Monument record MHG2150 - Burnt Mounds, Sibster Estate

On estate of Sibster, along banks of River Wick, are four conspicuous mounds. Two of them (nos III and IV), about 100 yds apart, rise as green-swarded hillocks from a swampy strath, and others are raised on elevated undulations bounding river valley. They are no more than 5ft high, and during winter and summer floods they appear as islands. One of these (no II) is described on ND35SW 3.
Within a mile of that mound is one (no I) measuring 50ft or more in diameter. It consists of black mould covering a layer of burnt matter interspersed with incinerated bone fragments. This deposit was at ground level near centre; 4ft above it, and only 1ft below top of mound, was a number of large stones in an untraceable arrangement.
Where channel of river as been deepened and straightened, mound no. III has an irregular diameter of 60 or 70ft. It is entirely composed of mould, and there was a layer of burnt earth mingled with charred wood and incinerated bones approx 4.5ft down, near the centre. Along top were two rows of large stones set on edge, 14ft apart, more than 2.5ft deep, and barely protruding through the top of mound. Several other similar stones, more or less overgrown, lay scattered, but as if originally part of the design.
Mound IV, approx 35ft in diameter, consists of earth heaped over a pile of small stones in approxi equal proportions. The stones show action of fire, and a few pieces of charcoal and traces of burnt stones occur amongst them. In the immediate vicinity of those last two is another mound (not described).
A H Rhind 1859.

From the descriptions given above, mounds numbered III and IV were located at ND 3164 5205 and ND 3152 5212 respectively.
Mound III, of irregular shape, measures overall 20m in diameter E-W by 14m transversely and 1.4m maximum height on S. The top of the mound has been excavated, leaving a large rectangular hollow 0.6m in depth, Because of its regular nature, and because there is a kiln-like feature at E end of mound, this hollow may have housed a more recent building though no trace of such a structure remains, except for odd stone here and there. N and S sides of hollow fit description of stone rows given by Rhind, but only the occasional stone now protrudes. Two big stones lie on floor of the hollow. The kiln-like feature is a mound 0.8m high, having a hollow top 3.8m in diameter and 0.4m deep.
Mound IV has virtually been destroyed; only a sub-rectangular hollow and traces of perimeter, about 11m in diameter, remain. The sides of the hollow show indications of big stones beneath the turf, suggestive of the remains of a chamber, but may only be the remains of a shieling associated with possible structure noted on mound III.
At ND 3129 5224 is possibly third mound mentioned but not described by Rhind. It is almost circular, measuring 14.3m N-S by 13m transversely and 1.2m high, with no stone exposed. W segment has been excavated, and there is a grassed-over spoil heap by riverside. Mound I could not be located. There are many amorphous mounds in Wick River valley, but none could be identified with that described by Rhind.
Surveyed at 1:2500. Visited by OS (R D L) 26 April 1963.

(A: ND 3129 5224; B: ND 3164 5205; C ND 3152 5212) Burnt Mound (NR) (three times). OS 6" map, (1968)

Rhind (1859) lists five mounds and they are identified as follows: the undescribed mound is 'A'; mound I is the cairn, 'Fairy Hillock' (ND35SW 4); mound II is site ND35SW 3; mound III is 'B'; and mound IV is 'C'. 'A' is a burnt mound. It measures 13m N-S by 12m transversely by 0.9m high, with a depression along the entire N-S axis; erosion of the turf cover reveals occasional fragments of reddened and friable stone. There are indications of an exploratory trench in E segment.
'B' is as described. There is no trace of burnt stone; only sand is exposed in animal scrapes. This is not a burnt mound.
'C' applies to a parcel of uncultivated ground, some 0.7m square, on a rise in a field; it is rough and slightly broken in appearance. There is no trace of burnt stone, and the farmer in ploughing the site has found a greater concentration of rubble stones, none of which appear burnt. This is not a burnt mound.
Revised at 1:2500. Visited by OS (J M) 28 July 1982.

ND 3164 5205: The feature labelled III by Rhind and 'B' by OS is depicted on 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Caithness 1877, sheet xxiv) as a sub-rectangular structure, but it is not shown on current edition of the OS 1;10,000 map (1994).
Information from RCAHMS (SAH) 22 January 1996

Burnt mound (ND 3129 5224), Sibster farm. Diameter: 14m. Large circular mound with hollow in the centre.
Burnt mound (ND 3152 5212), Sibster farm. Diameter 32m. Large smooth grass-covered mound 1.2m high.
Burnt mound (ND 3164 5205), Sibster farm. Diameter: 7m. Remains of a mound, almost completely destroyed.
R J Mercer, NMRS MS/828/19, 1995