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Mains of Ulbster is a Neolithic chambered cairn situated in Caithness, north-eastern Scotland, approximately 900 metres north-north-west of Ulbster. The monument is protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland. Built during the Neolithic period, the cairn represents one of the communal burial monuments characteristic of early farming communities in northern Britain, typically dating to between 4000 and 3000 BC.
The site overlies bedrock of Lower Old Red Sandstone, formed during the Early Devonian period. This geology comprises conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone deposits that underlie the Caithness landscape. These materials would have been available locally for use in the monument's construction, and the underlying geology shaped both the building possibilities and the drainage characteristics of the site.
Chambered cairns served as focal points for Neolithic communities, functioning as repositories for the dead whilst also marking significant places in the landscape. The Caithness region contains several such monuments, reflecting the importance of this area during the early development of agricultural society in Scotland. The Mains of Ulbster cairn contributes to our understanding of Neolithic settlement patterns and burial practices in the far north.
Mains of Ulbster,chambered cairn 900m NNW of is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM466. View the official record →
Mains of Ulbster is a Neolithic chambered cairn situated in Caithness, north-eastern Scotland, approximately 900 metres north-north-west of Ulbster. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM466.
Mains of Ulbster,chambered cairn 900m NNW of dates from the neolithic period, and is classified as a chambered cairn. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Mains of Ulbster,chambered cairn 900m NNW of 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 SM466.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Watenan,fort 100m SSW of,Ulbster (2.3 km), Watenan,cairn & stone setting 400m W of,Ulbster (2.5 km), Cairn of Get, chambered cairn, cairns and cists (2.6 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Mains of Ulbster,chambered cairn 900m NNW of'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.
Mains of Ulbster,chambered cairn 900m NNW of stands on Lower Old Red Sandstone, bedrock that formed in the Early Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.