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Rousay, Bigland Long

Chambered Cairn (Neolithic)

Site Name Rousay, Bigland Long

Classification Chambered Cairn (Neolithic)

Canmore ID 2708

Site Number HY43SW 12

NGR HY 4353 3214

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/2708

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
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Administrative Areas

  • Council Orkney Islands
  • Parish Rousay And Egilsay
  • Former Region Orkney Islands Area
  • Former District Orkney
  • Former County Orkney

Archaeology Notes

HY43SW 12 4354 3214.

(HY 435 321) 'Bigland Long Cairn', an Orkney-Cromarty stalled cairn, lies in the bottom of the valley, between Bigland and Swandale farms and is crossed by the boundary fence. It has been considerably disturbed and robbed, and is now turf-covered. It measures approximately 80ft by 40, and is about 3ft high, with the main axis NW-SE.

On the NE side a small length of wall is exposed indicating the actual width of the cairn is about 26ft. A number of stones just project through the turf; these are best interpreted as the back and divisional stones of two chambers. The larger chamber, to the NW, is aligned along the main axis. It is about 38ft long and is divided into six compartments. A small secondary chamber has been constructed to the SE, and has evidently blocked the entrance to the larger chamber. It is aligned on a different axis, the entrance facing ESE, and is approximately 16ft long with only two divisional stones surviving. The passage has been destroyed.

A S Henshall 1963; RCAHMS 1946. Visited 1935.

A chambered cairn at HY 4354 3214, mainly as described and planned by Henshall.

Surveyed at 1:2500.

Visited by OS(ISS) 18 October 1972.

Activities

Note (1982)

Bigland, Long (ORK 1) HY 4354 3214 HY43SW 12

Badly disturbed stalled cairn. The name, as with HY43SW 13, has been given by Henshall.

RCAHMS 1982

(RCAHMS 1946, ii, p. 205, No. 566; Henshall 1963, 183; OR 613)

Orkney Smr Note

Mutilated grass and heather-covered mound 80ft NW-SE x 40ft

x 3ft average height, erect slabs indicate a stalled cairn of

possibly six compartments. At SE end is a peculiar extension on

a different alignment. [R1]

Orkney-Cromarty stalled cairn crossed boundary fence, much

robbed and disturbed, turfed. It has a main chamber and a

secondary smaller one on a different alignment - Detailed

description. [R2]

Information from Orkney SMR [n.d.]

References

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