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Gallow Hillock is a cairn situated on Backlass Hill in Caithness, in the far north of Scotland. The monument 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 has weathered over hundreds of millions of years to create the rolling terrain characteristic of the Caithness landscape.
Cairns of this type typically date to the Bronze Age or later prehistoric periods, constructed as burial monuments or territorial markers by the communities inhabiting northern Scotland. Gallow Hillock's position on Backlass Hill would have made it prominent in the local landscape, serving as a visible focal point across the moorland.
The monument is protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM450, reflecting its significance as evidence of early settlement and ritual practice in Caithness. The exposed geology of the site and its surviving structure make it an important record of both human activity and the ancient geological processes that shaped the Far North.
Gallow Hillock, cairn on Backlass Hill is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM450. View the official record →
Gallow Hillock is a cairn situated on Backlass Hill in Caithness, in the far north of Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM450.
Gallow Hillock, cairn on Backlass Hill 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 SM450.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Knockglass,broch E of (3 km), Carn A' Chladha, broch (3.2 km), Scouthal Burn,chapel & The Clow (3.3 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Gallow Hillock, cairn on Backlass Hill'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.
Gallow Hillock, cairn on Backlass Hill stands on Middle Old Red Sandstone (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.