Monument record MHG3022 - Allanfearn

NH74NW 5 7162 4761.

(NH 7162 4761) Stone Circle (NR) (Remains of)
OS 6"map, Inverness-shire, 2nd ed., (1907)

The remains of this chambered cairn consisted, in 1879, of "twenty-five stones of which, however, only seven appear to be in their natural position" (ISSFC 1885). Today it is almost entirely destroyed, the main feature being a standing stone 5ft 6ins high, 4ft wide by 2ft 9ins to 3ft thick at the base. Round it are grouped a number of large boulders, all of which appear to have been moved.
This may be the site described by Anderson (1831) consisting of thirty upright stones in two rows (see NH74NW 11)
G Anderson 1831; J Fraser 1884; ISSFC 1885; A S Henshall 1963.

The remains of the cairn are as described above. The stones are grouped together on a low mound c.8.0m in diameter.
Visited by OS (E G C) 25 April 1962.

Douglas Scott submitted information about this site in April 2011: The remains of this passage cairn lie on a mound about 3km east of Inverness just to the north of the main road to Nairn. Some of the stones forming the passage and oval shaped east-west aligned chamber have fallen, while the highest chamber stone is about 1.75m tall. The two portal stones have fallen to the south with the northern stone partially blocking the passage entrance. From the eastern end of the chamber the passage is aligned to the northeast to where the sun will rise in early May and August. Azi. 60°, Alt.0°.40. Decl. + 16°. <1>

Douglas Scott posted photographs of this cairn on the Highland HER Facebook page in May 2011. These show the sun rising in line with the passage of the cairn on 4 May 2011. He notes that this will happen about 45 days before and after midsummer. These times were later celebrated as the Gaelic festivals of Beltain and Lughnasa. <2>