Drannandow

Also known as:
Dranadow and Nappers Cottage
Nearest town:
Newton Stewart (6km SSE)
OS reference:
NX408713
OS sheet:
77
Latitude:
55° 0' 38 N
Longitude:
4° 29' 23.59 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Drannandow (Chambered Tomb) by postman

On approach to the chambered cairn I interrupted a couple of Barn owls, one of them is on the gate to the left of the cairn.

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman Nov 10, 2014
Image of Drannandow (Chambered Tomb) by postman

The big eastern chamber, several meters away from the main bulk of the cairn.

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman Nov 10, 2014
Image of Drannandow (Chambered Tomb) by postman

The five chambered cairn and two more, one at the tree line and one in between. Plus Nappers cottage Barn owl nest site, I saw three of them.

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman Nov 10, 2014
Image of Drannandow (Chambered Tomb) by postman

The north west and best preserved chamber.

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman Nov 10, 2014
Image of Drannandow (Chambered Tomb) by rockartwolf

18-2-07

one of the five chambers, and looking at Napper’s Cottage

wolfy

Image credit: pebblewolf
rockartwolf
rockartwolf Feb 19, 2007
Image of Drannandow (Chambered Tomb) by rockartwolf

Food Vessel Urn from the Cist at Drannandow



Dumfriesshire & Galloway
Natural History and Antiquarian Society

Image credit: DGNHAS
rockartwolf
rockartwolf Dec 27, 2006
Image of Drannandow (Chambered Tomb) by rockartwolf

Plan of the site.




Dumfriesshire & Galloway
Natural History and Antiquarian Society

Image credit: DGNHAS
rockartwolf
rockartwolf Dec 27, 2006
Image of Drannandow (Chambered Tomb) by greywether

General view from the N.

Usually described as a Clyde cairn but the low septal stones in the chambers and the absence of any portal arrangements has led it to also be described as hybrid between Clyde and the Bargrennan passage grave tradition also found in this area.

The cairn is roughly 24m long and up to 15m wide.

greywether
greywether May 18, 2004

Articles

Drannandow

markj99
markj99 Sep 23, 2025

Visited 19.07.21

This route visits 7 ancient monuments on the Moor of Drannandow. They are situated within a square kilometre so it is possible to visit them all on a long summer’s day walking c. 6 miles in total.

Take the A714 Newton Stewart turn off the A75 roundabout at Newton Stewart. Follow the A714 onto Victoria Street. After c. 0.8 miles turn right over the Cree Bridge. Turn left for Wood of Cree c. 50 yards after the end of the bridge. Follow the road into Minigaff for c. 0.5 mile then turn left for Wood of Cree. Follow the National Cycle Route 7, a narrow winding lane for c. 2.7 miles to reach Barclye Trails Car Park on the right. Park up safely then walk c. 350 yards N to the right turn for Drannandow Farm. Follow the farm track through Drannandow Farm. Bear left along a farm track at a Y junction c. 50 yards N of the farm. NB I have encountered Beef Cattle occupying this track on several occasions. It may be prudent to avoid these potentially dangerous animals, especially if calves are present. If the track is clear continue N then NE for 0.8 mile to a Y Junction. Take the right fork heading E. GPS Navigation is necessary to locate these relatively obscure monuments with the exception of Drannandow N Cairn which is close to Nappers Cottage. The following sites can be visited: Drumfern N Cairn, Drumfern Stone Circle, Drumfern S Cairn, Drannandow S Cairn, Rorie Gill’s Cairn, Drannandow N Cairn & The Thieves Standing Stones. Part of this route is over rough moorland so good footwear is recommended. My walking route is viewable on Drannandow Cairns.

Drannandow

greywether
greywether May 18, 2004

Not a very spectacular site but it makes part of a nice megalithic walk incorporating The Thieves and Drumfern.

Drannandow has five chambers (large but not the largest) symetrically arranged with one reasonably well preserved axial (facing E) and two pairs of opposing laterals (NW,NE,SE,SW) in poorer condition.

Sits at the head of the Coldstream Burn. Axial chamber aligned on nothing particular.

See photo captions for dimensions etc.

The public road to the site is narrow but you can park at the triangle where the farm road joins it. Ask at the farm.

Long and reasonably steep. Several gates.

Visited 2 May 2004

Sites within 20km of Drannandow