This site is entirely user-supported. See how you can help.
We don't have any photos of this monument yet. Why don't you be the first to send us one?
If Google Street View is available, the image is from the best available vantage point looking, if possible, towards the location of the monument. Where it is not available, the satellite view is shown instead.
Latitude: 58.5232 / 58°31'23"N
Longitude: -3.3012 / 3°18'4"W
OS Eastings: 324314
OS Northings: 960180
OS Grid: ND243601
Mapcode National: GBR L666.BJ6
Mapcode Global: WH6D5.818D
Entry Name: Cairn of Heathercow, long cairn, Brabster Moss
Scheduled Date: 17 March 1934
Last Amended: 21 March 2007
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
Source ID: SM434
Schedule Class: Cultural
Category: Prehistoric ritual and funerary: long cairn
Location: Bower
County: Highland
Electoral Ward: Thurso and Northwest Caithness
Traditional County: Caithness
The monument comprises an Orkney-Cromarty-type long cairn with a pentagonal chamber. The monument was originally scheduled in 1934, but an inadequate area was included to protect all of the archaeological remains: the present rescheduling rectifies this.
The grass-covered cairn measures c. 49m along its axis, standing 2.4m high at the NE end. The SW of the cairn has been robbed, exposing three large upright slabs which may have formed part of a second chamber. Where visible, the cairn appears to be made of irregular rounded stones.
In 1871 a 'stone coffin' containing human remains and a pot were reportedly found in the cairn. The site was investigated by Tress Barry around 1904 when a slab lined chamber located in the NE corner was excavated. The chamber was found to contain fragments of an urn and horse's teeth.
The area to be scheduled is four-sided with maximum dimensions along its long and short sides of 68m and 41m respectively, to include the long cairn and an area around in which evidence relating to its construction and use may survive, as marked in red on the accompanying map.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
The monument is of national importance as the remains of a prehistoric chambered long cairn which has the potential to provide important information on and to enhance our understanding of the funerary and ritual architecture of the Neolithic period in Scotland.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
Bibliography
The monument is recorded by RCAHMS as ND26SW2.
References:
Davidson J L and Henshall A S 1991, THE CHAMBERED CAIRNS OF CAITHNESS: AN INVENTORY OF THE STRUCTURES AND THEIR CONTENTS, Edinburgh, 95-6, No. 11.
Henshall A S 1963a, THE CHAMBERED TOMBS OF SCOTLAND, 1, Edinburgh, 260-2, CAT 11.
ORDNANCE SURVEY (NAME BOOK), Original Name Books of the Ordnance Survey, Book No. 1, 39.
OSA 1791-9, THE STATISTICAL ACCOUNT OF SCOTLAND, DRAWN UP FROM THE COMMUNICATIONS OF THE MINISTERS OF THE DIFFERENT PARISHES, Sinclair J (Sir): Edinburgh, Vol. 7, 522.
RCAHMS 1911b, THIRD REPORT AND INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS AND CONSTRUCTIONS IN THE COUNTY OF CAITHNESS, Edinburgh, HMSO, 3, No. 5.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
Other nearby scheduled monuments