MHG1152 - Chambered Cairn, Buoldhu
Summary
A burial cairn, probably chambered.
Type and Period (1)
- CHAMBERED CAIRN (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2401 BC)
Protected Status
Full Description
A possibly chambered cairn of uncertain type. The last grass-grown remnants of a cairn 48ft in diameter, crossed by a modern sheep shelter, lie on the hillside just under 1/4 mile NW of the cairn of Houstry (ND13SE 1). Various large slabs protrude through the turf. The two longest slabs on S side of the wall are 1ft high above the present ground level, while the two at right angles to the wall and the slab to the N of them are 2ft high. The number and size of the slabs indicate that the cairn has probably covered a chamber or chambers, but at present the plan is uncertain.
A S Henshall 1963. <1>
A chambered cairn at ND 1501 3337, as described by Henshall.
Surveyed at 1:2500. Visited by OS (BN K B) 11 March 1968.
Chambered Cairn (NR) OS 1:10,000 map, (1979)
No change. Visited by OS (JM) 19 October 1982.
This enigmatic structure is not now considered to be a chambered cairn.J L Davidson and A S Henshall 1991. <2>
Although the stone structure at the heart of this low stony mound has been discounted as the remains of a chamber by Davidson and Henshall (1991), it is difficult to see what else it may have been. The slabs are slighter than might have been expected of a chambered tomb, but they evidently outline more than the remains of a cist. Furthermore, there is little doubt that the stony mound is the remains of a cairn measuring about 16m in diameter. The position of the cairn was resurveyed for the OS 1:2500 revision programme.
Visited by RCAHMS (SH) August 1997
This site was visited during a walkover survey in July 2009 and found to be as described. The sheep shelter/fold stands to a height of 1.3m and is 14m in length. A large upright stone on the north side of the wall may be part of the chamber. <3>
Sources/Archives (4)
- --- SHG25810 Image/Photograph(s): Puls, A. 2007. Cairns - Houstry Road. Colour digital.
- <1> SHG357 Text/Publication/Monograph: Henshall, A S. 1963. The chambered tombs of Scotland, Volume 1. 260, No. 10; plan.
- <2> SHG2115 Text/Publication/Volume: Davidson, JL and Henshall, A S. 1991. The chambered cairns of Caithness: an inventory of the structures and their contents. 94, no. CAT 10.
- <3> SHG24446 Text/Report/Fieldwork Report: Farrell, S. 07/2009. Report of Archaeological Desktop & Walkover Survey, Knockinnon, Houstry. Unaffiliated. Digital. Site 1.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred ND 1501 3336 (15m by 14m) (2 map features) |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | ND13SE |
| Civil Parish | LATHERON |
| Geographical Area | CAITHNESS |
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Investigations/Events (1)
External Links (2)
- http://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/SM5224 (Online designation description (Historic Environment Scotland))
- https://canmore.org.uk/site/8142 (View RCAHMS Canmore entry for this site)
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