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Montgoldrum is a cairn situated 750 metres east-northeast of the settlement of Montgoldrum in Kincardineshire, Scotland. The monument stands upon bedrock of mafic lava and mafic tuff formed during the Devonian period, part of an unnamed suite of extrusive rocks that characterise this region. This geological foundation of dark, dense volcanic material would have been a familiar landscape feature to the prehistoric communities who built the cairn.
Cairns of this type typically served as burial monuments or territorial markers within Bronze Age and Iron Age societies across Scotland. The construction of such monuments involved substantial labour investment, gathering stone from the surrounding landscape and piling it into a prominent mound. The survival of the cairn at Montgoldrum demonstrates the enduring quality of such structures when built upon stable bedrock.
The monument is now protected by Historic Environment Scotland under the designation SM4820, ensuring its preservation for future study and public access. Such protected status recognises the archaeological importance of cairns as evidence of settlement patterns, ritual practices and land use across prehistoric Scotland. The site remains a visible reminder of the region's deep historical significance and the architectural achievements of its earliest inhabitants.
Montgoldrum,cairn 750m ENE of is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM4820. View the official record →
Montgoldrum is a cairn situated 750 metres east-northeast of the settlement of Montgoldrum in Kincardineshire, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM4820.
Montgoldrum,cairn 750m ENE 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 SM4820.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Montgoldrum,cairns & hut circle 400m E of (0.4 km), Hillhead,long cairn 320m SW of Upper Craighill (2.5 km), Bruxie Hill,long cairn 650m WSW of Ferniebrae (3.2 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Montgoldrum,cairn 750m ENE 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.
Montgoldrum,cairn 750m ENE of stands on Unnamed Extrusive Rocks, Silurian To Devonian, bedrock that formed in the Devonian. The rock here is mafic lava and mafic tuff.