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MHG12041 - Cairn and Cists - Cnoc Nan Ceannan, Keoldale, Durness

Summary

No summary available.

Type and Period (3)

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Full Description

Cairn (NR) OS 6"map, (1962)

Cnoc nan Ceannan (NAT), Human Bones and an Elliptical Cockade found here AD 1835 (NAT)
OS 6"map, Sutherland, 2nd ed., (1878)

"In one of these (cairns), called 'Cnoc na Cnamhan', i.e. the hill of bones, near Keoldale, a small brass elliptical cockade was found two years ago, and a small polished bone supposed to be used for fastening the military plaid. The tradition is that it contains the remains of those who fell in battle." NSA (W Findlater) 1841.

"A few miles from Durness, on road to Gualan House, there are two cairns. One of them was opened many years ago and I was told that the bottom of a brass candlestick was found in it; this was no doubt an elliptical Scandinavian brooch. The other was opened by Professor Worsaae, who took away a skull from a small kist that was in it. The kist was full of bones when I saw it and I took a thigh bone out . . . It was remarkably fresh. The hillock on which they were placed is called Cnoc-na-cnavan."
J Horsburgh 1870.

A cairn evident as a turf-covered mound, approximately 17m in diameter and 1.5m maximum height, quarried from N and E.
Surveyed at 1:2500.
There is no trace of the second cairn noted by Horsburgh, but immediately N of the cairn are traces of a circular enclosure some 19.0m in diameter mutilated by car parking, and in too poor a condition to classify. Visited by OS (R L) 20 July 1971.

No change Visited by OS (J B) 14 November 1978.

The site is referred to in Graham-Campbell and Batey's 1998 publication. <1>

NW SUT Local Plan, May 1987: P23/2.36.
J Aitken : 11/06/01.

Sources/Archives (1)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NC 3842 6566 (16m by 16m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NC36NE
Geographical Area	SUTHERLAND
Civil Parish	DURNESS

Finds (2)

Related Monuments/Buildings (2)

Related Investigations/Events (0)

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