Monument record MHG40633 - Burial, Chambered cairn, Shean
Summary
No summary available.
Location
| Grid reference | Centred ND 1741 6260 (6m by 6m) (Buffered by site type) |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | ND16SE |
| Old County | CAITHNESS |
| Civil Parish | THURSO |
| Geographical Area | CAITHNESS |
Map
Type and Period (1)
Full Description
ND16SE 1 1742 6260.
Mound (NR) OS 6" map, Caithness, 2nd ed., (1907)
The site is now protected Collectively as a Scheduled Monument of National Importance under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act (1979) September 13 th 2005
DEH(23/01/06)
Shean, Stemster: This is turf-covered and mutilated remains of a long cairn. The main axis is SSE-NNW, former end rising into a circular mound with height of c8ft, but rest of cairn has been greatly disturbed and tails away to a height of only about 1ft.
The length is now 149ft, but SSE end has been cut off square and somewhat curtailed by construction of a large cistern immediately in front of it. NNW end may also have been reduced by track which passes behind site. The width at SSE end is 73ft & at NNW end, 33ft.
RCAHMS identified this site with that excavated by Tress Barry in 1904, although this is not certain. In RCAHMS report of excavation, mention is made of an inhumation in chamber, and in debris near top of cairn, another, apparently secondary unburnt interment, accompanied by pieces of an urn, now lost.
RCAHMS 1911; A S Henshall 1963
A long cairn, as described by Henshall (1963). No trace of a chamber can now be seen. A stone projects through the turf at the SE end, and another larger stone lies at the NW side of the cairn.
Resurveyed at 1:2500. Visited by OS (R D) 10 November 1965
(ND 1742 6260) Long Cairn (NR) OS 6" map, (1970)
No change. Visited by OS (J M) 28 October 1981
Long cairn, 'Sithean'. Length: 51m. Long mound whose SW wider end is formed by a circular mound 15m in diameter and 2m high containing two hollows. Many depressions exist at narrower end. Orientation SW-NE.
R J Mercer, NMRS MS/828/19, 1995
Visited by C Dagg 19/11/00 as part of Archaeological assessment of proposed water mains route. Visible as grass covered mound N of Stemster reservoir compound. Orginally long cairn but reduced in size by construction of reservoir and track running alongside. Report no. 170.
HA 18/01/01
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. 132-4, no. 46; plan.
- --- 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. . 4, No. 9.
- --- SHG357 Text/Publication/Monograph: Henshall, A S. 1963. The chambered tombs of Scotland, Volume 1. 286, CAT 46.
Finds (0)
Protected Status/Designation
- None recorded
Related Monuments/Buildings (1)
Related Events/Activities (0)
Record last edited
Apr 4 2008 2:41PM
