caithness-1911/05_178

Transcription

INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS, ETC., IN COUNTY OF CAITHNESS. -- [Page] 99

PARISH OF REAY.

360. Cairn, Lambsdale Leans. - On the E. bank of the Torran Water,
about 1/4 m. above its influx into Loch Shurrery, is a cairn overgrown
with grass. It is slightly oblong on plan, lying with its longest axis
E. and W., and rises in height towards the latter direction. In
diameter it measures 55' from E. to W. by 41' from N. to S. Its
elevation at the E. end is trifling and at the W. 6' or thereby. It
has not been excavated.
O.S.M., CAITH., xvi. ("Mound"). Visited, 9th August 1910.

361. Chambered Cairn, Ben Freiceadain. - On the summit of Ben
Freiceadain, towards the N. end of the interior of the fort (No. 354),
is a cairn which has been dug into. The diameter over all is 50'
and the elevation 6'. One or two large slabs protruding near the
centre indicate a chambered character.
O.S.M., CAITH., xvii. ("Mound"). Visited, 9th August 1910.

362. Chambered Cairn, Shurrery. - Between the church at Shurrery
and the house of Mr William Farquhar, which stands in rear of it, is
a large cairn (pl. XXXIII.). From E. to W. it measures some 90' and
from N. to S. now about the same, but the building of the church and
the operations on the croft have probably curtailed its dimensions in
the latter direction. Its elevation is from 6' to 7'. Along the E. side
towards the N. end four large slabs stand exposed, edge on against the
cairn, with their faces parallel, and one other which has occupied a
similar position lies on its side, while continuing the direction of the
row towards the S. other three slabs are visible merely protruding from
the surface. The slabs measure from 4' to 5' in height above ground,
3' to 4' in breadth, and about 10" in thickness. If the fallen stone
was re-erected they would each stand from 4' to 5' apart. On the W.
side of the cairn two slabs similarly set, placed at 14' and 18' distant
from members of the row opposite, appear to belong to a parallel row,
This cairn is apparently of a plan not hitherto revealed by ex-
cavation, but it probably resembles in its complex character some of
the cairns of Orkney.
O.S.M., CAITH., xvi. Visited, 11th August 1910.

363. Chambered Cairn, Shurrery. - About 1/4 m. SE. of the church
are the inconsiderable remains of a large circular cairn with a
diameter of about 100', which has been recently demolished for road
metal. In the interior are still remaining a number of large upright
slabs set on their edges. The positions of these slabs indicate that
there has been a chamber of complex character, or possibly two parallel
chambers, entering from the SE. The back slab of the most southerly
is some 49' in from the edge of the cairn in that direction and 45'
from the edge at the opposite side. Some 7' 6" to the NE., and
nearly in alignment, is another slab 7' in length, which appears to
have formed the back of a second chamber, one wall of which is just
apparent 5' 9" in length, built at right angles to it. A number of
the slabs have been removed and the whole cairn so much destroyed
that its plan is no longer apparent.
O.S.M., CAITH., xvi. Visited, 13th September 1910.

364. Chambered Cairn, "Shean Mor," Brawlbin. - About 1 m. SW.
of the farm of Mains of Brawlbin, on the moor is a green mound