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Macbeth's Cairn is a prehistoric burial monument located 360 metres east-north-east of Ferneybrae in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The cairn sits upon bedrock formed from a felsic igneous intrusion dating to the Early Devonian period, part of the Late Silurian to Early Devonian geological sequence that characterises this region of northeast Scotland. Despite its name, the cairn predates the historical period by many centuries, relating instead to Bronze Age or earlier burial practices.
The monument is protected by Historic Environment Scotland as a scheduled monument under reference SM3421. Cairns of this type, constructed as stone burial mounds, were typically raised over cremated remains or inhumations and served as enduring markers in the landscape. The specific geology of this location, with its underlying igneous bedrock, would have determined the availability of stone for the cairn's construction and shaped its landscape setting.
The monument remains a significant archaeological feature of the Aberdeenshire landscape, preserving evidence of prehistoric funerary practice in this upland area. Its survival to the present day, despite centuries of agricultural and settlement activity in the region, reflects both the substantial nature of such constructions and the value placed upon their protection within the historic environment.
Macbeth's Cairn, cairn 360m ENE of Ferneybrae is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM3421. View the official record →
Macbeth's Cairn is a prehistoric burial monument located 360 metres east-north-east of Ferneybrae in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM3421.
Macbeth's Cairn, cairn 360m ENE of Ferneybrae 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 SM3421.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Peel Ring of Lumphanan, castle, Peel Bog of Lumphanan (1.7 km), Corse Castle (3.6 km), Kirkton of Leochel, St Marnoch's Church (5.1 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Macbeth's Cairn, cairn 360m ENE of Ferneybrae'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.
Macbeth's Cairn, cairn 360m ENE of Ferneybrae stands on Unnamed Igneous Intrusion, Late Silurian To Early Devonian, bedrock that formed in the Early Devonian. The rock here is felsic-rock.