Preas Mairi

Also known as:
Contin Mains, Pris Maree
Nearest town:
Dingwall (9km ENE)
OS reference:
NH461558
OS sheet:
26
Latitude:
57° 33' 57.94 N
Longitude:
4° 34' 23.62 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Preas Mairi (Chambered Cairn) by drewbhoy

Hard to get pictures at this overgrown site. It has gone badly downhill since Mr GW was here.

Image credit: drew/A/B
drewbhoy
drewbhoy Aug 18, 2017

Articles

Preas Mairi

drewbhoy
drewbhoy Aug 28, 2017

We parked in the same place as GW and walked up the hill to the walled graveyard. Sadly since his visit the place has somewhat fallen apart.

Make and ask permission from the people living cottage to visit the site. Even before the graveyard you can see that it is really a shambles. The entrance arch is impressive enough but sadly it is overrun with the biggest bramble branches I have ever seen, hundreds of them. The gate was open so we walked carefully in and picked our way though various horrible looking plants.

As for the chamber it obviously still remains in the same place but also is grown over. It is a pity as this could and should be a wonderful place as is shown in the Canmore photo. Makes me wonder why Historic Scotland or some local heritage group haven’t cleaned the place up.

A sad but worthwhile place to visit.

Visited 28/7/2017.

Preas Mairi

greywether
greywether Nov 18, 2004

Strange, is it not, that someone looking for a location for a family burial ground should choose an area incorporating the remains of a neolithic burial cairn. But that’s what’s happened here.

So it was largely curiosity (and the fact that the site is on the way to Heights of Brae) which led me here despite unpromising reports about access and surviving remains.

The burial ground was, as anticipated, surrounded by a wall, gated and padlocked but, in the corner where the cairn sits, you can just see over the wall.

As for the surviving remains, if you don’t expect a lot, you won’t be disappointed!

Access. Park in Contin village. Short walk.

Visited 31 October 2004

Sites within 20km of Preas Mairi

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