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MHG33464 - Kerb Cairn - Eyre Point

Summary

A well defined kerb cairn in an area of many other possible cairns.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

To the SW of cairn MHG4107 are a further six cairns, three of which are kerbed, and one of which shows a central capstone. <1>

Eyre point has the potential for being a significant funerary site probably spanning several millennia. The prominent remains of a chambered chairn (MHG4107) has been known for many years. In 1998 R.Miket reported a further six small cairns close by and the contributors reported a chambered cairn at Pairc nan Each (MHG35620), overlooking Eyre last year (DES 1999, 59).
In Feburary and April 2000 the area was looked at in detail and at least 17 cairns are now thought to be present, mostly round and many with stone kerbs. All are quite small with diameters varying from 3.0m to 7,0m, but significantly several are rectangular, almost square in plan. A further very disturbed patch of land, closer to the sea, some 35m long by 15m wide may contain 5 small kerbed cairns, two rectangular cairns, an unidentified mound ands several possible boat burials. A preliminary list of features at Eyre includes 2 chambered cairns, 3 round cairns, 8 kerbed cairns, 4 rectangular cairns, 3 boat burials , 1 unidentified mound, together with a probable fishermans bothy and some small shallow pits. <2>

The cairns at Eyre point were intended to be surveyed by ACFA, however access to the croft land containing Eyre point was refused. Instead, a combination of previous notes and observations from the strand between the sea and the raised beach were drawn together, and the results of which were published in 2004. A well defined kerb cairn was identified, characterised by an edging of continuous stone lay 33m across a grassy track from MHG39180. A single 0.95m long low stone lies on its side in the SW quadrant, while the other kerbstones are fairly uniform, c.0.5m high and upright. The interior of the cairn is 0.4m high and slightly concave in center with grass, heather and bracken cover. An encircling bank 0.4m wide, shows as a low rise in the grass and can be traced all around except in the north where it has been lost to the track way to the lighthouse. <3>

Sources/Archives (3)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NG 5795 3418 (9m by 7m) Indicative centroid
Map sheet	NG53SE
Geographical Area	SKYE AND LOCHALSH
Civil Parish	PORTREE

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Investigations/Events (1)

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