Monument record MHG1004 - Kerb Cairn, Gray Cairn

Summary

No summary available.

Location

Grid reference Centred ND 0080 6336 (80m by 80m) (Buffered by site type)
Map sheet ND06SW
Old County CAITHNESS
Civil Parish REAY
Geographical Area CAITHNESS

Map

Type and Period (1)

Full Description

Gray Cairn (NR) OS 6"map, Caithness, 2nd ed., (1907)

The Gray Cairn, a large heap of stones, has every appearance of a Pict's house, but was collected by shepherds. (Another entry, however, states that only sheep shelter on the top was the work of the shepherds, and that "part of the building was still visible".)
Name Book 1873.

The Gray Cairn has been almost completely demolished.
RCAHMS 1911.

The Gray Cairn measures 16m diameter and 2m high. Virtually no trace can be seen of the sheep shelter built on top of it.
Revised at 1:2500. Visited by OS (R D) 20 November 1964.

The Gray Cairn is generally as described by previous field investigator. Although standing to 2m high, much of the cairn has been removed, particularly in S where the cairn material is only 0.3m high. This robbing probably took place in recent times. One or two set stones in the S arc may be part of a kerb.
Visited by OS (J B) 29 September 1981.

Sources/Archives (2)

  • --- 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. . 104, No. 380.
  • --- Text/Publication/Volume: Name Book (County). Object Name Books of the Ordnance Survey. Book No. 9, 71.

Finds (0)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (0)

Record last edited

Jan 28 2008 12:00AM

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