Monument record MHG8825 - Urns & Cists, Balnabruaich

NH76NE 13 7945 6987.
Two "clay vases" were found by Andrew Vass (3 Park Street, Balintore), when digging trench 1945 to lay a water main; site was described as being "on the lower road from Pitcalnie, in the bank of a white cottage on edge of the wood W of Nigg House."
The "clay vases" were 6" - 8" high in Mr Vass's recollection, but he could not remember the shape very well, though they had a design of faint scratch marks. Nothing was inside except sand. They were handed over to Mr Ross of Cromarty, Clerk of Works, who proposed to send them to Edinburgh.
Mr Vass is said to be able to indicate the exact find spot.
Info from J Howdle to OS, 30 August 1961.

Andrew Vass is deceased, but according to Mr MacLeod (15 Bank St, Balintore) who worked on water main, urns were found at NH 7945 6987, "a few feet to W of gable of the white cottage." He also endorses info given by Mr Fraser (Balnabruaich, Nigg) who recalls a cist being found c50 years ago immediately under W gable of same cottage. Mr Fraser stated that 4 other cists were opened about same time, at short intervals to E in vicinity of a hollow known as Poll na Marie. All the cists were re-buried and are presumably still in situ, though no trace of them can be seen.
Visited by OS (A A) 20 September 1972.