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MHG8159 - Cairn with finds - c 0.5 mile N of Dalnavie, Stittenham

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Full Description

Cairn (remains of) marked on 1st ed OS - HAW 5/2004

Report by Roderick Maclean, factor on the Ardross Estate: STITTENHAM About half a mile north of Dalnavie a large cairn was removed in 1847-48 It was 108 feet diameter and 20 feet high. In September 1880 a search was made for the cist when a very interesting discovery was made. Having been engaged in the search I am in a position to give a correct description of it. A grave was dug in hard boulder clay 12 feet long 7 feet 9 inches wide and 8 feet deep rounded at the corners. The whole of the bottom was covered with a layer of flags on which was formed a cist of thick flags 8 feet long 24 feet broad and 2 feet deep. The covers were large - one weighing about half a ton. Around and above the cist was filled with stones to a height of about 5 feet from the bottom. From the stones to the natural surface of the ground was filled with a portion, the clay turned out. Over this and extending about 6 feet beyond the cutting all round was a layer of tenaceous blue clay in the form of a low mound 2 feet thick in the centre and over the blue clay a layer of black earth 18 inches thick. From the form of the cist it is clear that the body was laid at full length in it. The body was wholly decomposed only a small quantity of carbonate of lime and black animal matter remained adhering to the bottom flags. A few crumbs of decayed oak having been found at the head and foot of the cist suggests that the body was encased in a coffin. The only relics found were three beautifully formed arrow heads and a thin circular piece of shale about two inches diameter apparently a personal ornament. About 150 yards south west of this cairn the workmen employed at trenching the moor in 1847 found what was evidently a smelting furnace and among the debris turned out two beautifully formed sets of moulds for casting bronze spear heads. They are preserved in a cabinet in Ardross Castle. The material is steatite of which a vein exists in the banks of a burn flowing by the Ardross Estates Office. <1>

A second description of the site was subsequently provided by R Maclean as part of the full report on a meeting of the Northern Scientific Societies at Banff in 1890. This was then published as an extract in the Transactions of the Inverness Scientific Society and Field Club. While most of the details agree with his original description, some do not (especially the presumed original size of the cairn) and additional detail is provided: "Till 1847 this cairn was entire. It was in that year removed for dyke building and draining. Only a few large stones remain in the circumference, which show its diameter to have been about 60 feet, and it was about 18 feet high in the centre. In 1882 the grave was dug into. A hole was dug north-west and south-east in its larger axis, in hard boulder clay, 16 feet long, 8 feet broad, and 8 feet deep, rounded at both ends. A layer of thin flags was laid in the bottom, and in the centre a cist formed 8 feet long, 24 feet broad, and 2 feet deep, by placing thick flags on edge, and covered by large flags. Around and above the flags it was covered with stones—large and small, to a depth of 4 feet from the bottom. Above these, to the natural surface of the ground, was filled in with part of the boulder clay dug out, apparently well beat in. Over the boulder clay was a layer of tenacious blue clay, taken from the shore of a neighbouring loch, 2 feet thick in the centre, sloping down to about 6 inches thick at the margin of the cutting, and passing beyond it about a foot, evidently to prevent the access of water into the grave. Above the blue clay was a layer of black earth evidently to prevent the stones of the cairn from injuring the surface of the blue clay. In removing the stones a few pieces of charcoal were found. When the covers of the cist were removed, the body was found to be wholly decomposed. It was laid at full length, as indicated by a thin layer of black matter, 7 feet long and 2 feet broad on the bottom flags. Near the north end three beautifully formed flint arrow heads were found and nothing more." <2>

All that remains of this cairn is a small mutilated mound of earth and stones 0.9m high situated almost in the centre of a circular area of ground c.42m diameter, containing the stumps of cut-down fir trees and a scatter of stones. The small mound is 13m diameter with a circular depression c.6m diameter in its centre. It is not now possible to determine the original diameter of the cairn.
Revised at 1:2500. Visited by OS (WDJ) 8 May 1963.

What may be its remains are situated 400m ESE of Stittenham House. See also NH67SE 37. <3>

Sources/Archives (3)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 6535 7413 (46m by 47m)
Map sheet	NH67SE
Geographical Area	ROSS AND CROMARTY
Civil Parish	ROSSKEEN

Finds (3)

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

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