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Slewcairn is a pair of Bronze Age cairns located in Kirkcudbrightshire, south-western Scotland. The two monuments sit upon bedrock composed of a Late Silurian to Early Devonian felsic igneous intrusion, typical of the geological character of this region. This ancient volcanic bedrock would have presented substantial challenges to the communities who constructed these burial monuments, requiring the labour of many individuals to gather and position stones across the difficult terrain.
The cairns represent a form of communal burial practice widespread across Bronze Age Britain and Ireland, where substantial stone heaps marked the graves of significant members of society. Their proximity to one another suggests they may have belonged to the same family group or community, and their construction and use would have been important ritual occasions within the local population.
Slewcairn is protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM1045. The site contributes to our understanding of Bronze Age settlement patterns and burial practices in south-western Scotland, a region rich in archaeological remains from prehistoric and later periods.
Slewcairn, two cairns is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM1045. View the official record →
Slewcairn is a pair of Bronze Age cairns located in Kirkcudbrightshire, south-western Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM1045.
Slewcairn, two cairns 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 SM1045.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Slewcairn, hut circle on W bank of Mid Burn (0.3 km), Auchenskeock Castle (2.7 km), Southwick Church (4.9 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Slewcairn, two cairns'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.
Slewcairn, two cairns stands on Unnamed Igneous Intrusion, Late Silurian To Early Devonian, bedrock that formed in the Early Devonian. The rock here is felsic-rock.