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Gallow Hill,long cairns and chambered cairn

A Scheduled Monument in Thurso and Northwest Caithness, Highland

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Coordinates

Latitude: 58.5339 / 58°32'1"N

Longitude: -3.4559 / 3°27'21"W

OS Eastings: 315325

OS Northings: 961557

OS Grid: ND153615

Mapcode National: GBR K6T5.KM3

Mapcode Global: WH5BR.WRHR

Entry Name: Gallow Hill,long cairns and chambered cairn

Scheduled Date: 29 December 1933

Last Amended: 17 May 1993

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Source ID: SM483

Schedule Class: Cultural

Category: Prehistoric ritual and funerary: chambered cairn

Location: Thurso

County: Highland

Electoral Ward: Thurso and Northwest Caithness

Traditional County: Caithness

Description

This monument comprises two long cairns and a single round chambered cairn. The shorter long cairn is centred at ND 15186181, is

orientated NNW-SSE and is 41m long. This cairn expands towards its S end, where it is 16m across. There are traces of horned projections

at the S end of the cairn and traces of a possible chamber towards

the N end. The second long cairn is centred at ND15316157 and is a

very large and relatively undisturbed example. It is similarly

oriented and is about 68m long, with short horns which project from

the SSE. This cairn is evidently of several phases of construction

and may originally have consisted of three individual cairns which

were later joined together. The third cairn is centred at ND 15346151 and is a round cairn with traces of a chamber. The cairn is about 12

by 8m in diameter and 0.9m high, but was probably once rather larger.

The area to be scheduled is in two parts; the N area is a maximum of

70m NNW-SSE by 50m SW-NE, while the S area measures a maximum of 150m SSE-NNW by 70m SSW-NNE. The scheduled area includes the three cairns

and an area around in which traces of activities associated with

their construction and use may survive, as shown in red on the

attached map.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography
No Bibliography entries for this designation

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

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