Description

The monument comprises a cairn of prehistoric date, visible as a grass-covered mound, and nearby building remains of later date.

The monument lies on the edge of a terrace, in rough grassland at around 220m OD. The cairn measures about 14m in diameter and between 0.3m and 0.5m in height. The upper edge of an upright slab measuring about 1m in length is visible at the centre of the cairn, indicating the possible presence of a cist. Cairns of this type date to the Neolithic and Bronze Age, and were used as funerary structures. The cist at the centre of the cairn is a slab-lined grave.

Immediately to the N of the cairn are the grass-covered wall footings of two rectangular buildings. The northerly of the two measures about 12m NNE-SSW by about 6m transversely. The southerly measures about 14m NNE-SSW by about 6m transversely. Both buildings have an entrance at the N end and a wall extending from the NW corner, running diagonally across the entrance for a distance of about 6m. These buildings are probably of pre-improvement date.

The area proposed for scheduling comprises the remains described and an area around them within which related material may be expected to be found. It is sub-rectangular with a rounded SSW end, measuring a maximum of 80m NNE-SSW by 40m WNW-ESE. The rounded end forms half of a circle with a diameter of 40m. The area proposed for scheduling is marked in red on the accompanying map extract.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance because of its potential to contribute to our understanding of prehistoric funerary and ritual practices, and to our understanding of rural life and economy very much later, prior to the agricultural improvement movement.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as NT 12 NW 44.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland