Scheduled MonumentsScotlandPenshiel, cairn and stone setting 540m NNE of
Cairn and stone setting

Penshiel, cairn and stone setting 540m NNE of

Scotland
HES SM8766
Site type
Cairn and stone setting
Nation
Scotland
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic Environment Scotland

Overview

History & significance

Penshiel Cairn and Stone Setting is a prehistoric monument located in East Lothian, Scotland, situated 540 metres north-north-east of the settlement. The site comprises a cairn—a mound constructed from stones—together with an associated stone setting, likely dating to the Bronze Age when such structures were commonly erected across the Scottish uplands. The monument's position on felsic bedrock of Early Devonian age reflects the underlying igneous intrusion that forms the local geology of this part of East Lothian.

The stone setting and cairn would have served ceremonial or funerary functions typical of their period. Cairns of this type often marked burial sites or acted as territorial markers across the landscape, whilst the associated stone setting may have framed the principal monument or guided ritual movement around it. The local geology has influenced the type and size of stone available for construction.

The monument is protected by Historic Environment Scotland as a scheduled ancient monument under reference SM8766, recognising its archaeological significance and the importance of preserving such Bronze Age landscapes in East Lothian for future study and understanding.

Penshiel, cairn and stone setting 540m NNE of is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM8766. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Penshiel, cairn and stone setting 540m NNE of?

Penshiel Cairn and Stone Setting is a prehistoric monument located in East Lothian, Scotland, situated 540 metres north-north-east of the settlement. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM8766.

Who is responsible for protecting Penshiel, cairn and stone setting 540m NNE of?

Penshiel, cairn and stone setting 540m 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 SM8766.

What other scheduled monuments are near Penshiel, cairn and stone setting 540m NNE of?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Mainslaughter Law,cairn (4.3 km), Chester's Dikes, settlement (4.7 km), Mutiny Stones,long cairn 1100m NNW of Byrecleugh (5.6 km).

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Everything a full report reveals about Penshiel, cairn and stone setting 540m NNE of

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Penshiel, cairn and stone setting 540m NNE of's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman Britain
The Roman roads, forts and towns near here, and the Iron Age people who held the land before Rome arrived.
Stat Accounts
The parish Statistical Accounts of the 1790s and 1830s, describing life, work and population here.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
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The ground beneath

The bedrock under Penshiel, cairn and stone setting 540m NNE of

Penshiel, cairn and stone setting 540m NNE of stands on Unnamed Igneous Intrusion, Late Silurian To Early Devonian, bedrock that formed in the Early Devonian. The rock here is felsic-rock.