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 and a substantial proportion of surviving examples are considered
worthy of protection.
Details
The monument is a round cairn located 630m ENE of Sunbiggin Farm, on the edge
of a promontory of high ground projecting south from the limestone upland
known as Little Kinmond. It includes a partly turf-covered mound of limestone
rubble 17.5m in diameter and up to 2m high. At the cairn's centre is an
irregular hollow 0.5m deep containing the remains of a stone cist investigated
during the 19th century. The remains of three burials were found either in the
cist or in close proximity to it, together with a stone artefact, bones of ox
and goat and a portion of deer antler.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
23619
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals Other
Legal
This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
End of official list entry
