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MHG13033 - Chambered Cairn - Cnoc Breac

Summary

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Type and Period (1)

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Full Description

NC21SW 16 218 114.

NC 218 114. A possible small chambered cairn with an entrance passage and chamber visible.
Information contained in letter from R le N Noble to J Close-Brooks, 10 December 1979.

This feature was not located despite a thorough search of the general area of the map reference.
Visited by OS (J M) 11 August 1980.

A visitor to the HER website submitted photographs of a possible candidate for this 'lost' cairn. From the photographs it is not clear whether any entrance passage and/or chamber are visible. The site is on very steep W facing slopes, and there are a lot of natural mounds and morraine across the slopes above Elphin. <1> <2> <3>

This feature may be what has also been described as a hut circle at NGR 222192 911156 (see MHG57264).

Historic Assynt comment on a cairn recorded as MHG 13033 at NC 218 114 in Elphin, Assynt.

The original record referred to in the HER came from J Close-Brooks referring to a letter from Robin Noble dated 10 December 1979. No one else has ever found the site. We wonder if there has been some mix up with the record he made of a cairn at NC 220 104 (MHG13035) subsequently recognised as a kiln. Thirty years later a much more experienced Robin acknowledged that he had got that one wrong!

We note;
• similar site descriptions as reported by J Close-Brooks
• both records were said to have come from the same letter
• grid references which are sufficiently close to suggest errors in transmission (218 114 and 220 104)
• discrepancies between Robin's 1979 estimates and later surveyor records (see MHG13034). <4>

Note; without further evidence/documentaion, it is not possible to verify the location of this site. (TB 14/3/15)

Sources/Archives (4)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NC 2179 1140 (80m by 80m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NC21SW
Geographical Area	SUTHERLAND
Civil Parish	ASSYNT

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