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Giants' Graves, long cairns, Whiting Bay, Arran

A Scheduled Monument in Ardrossan and Arran, North Ayrshire

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Coordinates

Latitude: 55.4765 / 55°28'35"N

Longitude: -5.0979 / 5°5'52"W

OS Eastings: 204311

OS Northings: 624663

OS Grid: NS043246

Mapcode National: GBR FGS7.HM0

Mapcode Global: WH1NB.NLMZ

Entry Name: Giants' Graves, long cairns, Whiting Bay, Arran

Scheduled Date: 29 July 1953

Last Amended: 31 August 1993

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Source ID: SM398

Schedule Class: Cultural

Category: Prehistoric ritual and funerary: chambered cairn

Location: Kilbride

County: North Ayrshire

Electoral Ward: Ardrossan and Arran

Traditional County: Buteshire

Description

The monument comprises two chambered Clyde type long cairns of the neolithic period, some 4500 to 5500 years old. The northern cairn measures about 20m wide and 35m long (N-S), and is a maximum of 1.5m high. There is a large, well preserved chamber at the S end. There is a smaller chamber within the N end. This cairn was scheduled in 1953. Some 20m to the S lies the other cairn, which measures c 13m long (WNW-ESE) by 11m wide. A single chamber survives at the E end. Both cairns have been excavated to a limited extent but remain largely unexplored. The area to be scheduled, superseding the 1953 scheduled area, measures a maximum of 90m NNW-SSE by 50m transversely.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance because it represents the remains of two well preserved and substantial monuments which have the potential to provide information about Neolithic burial and ritual practices.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

The monument is RCAHMS number NS 02 SW 2.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Other nearby scheduled monuments

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