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 the remains of two round cairns of Bronze Age date,
situated on level ground on the right bank of the Whitton Burn. The monument
is contained within two separate areas of protection. The round cairns are
part of a larger grouping of cairns, cup marked rocks, a standing stone and
a medieval sheep farm which are the subjects of separate schedulings.
The most southerly of the two cairns measures 11m in diameter and stands to a
maximum height of 13m. At the centre of the cairn there is a large hollow, the
remains of partial excavation during the 19th century. The second, and most
northerly cairn, which lies 22m NNE of the first, is 9.5m in diameter and
stands to a maximum height of 1m. Several large stones set into the perimeter
of the cairn are interpreted as the remains of a retaining circle.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
32725
Legacy System:
RSM
End of official list entry
