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Latitude: 58.6753 / 58°40'30"N
Longitude: -3.1081 / 3°6'29"W
OS Eastings: 335838
OS Northings: 976915
OS Grid: ND358769
Mapcode National: GBR L5PS.WFM
Mapcode Global: WH6CH.766S
Entry Name: Cairn Hill, burnt mound near head of Castle Geo, Stroma
Scheduled Date: 9 October 2001
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
Source ID: SM9765
Schedule Class: Cultural
Category: Prehistoric domestic and defensive: burnt mound
Location: Canisbay
County: Highland
Electoral Ward: Wick and East Caithness
Traditional County: Caithness
The monument comprises a burnt mound, a cooking place and possibly settlement site of prehistoric date.
The mound is located near the head of Castle Geo. It comprises a double-peaked mound made of small burnt stones, and has a typical kidney-shaped plan. It measures about 12m by 9m overall and stands up to 1.2m tall.
Excavation of similar mounds in Orkney has shown them to be composed of discarded stones used in heating water for domestic purposes. Where dated, these mounds tend to be of the early to middle Bronze Age (c. 2000 to c. 1000 BC) and are often associated with contemporary dwellings.
The area to be scheduled is a circle 40m across to include the visible mound and an area around it in which evidence relating to its use and accumulation is likely to survive. The area is marked in red on the accompanying map extract.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
The monument is of national importance as a good and relatively undisturbed example of a burnt mound of probable Bronze Age date. As such, it has the potential to provide evidence about prehistoric technology and domestic economy.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
Bibliography
RCAHMS records the monument as ND 37 NE 1.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
Other nearby scheduled monuments