Reasons for Designation
Round cairns are prehistoric funerary monuments dating to the Bronze Age (c.2000-700 BC). They were constructed as stone mounds covering single or multiple burials. These burials may be placed within the mound in stone-lined compartments called cists. In some cases the cairn was surrounded by a ditch. Often occupying prominent locations, cairns are a major visual element in the modern landscape. They are a relatively common feature of the uplands and are the stone equivalent of the earthen round barrows of the lowlands. Their considerable variation in form and longevity as a monument type provide important information on the diversity of beliefs and social organisation amongst early prehistoric communities. They are particularly representative of their period.
Details
The monument includes a round cairn and kerbed cairn, situated on the summit of a prominent hill called Crowan Beacon. The northern round cairn incorporates a natural rock outcrop and survives as a circular stony mound measuring approximately 30m in diameter and up to 3m high. An Ordnance Survey triangulation pillar has been erected on the cairn. This is excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath is included.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
CO 975
Legacy System:
RSM - OCN
End of official list entry
