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

Summary

A cairn evident as a turf-covered mound.

Type and Period (4)

Protected Status

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.

A rapid coastal zone assessment survey was conducted by GUARD in the Autumn of 1997 commissioned by Historic Scotland from the Viking and Early Settlement Archaeological Research Project based at the University of Glasgow.

This site is generally as described in the NMRS after site visits by OS (RL) in 1971 and again in 1978 (JB). However, a number of additional points were noted. The possible satellite cairn noted by Horsburgh in 1870 but dismissed by OS may be at the west of the main cairn where a low, 0.35 m high, mound was noted by this survey. This mound measures 3 m by 4 m and is turf-clad with occasional stones apparent in the fabric. A turf bank was also noted which half encircles the area around both the large cairn and the smaller mound noted above. This mound follows the line of the shore to the WSW. There is also a short, fainter turf bank running E-W just beyond where the first bank stops. The circular bank/enclosure noted in the NMRS is very faint and is cut by the car park on its south side but peters out before reaching the car park on its north side. The main cairn is severely disturbed on the south, east and NE sides, There is also a small, irregular mound on top of this main one which measures 4 m by 2.5 m. The creation of the car park caused a great deal of damage and its continued use is exacerbating this problem. The apparent presence of a metal artefact may support the idea that this was a prehistoric cairn, re¬used in the Viking period. <2>

NGR adjusted based on 2023 vertical aerial photographs. <3>

Sources/Archives (3)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NC 3843 6566 (25m by 25m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NC36NE
Geographical Area	SUTHERLAND
Civil Parish	DURNESS

Finds (2)

Related Monuments/Buildings (2)

Related Investigations/Events (1)

External Links (2)