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Lambsdale Cairn is a prehistoric stone monument situated in Caithness, northern Scotland, near Loch Shurrery. The cairn stands upon bedrock of Lower Old Red Sandstone, a geological formation dating to the Early Devonian period, comprising conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone. This underlying geology would have provided ready stone materials for cairn construction, and the landscape's rocky character remains evident in the surrounding terrain.
Cairns of this type typically functioned as burial monuments or territorial markers during the Bronze Age, though some may have earlier origins. The specific form and contents of Lambsdale Cairn reflect the funerary practices of prehistoric communities in the far north of Scotland. The monument's proximity to Loch Shurrery situates it within a landscape of lochs and moorland characteristic of Caithness, an area rich in prehistoric remains.
The cairn is protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM459, ensuring its preservation for future study and public appreciation. Its survival allows insights into the monumental practices and settlement patterns of ancient Caithness.
Lambsdale,cairn,Loch Shurrery is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM459. View the official record →
Lambsdale Cairn is a prehistoric stone monument situated in Caithness, northern Scotland, near Loch Shurrery. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM459.
Lambsdale,cairn,Loch Shurrery 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 SM459.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Buaile Oscar,fort & chambered cairn,Beinn Freiceadain (1.3 km), Brawlbin,hut circle 550m NE of Beinn Freiceadain (1.9 km), Torr Beag, chambered cairn 500m NE of Beinn Freiceadain, Brawlbin (1.9 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Lambsdale,cairn,Loch Shurrery'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.
Lambsdale,cairn,Loch Shurrery stands on Lower Old Red Sandstone, bedrock that formed in the Early Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.