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Achanarras Cairn is a Bronze Age burial monument situated in Caithness, in the far north of Scotland, approximately 800 metres north-west of Achanarras village. The cairn stands on bedrock of Middle Old Red Sandstone, comprising conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone deposits laid down during the Middle Devonian period. This geological foundation provided both building stone and a stable base for the monument's construction.
Cairns of this type were erected as communal or individual burial monuments across northern Scotland during the Bronze Age, typically constructed from locally available stone heaped over a central burial chamber or cist. The Achanarras example reflects the monumental practices of Bronze Age communities in Caithness, an area rich in such prehistoric structures. The surrounding landscape of rolling moorland remains characteristic of the region's archaeological heritage.
The monument is protected as a scheduled ancient monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2400. This designation recognises its importance as a physical record of Bronze Age funerary practice and settlement in the Scottish Highlands. The cairn contributes to our understanding of prehistoric communities and their relationship with the northern landscape.
Achanarras,cairn 800m NW of is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2400. View the official record →
Achanarras Cairn is a Bronze Age burial monument situated in Caithness, in the far north of Scotland, approximately 800 metres north-west of Achanarras village. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2400.
Achanarras,cairn 800m NW of is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic Environment Scotland — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Scotland. The official designation reference is SM2400.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Cnoc Donn, broch 600m ESE of Dale Farm, Halkirk (2.5 km), Dale Farm,broch 800m SE of (2.7 km), Ballone,broch 360m NE of,Spittal (3.4 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Achanarras,cairn 800m NW of's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Achanarras,cairn 800m NW of stands on Middle Old Red Sandstone (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.