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MHG13047 - Chambered cairn - Loch Borrolan

Summary

A chambered cairn to the east of Loch Borrolan.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

A chambered cairn to the east of Loch Borrolan.

(NC 265 111) Cairn, Loch Borralan: Abot 400 yds NNW oHLP no 1, p. 66f Aultnacealgach Hotel on side of hill, and about 100' above Loch Borralan, is a circular cairn c. 50' in diameter and from 5' - 6' high. There is an irregular depression on top, and some large stones have been displaced, but no chamber or cist has been revealed. The cairn has been broken into for a short distance on E side. RCAHMS 1911. <1>

A well-preserved cairn measuring 15m E-W x 17m N-S x 1.5m high. The existence of a chamber and passage is suggested by depressions probably caused by collapse of roofing stones, and there are several significantly large stones on top of cairn.
Visited by OS (G H P) 2 June 1962.

(NC 2655 1104) Cairn (NR) OS 6"map, (1966)

Generally as described by RCAHMS. Despite disturbances on top and in E, there is no sign of a chamber, though size of mound and its proximity to other chambered cairns suggest that it too may be chambered. Visited by OS (J M) 9 July 1974.

No change.
Revised at 1:10,000. Visited by OS (N K B) 2 September 1980.

Surveyed by the Assynt's Hidden Lives project in November 2009. Recorded as well preserved in places. This cairn is situated next to a stream in a hollow leading down to Loch Borralan, on a steepish, undulating slope. The site comprises a stone mound measuring 17m by 15m aligned N/S with a height of between 1.5 and 2m. Much of the top and outside of the cairn is moss and heather covered, similar to the surrounding terrain. The cairn consists of a stone pile within which a central chamber made up of sub-angular stones (ave. 30-40cm long) is visible. The stones are be mostly gathered although some larger (over 1m long) stones appear to be quarried/shaped. The probable entrance on the south side comprises two wall faces, four courses high, creating a passage 1.5m wide which leads to a rubble filled chamber measuring 3m by 1.8m internally. The wall faces of the passage may not be original, and seem indicative of the secondary reuse of the site. <2>

The cairn was assessed by Historic Environment Scotland in 2018 as part of their Assynt 2018 Scheduling Enhancement Project. The assessment against criteria demonstrated that the monument was of national importance. The decision was to add the site to the Schedule. The addition to the schedule came into effect on 17/09/2018. <3>

GIS spatial data amended in 2019 according to location of site as seen on 2009 vertical APs. <4>

Sources/Archives (5)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NC 2652 1103 (22m by 22m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NC21SE
Geographical Area	SUTHERLAND
Civil Parish	ASSYNT

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Related Investigations/Events (1)

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