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West Mains is a cairn situated 700 metres north-north-east of West Mains in Angus, Scotland. The monument stands upon bedrock formed during the Early Devonian period, comprising an unnamed mafic igneous intrusion of Late Silurian to Early Devonian origin. This geological foundation of dark, dense igneous rock would have been familiar to the prehistoric communities who constructed the cairn, though the stones they gathered for the monument itself came from the surrounding landscape.
Cairns of this type were typically built as burial monuments or territorial markers during the Bronze Age, serving multiple generations of use and revisiting. The mafic igneous bedrock underlying West Mains suggests a landscape of substantial stone outcrops, providing readily available material for construction. The site's location in Angus places it within a region rich in prehistoric monuments, reflecting sustained human settlement and ritual practice across the Bronze Age period.
The cairn is protected by Historic Environment Scotland under the designation SM6591, recognising its archaeological significance and archaeological potential. Such monuments remain important sources of evidence for understanding burial practices, settlement patterns and land use in prehistoric Scotland, even where formal excavation has not taken place.
West Mains, cairn 700m NNE of is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM6591. View the official record →
West Mains is a cairn situated 700 metres north-north-east of West Mains in Angus, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM6591.
West Mains, cairn 700m NNE 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 SM6591.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Prehistoric enclosure and roundhouses, 150m WNW of West Pilmore Farm Cottages (7.8 km), Unenclosed settlement and enclosure, 185m north of Eastbank Farm (7.9 km), Mylnefield, ring ditch and souterrain 595m ESE of (7.9 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of West Mains, cairn 700m NNE of'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.
West Mains, cairn 700m NNE of stands on Unnamed Igneous Intrusion, Late Silurian To Early Devonian, bedrock that formed in the Early Devonian. The rock here is mafic igneous-rock.