Greenland Chambered Cairn View all content for Greenland

NR 7431 2413 (information from D Colville 1960). A chambered long cairn discovered by Colville several years before 1960. It is situated on a level position on a slight rise and is oriented almost N-S with the axial chamber at the north end. It has been considerably robbed but still stands 6ft high behind the chamber. The north end has been almost denuded and is now low and turf-covered, merging almost imperceptibly into the surrounding turf. The edges cannot be precisely defined, but the cairn appears to be about 50ft wide at the north end and 40ft wide at the south end. It is 87ft long from the entrance to the chamber, but there are indications that it extended northwards to make a fore-court, giving an overall length of nearly 100ft. The south half of the cairn has been greatly disturbed and is now about 3ft high, with the cairn material of irregular angular stones exposed. The only upright stone at the north end of the cairn is the portal stone of the chamber, but two large prone slabs, on either side of the entrance have probably fallen from a facade. The fine chamber at the north end is almost entirely exposed as if it had been cleared out, and a large capstone lies against the west side. A second chamber, at right angles to the axis and entered from the west, is partly exposed half-way along the west side. It is full of debris and only the tops of three upright stones can be seen. A S Henshall 1972; RCAHMS 1971, visited 1963. The chambered cairn is as described and illustrated by the previous authorities. Two depressions on the displaced capstone are probably weathered cup marks. The cairn is preserved within a new forestry area. Surveyed at 1:10 000. Visited by OS (JB) 3 November 1977.

Posted by postman 16th September 2007ce

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