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The King's Cairn is a Neolithic chambered cairn situated in Kirkcudbrightshire, close to the Water of Deugh. The monument comprises a chambered cairn and an associated cairn to its west, both constructed during the Neolithic period as communal burial monuments. These structures were built upon bedrock of the Kirkcolm Formation, a wacke deposited during the Caradocian period, which would have provided the local stone source for their construction.
Chambered cairns of this type served as repositories for the dead and were focal points for Neolithic communities, typically used over extended periods. The King's Cairn's proximity to the Water of Deugh suggests a deliberate siting near a water source, common practice for Neolithic monuments in southwest Scotland. The presence of two distinct cairn structures indicates the complexity and importance of this funerary site.
The monument is protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM1046, recognising its significance as part of Scotland's Neolithic heritage. The site contributes to understanding settlement patterns and burial practices in Kirkcudbrightshire during the fourth and third millennia before the present.
The King's Cairn,chambered cairn and cairn to W of Water of Deugh is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM1046. View the official record →
The King's Cairn is a Neolithic chambered cairn situated in Kirkcudbrightshire, close to the Water of Deugh. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM1046.
The King's Cairn,chambered cairn and cairn to W of Water of Deugh dates from the neolithic period, and is classified as a chambered cairn and cairn to w of water of deugh. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
The King's Cairn,chambered cairn and cairn to W of Water of Deugh 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 SM1046.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Holm of Daltallochan,stone circle & standing stone (6.9 km), Holm of Daltallochan,cross slab (7 km), Woodhead lead mines and smelter,Carsphairn (7.8 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of The King's Cairn,chambered cairn and cairn to W of Water of Deugh'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.
The King's Cairn,chambered cairn and cairn to W of Water of Deugh stands on Kirkcolm Formation, bedrock that formed in the Caradocian. The rock here is wacke.