area to be scheduled is circular, 40m in diameter and centred on the chamber of the cairn, to include both the cairn and the adjacent shielings, as marked in red on the accompanying map.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance as one of a group of cairns, standing stones and stone circles in North Uist which represents an unusual concentration of prehistoric ritual sites, paralleled in the Western Isles only around Callanish. Although the chamber has been robbed, important evidence may survive, below the cairn, about its construction and use, and there is proven evidence of late Iron Age or later occupation (in the form of artefacts) from the shielings adjacent.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as NF 86 SW 11.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland