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 includes a cairn and a small outlying standing stone of Bronze
Age date situated on the top of a hill with extensive views in all directions.
The cairn has undergone partial excavation in the past but extensive deposits
survive undisturbed. The cairn, constructed of large stones and boulders,
measures 18m in diameter and survives to a maximum height of 1m. At the
approximate centre of the cairn there is a large cist measuring 1.7m long by
0.9m wide by 0.7m deep; it has been opened but survives well and the
coverstone has been replaced. A large hole to the south-east of the cist, the
possible remains of a second burial, has been roughly infilled with large
stones and rubble. Traces of a retaining circle of stones are visible on the
western side of the cairn, but this survives less well above ground on the
other sides. There are no traces of a surrounding ditch. Ten metres to the
north of the cist, and just outside the cairn, there is a small outlying
standing stone 0.5m high.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
20891
Legacy System:
RSM
End of official list entry
