Scheduled MonumentsScotlandAchkinloch, chambered cairn 755m SW of, Loch Stemster
Neolithic · Chambered cairn 755m sw of, loch stemster

Achkinloch, chambered cairn 755m SW of, Loch Stemster

Scotland
HES SM419
Period
Neolithic
Site type
Chambered cairn 755m sw of, loch stemster
Nation
Scotland
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic Environment Scotland

Overview

History & significance

Achkinloch Chambered Cairn is a Neolithic monument situated 755 metres south-west of Loch Stemster in Caithness, Scotland. The cairn stands on bedrock composed of Middle Old Red Sandstone, a conglomerate of sandstone, siltstone and mudstone dating from the Middle Devonian period. This geological foundation provided the rubble and stone used in the cairn's construction, materials readily available from the local landscape. The monument is protected as a scheduled monument under reference SM419 by Historic Environment Scotland.

Chambered cairns of this type were built during the Neolithic period as communal burial structures, their internal passages and chambers designed to house the remains of successive generations. The monument's position near Loch Stemster reflects a settlement preference for locations close to freshwater sources, typical of Neolithic communities in northern Scotland. The exposed moorland setting of Caithness, with its sparse vegetation and windswept terrain, has aided the cairn's survival, preserving evidence of ritual and burial practices from over five thousand years ago.

Achkinloch, chambered cairn 755m SW of, Loch Stemster is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM419. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Achkinloch, chambered cairn 755m SW of, Loch Stemster?

Achkinloch Chambered Cairn is a Neolithic monument situated 755 metres south-west of Loch Stemster in Caithness, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM419.

What period does Achkinloch, chambered cairn 755m SW of, Loch Stemster date from?

Achkinloch, chambered cairn 755m SW of, Loch Stemster dates from the neolithic period, and is classified as a chambered cairn 755m sw of, loch stemster. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting Achkinloch, chambered cairn 755m SW of, Loch Stemster?

Achkinloch, chambered cairn 755m SW of, Loch Stemster 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 SM419.

What other scheduled monuments are near Achkinloch, chambered cairn 755m SW of, Loch Stemster?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Latheronwheel House,broch 500m W of (9.3 km), Bridge of Badnagie,standing stone 600m N of (9.6 km), Latheronwheel House,chambered cairn 580m SE of (9.6 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Achkinloch, chambered cairn 755m SW of, Loch Stemster

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Achkinloch, chambered cairn 755m SW of, Loch Stemster's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman Britain
The Roman roads, forts and towns near here, and the Iron Age people who held the land before Rome arrived.
Stat Accounts
The parish Statistical Accounts of the 1790s and 1830s, describing life, work and population here.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
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Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

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The ground beneath

The bedrock under Achkinloch, chambered cairn 755m SW of, Loch Stemster

Achkinloch, chambered cairn 755m SW of, Loch Stemster stands on Middle Old Red Sandstone (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.