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Nether Towie is a cairn located near the settlement of Nether Towie in Aberdeenshire, situated approximately 420 metres north-north-east of the principal settlement. The monument stands on bedrock of the Argyll Group, a Neoproterozoic formation composed of psammite, semipelite and pelite—metamorphic rocks created from ancient sedimentary deposits. These local stone resources would have been available to the prehistoric builders who constructed the cairn, providing suitable material for its construction.
The cairn represents a form of monumental burial or ceremonial structure built during the prehistoric period. Such monuments are characteristic of Aberdeenshire's Bronze Age and earlier Iron Age landscape, where cairns served as focal points for ritual activity and the commemoration of the dead. The upland terrain of this part of Aberdeenshire contains numerous examples of these structures, reflecting intensive use of the landscape during antiquity.
The monument is protected by Historic Environment Scotland as a scheduled monument under the reference SM11662, recognising its archaeological significance and national importance. This protection ensures the preservation of the site's physical remains and its contribution to understanding prehistoric settlement patterns and burial practices in north-east Scotland.
Nether Towie, cairn 420m NNE of is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM11662. View the official record →
Nether Towie is a cairn located near the settlement of Nether Towie in Aberdeenshire, situated approximately 420 metres north-north-east of the principal settlement. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM11662.
Nether Towie, cairn 420m NNE 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 SM11662.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Knock Hill, hut circle 340m S of Wester Braehead (8.5 km), Knock Hill, cairn 220m S of Easter Corblelack (8.5 km), Knock Hill, cairn 530m SE of Corblelack (8.6 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Nether Towie, cairn 420m NNE 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.
Nether Towie, cairn 420m NNE of stands on Argyll Group, bedrock that formed in the Neoproterozoic. The rock here is psammite, semipelite and pelite.