Scheduled Monument
Chambered cairn, 325m ENE of WoodheadSM4566
Status: Designated
Documents
Where documents include maps, the use of this data is subject to terms and conditions (https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/termsandconditions).
The legal document available for download below constitutes the formal designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The additional details provided on this page are provided for information purposes only and do not form part of the designation. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within this additional information.
Summary
- Date Added
- 30/09/1988
- Last Date Amended
- 04/11/2024
- Type
- Prehistoric ritual and funerary: chambered cairn
- Local Authority
- Highland
- Parish
- Resolis
- NGR
- NH 65078 61018
- Coordinates
- 265078, 861018
Description
The monument comprises the remains of a chambered cairn, a form of burial monument dating to the Neolithic (around 4000BC - 2500BC). It is visible as a vegetation covered stony mound, measuring about 36m from northeast to southwest by about 22m and standing to a maximum height of 1.8m. The monument is situated on a hillslope overlooking the Cromarty Firth, at about 70m above sea level.
The remains of a rectangular chamber and entrance passage survive on the north of the cairn. Three large stone slabs define a chamber measuring at least 3.7m from northeast to southwest by about 1.7m. A large lintel stone and vertical slab, forming part of the entrance passageway, are visible about three metres northeast of the chamber.
The scheduled area is rectangular, measuring 55m from northeast to southwest by 38m. It includes the remains described above and an area around within which evidence relating to the monument's construction, use and abandonment is expected to survive, as shown in red on the accompanying map. The scheduled area runs up to but does not include the post and wire fence on the east and excludes the above ground elements of the post and wire fence on the north, west and south to allow for its maintenance.
Statement of National Importance
The monument is of national importance as it makes a significant contribution to our understanding or appreciation of the past as a well-preserved chambered cairn. It adds to our understanding of design and construction of burial monuments, the nature of burial and ritual practices and their significance in Neolithic society. It is an impressive monument which retains its field characteristics and can be compared with other chambered cairns that survive in the vicinity.As such it can enhance our understanding of Neolithic society and economy, as well as the nature of belief systems, burial and ceremonial practices. It would have been an important component of the wider prehistoric landscape of settlement, agriculture and ritual and would have been a prominent part of the prehistoric landscape. Chambered cairns are one of our main sources of information for the Neolithic in Scotland and so are an important element in our understanding of the nature of Scotland's prehistoric society and landscape.
References
Bibliography
No Bibliography entries for this designation
About Scheduled Monuments
Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.
We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.
Scheduling is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for monuments and archaeological sites of national importance as set out in the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.
We schedule sites and monuments that are found to be of national importance using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)
Scheduled monument records provide an indication of the national importance of the
scheduled monument which has been identified by the description and map. The description and map (see ‘legal documents’ above) showing the scheduled area is the designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The statement of national importance and additional information provided are supplementary and provided for general information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within the statement of national importance or additional information. These records are not definitive historical or archaeological accounts or a complete description of the monument(s).
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