drewbhoy
I approached from the north after leaving Melgund and headed south pulling in at Carsegownie. Luckily enough the farmer appeared at the same time so permission to see the cairn was granted. I wonder if he did read Gladman’s note :-) Nothing much more to report except that there seems to be more field clearance dumped.
Visited 2/1/2014.
Back to Kintockrat. During the plague (bubonic) the people still had to continue selling their produce, with as little contact with plague victims as possible. It was decided to have a weekly market and Kintockrat became the trading area, but with the proviso that, as in other parts of the country, no contact would be made with the citizens of Brechin. Miss Knox (former owner) showed me an ancient cairn covered with copper coloured leaves from the surrounding birch trees. This had been left as a monument to the dreaded plague. Here country people would leave their produce, laid out around the cairn and a grassy space it. An ancient path is still evident leading to and from the area. A receptacle would have been left, probably one of the many stone bowls at Kintockrat, and the Brechiners would select the goods required and deposit their coins as payment in the stone receptacles. Whether water or any other means of attempting to sterilise the coins was used, e.g passing through flame, is unknown. The beautiful glade and large copper birch trees around it was a lovely are and of course one’s memory goes back to the poor people who suffered long ago.
Brechin. The Ancient City.
Head south west from Brechin on the B9134. If looking for nearby Court Law don’t bother it has gone. Keep going this direction thru Netherton and take the first farm track to Melgund. I parked at the junction to Melgund Cottage.
The cairn is in the field immediately south. I walked first to the cottage and was given permission to view the site. In an area with lots of big cairns this is no exception, it sits at 30 meters wide and is 2 meters high. There doesn’t appear to be a kerb. Quite a lot of field clearance has been dumped here as well. Still the trees add to atmosphere as does the fort at Bogardo to the south west.
Visited 2/1/2015.
First stop and daylight pokes its head out near Brechin at Kintrockat Cairn. During the drive down there had been heavy snow and very heavy rain but when I park at the woodcutters hut the sun comes out. The snow I’d see later.
Leaving A90 take the A935 to Brechin, go round the roundabout until you are heading back to the A90 south. Just before reaching the A90 take the minor road heading south. This takes you past a lodge, I parked at the woodcutters place 200 meters approx south. From here I continued walking south and followed the road to Kintrockat House. Just before the house there is a track, or mudbath. Follow this round and the cairn will come into view. Unfortunately the woodcutter has been busy and branches are all over the place some on the cairn itself.
This well shaped cairn is almost 9 meters wide and 4 meters tall. It is made up of earth and stones. Local folklore mentions that markets were held nearby. So a lovely start to the day.
Visited 2/1/2015.
Looking south and snow is heading to the hills. We’d meet later on.
Image credit: drew/amj
So the final visit on Bractullo Hill or Labothie Hill or Bractullo Moor was another small but nicely situated cairn which can see both the Hatton and Hare cairns. Quite difficult to find, I thought, but my guide had no difficulties as we walked in a south westerly direction from the Hare Cairn. Sitting at 12 meters wide and 0.5 meters high as usual it has been dug into. Some kerbs appear to remain but they might just be simple cairn material.
With that it was head back to the car after an excellent afternoon walking all over whatever this place is called :-)
Visited 30/12/2014.
Looking towards the Hare Cairn. An eagle eyed Tiompan in the distance.
Image credit: drew/TMP
From Labothie head towards the fence and promptly walk west. This takes you the remnants of a badly disturbed cairn. It has been houked and battered. To add to it’s misery a fence goes straight thru the middle of it.
Still it must have been massive in its day. Today it stands at 25 meters wide and 1 meter tall. Scattered stones might be kerbs then again they might not.
Visited 30/12/2014.
The Labothie cairn is a bit of a mystery. Instead of one massive cairn it appears to be two similar cairns. Both are around 8 meters in width and 1 meter high. Both have been dug into and both have at least a couple of kerbs.
After some serious looking at maps and on Canmore’s own site we concluded that Canmore has got it wrong.
Very easy to find from the Hatton Cairn. Spy a rather fine and intact black pill box and head straight for it.
Visited 30/12/2014.
The east cairn with a certain Tiompan in the background.
Image credit: drew/TMP
This cairn has also taken a bit of a beating but still has some kerbs in place. Still it is 21 meters in width and sits at 0.5 meters tall. The usual hillwalkers cairn sits in the middle. Various bumps and humps within the cairn are spoil heaps.
After taking the extended road e.g. getting lost, phone runs out of power, I finally made it to my guides house. Bractullo Muir and its several cairns was the venue of choice.
We pulled in at a wee car park near Carrot Hill and headed east on a track. Basically head to the top of the hill and the cairn can be found. Nothing difficult with this and nice scenery as well. Loads of birds of prey flying about was nice as well.
Visited 30/12/2014.
Not really much to see here except a badly battered and quarried barrow. However they certainly have found loads of discoveries hence the link.
Travelling north of the House Of Dun I parked at the entrance to the Fordhouse farm. Crossed the bridge over the Den Burn, nice walks here, and jumped the fence. You should practically land on the barrow.
Visited 30/12/2014.
Obviously I found all this stuff as well :-)
As well as been battered and houked a fence goes thru the middle.
Image credit: drew/TMP
The Erskine family and the Dun estate were a symbol of authority in the area. As you pass along the main drive and look to the right you might notice the small fenced-off area known as the Gallows Knowe.
The National Trust Of Scotland cares for the Gallows Knowe so that people can continue to give it new meanings linking the past, present and future. Gallows Knowe was built 3,500-4,500 years ago as a burial sound. Since then, people have thought about it in different ways and put it to different uses. The mound has played a role in community identity, power and authority. It has also been a symbol of the rights of certain people to call this place their own.
In the medieval period, the Gallows Knowe may have been used as a place of execution for the crimes of theft and manslaughter. The tradition that the mound was the for the medieval Barony of Dun was recorded by 19th century surveyors mapping the countryside around the House Of Dun. The Barony was a large territory administered by the Lord Of Dun. Gallows Knowe may have been chosen because it lay very close to Dun Castle, the lord’s seat of power. The mound is also highly visible from the public road from Montrose. It would have been an obvious warning to passers-by of the punishment awaiting wrong-doers.
The medieval Baron may also have been held there. This was a sort of parliament and court of law. It sorted minor disputes between neighbours as well as passing judgement on more serious crimes. Monuments like Gallows Knowe were often used for important gatherings in medieval times and they provided impressive settings for ceremonies. Their association with an ancient, unknown past, meant they were seen as very powerful places.
Search Scotland – House Of Dun 2011.