Scheduled MonumentsScotlandSouth Yarrows,long cairn 220m NW of
Neolithic · Long cairn

South Yarrows,long cairn 220m NW of

Scotland
HES SM507
Period
Neolithic
Site type
Long cairn
Nation
Scotland
Boundary

Scheduled area

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

Overview

History & significance

South Yarrows is a Neolithic long cairn situated in Caithness, Scotland, approximately 220 metres north-west of the township of Yarrows. The monument stands on bedrock of Middle Old Red Sandstone, a formation of conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone dating to the Middle Devonian period. This geological foundation provided the local building materials that characterise many prehistoric monuments across the region.

Long cairns represent some of Scotland's earliest communal burial structures, constructed during the Neolithic period by farming communities. The substantial earthen or stone mounds typically covered rectangular stone chambers and served as focal points for ritual and burial practice across generations. The Caithness landscape, with its moorland and coastal plains, supported scattered farming settlements during this period.

The monument is protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM507, recognising its archaeological and historical significance. The long cairn at South Yarrows contributes to our understanding of early farming societies in northern Scotland and the ritual practices that accompanied their establishment in the landscape.

South Yarrows,long cairn 220m NW of is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM507. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is South Yarrows,long cairn 220m NW of?

South Yarrows is a Neolithic long cairn situated in Caithness, Scotland, approximately 220 metres north-west of the township of Yarrows. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM507.

What period does South Yarrows,long cairn 220m NW of date from?

South Yarrows,long cairn 220m NW of dates from the neolithic period, and is classified as a long cairn. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting South Yarrows,long cairn 220m NW of?

South Yarrows,long cairn 220m NW 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 SM507.

What other scheduled monuments are near South Yarrows,long cairn 220m NW of?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Cairn of Get, chambered cairn, cairns and cists (2.5 km), Broughwhin, cairn and stone row 190m NW of Groat's Loch (2.6 km), Cairn Hanach,chambered cairn S side of Warehouse Hill (2.7 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about South Yarrows,long cairn 220m NW of

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of South Yarrows,long cairn 220m NW 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.
First month just £4.99, then £9.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your South Yarrows,long cairn 220m NW of report
Or see a real report first
The ground beneath

The bedrock under South Yarrows,long cairn 220m NW of

South Yarrows,long cairn 220m NW of stands on Middle Old Red Sandstone (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.