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Cairn Holy is a Neolithic chambered cairn located in Kirkcudbrightshire, south-western Scotland. The monument lies approximately 35 metres south of the settlement of Cairnholy, constructed upon bedrock of the Hawick Group wacke formation, which dates from the Wenlock period of the Silurian era. This substantial local stone would have been the natural material available to the monument's builders around 5,000 years ago.
Chambered cairns of this type represent some of Scotland's earliest monumental architecture, serving as communal burial places for Neolithic communities. The cairn's construction demonstrates sophisticated understanding of stone-working and architectural design, with internal chambers accessed by a defined passage, allowing repeated use for burial ritual over generations. The substantial stone blocks required for such monuments indicate significant community labour investment.
The site is protected by Historic Environment Scotland as a scheduled monument under reference SM90049, recognising its importance as evidence of early Scottish settlement patterns and funerary practice. The Kirkcudbrightshire landscape, with its accessible stone and sheltered valleys, attracted several Neolithic communities who left behind a notable concentration of such burial monuments, making this region significant for understanding early Scottish prehistory.
Cairn Holy, chambered cairn 35m S of Cairnholy is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM90049. View the official record →
Cairn Holy is a Neolithic chambered cairn located in Kirkcudbrightshire, south-western Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM90049.
Cairn Holy, chambered cairn 35m S of Cairnholy dates from the neolithic period, and is classified as a chambered cairn 35m s of cairnholy. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Cairn Holy, chambered cairn 35m S of Cairnholy 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 SM90049.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Cairn Holy, chambered cairn 190m SSW of Cairnholy (0.2 km), Kirkdale House,six cup & ring marked stones (0.8 km), Kirkdale House,two cross slabs (0.8 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Cairn Holy, chambered cairn 35m S of Cairnholy'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.
Cairn Holy, chambered cairn 35m S of Cairnholy stands on Hawick Group, bedrock that formed in the Wenlock. The rock here is wacke.