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Edinburgh, Fairmilehead

Burial Cairn(S) (Prehistoric)

Site Name Edinburgh, Fairmilehead

Classification Burial Cairn(S) (Prehistoric)

Canmore ID 51753

Site Number NT26NW 11

NGR NT 2446 6828

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/51753

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

  • Council Edinburgh, City Of
  • Parish Edinburgh (Edinburgh, City Of)
  • Former Region Lothian
  • Former District City Of Edinburgh
  • Former County Midlothian

Archaeology Notes

NT26NW 11 2446 6828.

Two large cairns were destroyed during road construction in the 18th century; they are said to have contained 'various sepulchral stone inclosures in which were deposited urns with dead men's ashes and divers warlike weapons used by the Romans'.

T Whyte 1792

During the 19th century two iron spearheads from the site were said to be preserved by Mr Trotter of Mortonhall; these suggest that not all the burials in these cairns were of second millennium BC date.

'Stone coffins with human bone' are also said to have been found during road works near the Caiystane. The Ordnance Survey Name Book records 'At or about Fairmilehead House numbers of human carcases were dug out some few years ago, and many were enclosed in stone coffins'.

Name Book 1852

Activities

Note (1929)

Cairns, Fairmilehead.

Two very large conical cairns were demolished for the purpose of making the turnpike road. Remains of human bones and several fragments of old weapons were found in them. Cf. Stat. Acct., xix, 591, and Proc. Soc. Ant. Scot., xxxvii (1902-3), 209-10.

RCAHMS 1929

OS map: vii N.E.

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