Scheduled MonumentsScotlandMcCole's Castle, chambered cairn
Neolithic · Chambered cairn

McCole's Castle, chambered cairn

Scotland
HES SM467
Period
Neolithic
Site type
Chambered cairn
Nation
Scotland
Boundary

Scheduled area

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Overview

History & significance

McCole's Castle is a Neolithic chambered cairn located in Caithness, Scotland, dating to the fourth or third millennium BCE. The monument consists of a stone-built burial chamber enclosed within a cairn structure, characteristic of the funerary practices of Neolithic communities in northern Scotland. Chambered cairns of this type served as communal burial places and represent significant centres of ritual and social importance for prehistoric populations. The site remains an important archaeological record of early settlement and mortuary tradition in the far north of Scotland.

McCole's Castle, chambered cairn is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM467. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is McCole's Castle, chambered cairn?

McCole's Castle is a Neolithic chambered cairn located in Caithness, Scotland, dating to the fourth or third millennium BCE. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM467.

What period does McCole's Castle, chambered cairn date from?

McCole's Castle, chambered cairn dates from the neolithic period, and is classified as a chambered cairn. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across Britain.

Who is responsible for protecting McCole's Castle, chambered cairn?

McCole's Castle, chambered cairn 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 SM467.

What other scheduled monuments are near McCole's Castle, chambered cairn?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Watenan,fort 100m SSW of,Ulbster (2.2 km), Cairn of Get, chambered cairn, cairns and cists (2.3 km), Broughwhin, cairn and stone row 190m NW of Groat's Loch (2.4 km).

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