MHG935 - Chambered Cairn, Westfield
Summary
No summary available.
Type and Period (1)
- CHAMBERED CAIRN (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2401 BC)
Protected Status
Full Description
Mound (NR) OS 6"map, Caithness, 2nd ed., (1907)
The possible chambered cairn at Westfield is c36ft in diameter and 3ft 6ins high; a large slab protrudes from the centre.
A S Henshall 1963; RCAHMS 1911.
This grass-covered cairn measures 23m NE-SW by 19m transversely, and is 1.7m high. Several large stones are evident in top, but there is no conclusive evidence of a chamber.
Resurveyed at 1:2500. Visited by OS (RD) 2 November 1964.
(ND 0572 6357) Cairn (NR) OS 1:10,000 map, (1975)
A cairn, as described by previous OS field investigator, left free from ploughing at edge of a field. The stone in centre (noted by Miss Henshall) is unlike slabs commonly found in cairn chambers, and it has probably been dumped here from adjoining field. There is no evidence for a chamber.
Visited by OS (N K B) 18 September 1981.
This chambered cairn occupies a small rise at side of a flat field at 50m OD. When visited 1910 cairn, then at edge of a grass park, had a diameter of c11m and was about 1m high (supra). In recent years field has been ploughed but an area around the cairn and extending to adjacent field has been left rough and has probably been augmented by field-gathered stones. Thus it is now very difficult to trace edge of cairn. On E side two substantial partly exposed horizontal stones may indicate its limit, and an indefinite edge may be seen on NW side, but elsewhere it merges into the rough ground. The height of cairn is c1.5m. The indications suggest a diameter of approx 12m. The tops of three orthostats are exposed in centre of cairn. They have intact upper edges, and N stone is a waterworn block somewhat taller than other two. The sizes and disposition of orthostats suggest they may be the portal stone, a side-slab and back-slab of a polygonal chamber, probably entered from E. The stones are 0.75 and 1.35m apart. They are 0.35, 0.75 and 1.25m long by 0.15, 0.4 and 0.25m thick. E and W stones project only 0.15m, but taller N stone is exposed for 0.55m on its N side where the cairn material is lower.
Visited 25 September 1987.J L Davidson and A S Henshall 1991.
Sources/Archives (3)
- --- SHG2115 Text/Publication/Volume: Davidson, JL and Henshall, A S. 1991. The chambered cairns of Caithness: an inventory of the structures and their contents. 156.
- --- SHG2664 Text/Report: RCAHMS. 1911. The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments and Constructions of Scotland. Third report and inventory of monuments and constructions in the county of Caithness. . 40, No. 139.
- --- SHG357 Text/Publication/Monograph: Henshall, A S. 1963. The chambered tombs of Scotland, Volume 1. 303, CAT 67.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred ND 0571 6357 (80m by 80m) (2 map features) |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | ND06SE |
| Civil Parish | HALKIRK |
| Geographical Area | CAITHNESS |
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Investigations/Events (0)
External Links (2)
- http://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/SM471 (Online designation description (Historic Environment Scotland))
- https://canmore.org.uk/site/7910 (View RCAHMS Canmore entry for this site)
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