Scheduled Monuments›Scotland›Sheriff Muir, cairn
Cairn

Sheriff Muir, cairn

Scotland
HES SM3171
Site type
Cairn
Nation
Scotland
Boundary

Scheduled area

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

Overview

History & significance

Sheriff Muir is a cairn situated in Peeblesshire, in the Scottish Borders. The monument occupies ground underlain by the Shinnel and Glenlee Formations, Ashgill-age wacke bedrock typical of the Southern Uplands geology of this region. The site is protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM3171.

Cairns of this type served diverse functions in prehistoric and early historic Scotland, including burial, ritual or ceremonial purposes, and territorial marking. The exposed wacke bedrock of the Peeblesshire uplands would have provided readily available stone for construction, and such monuments commonly occupy prominent positions in the landscape commanding views across their surrounding terrain.

The Sheriff Muir cairn remains an important element of the archaeological heritage of the Peebles district, contributing to understanding of early monument-building practices in the Scottish Borders. Its protection under scheduled monument legislation ensures preservation of this stone structure and the archaeological information it contains.

Sheriff Muir, cairn is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM3171. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Sheriff Muir, cairn?

Sheriff Muir is a cairn situated in Peeblesshire, in the Scottish Borders. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM3171.

Who is responsible for protecting Sheriff Muir, cairn?

Sheriff Muir, 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 SM3171.

What other scheduled monuments are near Sheriff Muir, cairn?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Glenrath,settlement 730m NE of (6.1 km), Glenrath,settlement 550m ENE of (6.5 km), Wood Hill,fort & enclosure (6.8 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Sheriff Muir, cairn

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Sheriff Muir, cairn'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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Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

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Nearby

Other scheduled monuments within 10 km

Glenrath,settlement 730m NE of
Settlement6.1 km
Glenrath,settlement 550m ENE of
Settlement6.5 km
Wood Hill,fort & enclosure
Iron Age · Fort & enclosure6.8 km
Wood Hill,settlement 230m E of
Settlement6.8 km
Posso,tower & associated structures WNW of
Tower & associated structures7 km
Glenrathope,settlement 1300m WNW to 350m E of Glenrathope
Settlement 1300m wnw to 350m e of glenrathope7.9 km
Langhaugh,cairn 820m N of
Cairn8.4 km
Kirkhope,scooped homestead N of
Scooped homestead9.2 km
The ground beneath

The bedrock under Sheriff Muir, cairn

Sheriff Muir, cairn stands on Shinnel Formation And Glenlee Formation (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Ashgill. The rock here is wacke.

The wider landscape

Around Sheriff Muir, cairn

Battle of Rullion Green, 1666Battle (1666) · ~13.9 milesBattle of Roslin 1303Battle (1303) · ~14.9 milesBattle of PhiliphaughBattle (1645) · ~16.6 milesBattle of PinkieBattle (1547) · ~22.3 miles
All Scheduled Monuments