Scheduled MonumentsScotlandStiddrig Cairn, long cairn and cairn
Neolithic · Long cairn and cairn

Stiddrig Cairn, long cairn and cairn

Scotland
HES SM640
Period
Neolithic
Site type
Long cairn and cairn
Nation
Scotland
Boundary

Scheduled area

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

Overview

History & significance

Stiddrig Cairn is a Neolithic long cairn situated in Dumfriesshire, in the south-west of Scotland. The monument consists of a long cairn and an associated cairn, typical of monumental burial structures constructed during the Neolithic period. The site rests upon bedrock of the Gala Group, wacke deposits formed during the Telychian geological period, which would have provided stone for the cairn's construction.

Long cairns of this type served as communal burial places and were built over several centuries from around 4000 BC. Stiddrig's presence in Dumfriesshire reflects settlement patterns in the rolling moorland of the south-west. The monument consists of a substantial mound of stone, characteristic of these impressive funerary structures, which dominate their local landscapes.

The cairn is protected by Historic Environment Scotland as a scheduled monument under reference SM640, recognising its significance as evidence of Neolithic ritual practices and settlement. Such monuments provide important archaeological information about early farming communities in Scotland, their organisation and their beliefs concerning the dead. Stiddrig Cairn remains a visible reminder of human activity in this region spanning thousands of years.

Stiddrig Cairn, long cairn and cairn is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM640. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Stiddrig Cairn, long cairn and cairn?

Stiddrig Cairn is a Neolithic long cairn situated in Dumfriesshire, in the south-west of Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM640.

What period does Stiddrig Cairn, long cairn and cairn date from?

Stiddrig Cairn, long cairn and cairn dates from the neolithic period, and is classified as a long cairn and cairn. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting Stiddrig Cairn, long cairn and cairn?

Stiddrig Cairn, long cairn and 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 SM640.

What other scheduled monuments are near Stiddrig Cairn, long cairn and cairn?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Park Hill, fort (2.4 km), Dumgree Church and burial ground (2.9 km), Rectilinear enclosure, 1070m SSW of Barntimpen (3.6 km).

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Everything a full report reveals about Stiddrig Cairn, long cairn and cairn

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Stiddrig Cairn, long cairn and 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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The ground beneath

The bedrock under Stiddrig Cairn, long cairn and cairn

Stiddrig Cairn, long cairn and cairn stands on Gala Group, bedrock that formed in the Telychian. The rock here is wacke.