Region : Dumfries & Galloway District : Wigtownshire Town or village : Gatehouse of Fleet Grid Reference : NX 517 538 Period : 3rd-2nd millennium BC Cairnholy I (Cairn Holy I) CHAMBERED CAIRN

On a gently sloping hill above Kirkdale Glen (Dumfries and Galloway) there is this superb Clyde-type chambered cairn with a monumental curving façade of eight tall uprights. The forecourt was used for ritual ceremonies. In front of the entrance there is a closing stone, now prostrate. The cairn, measuring 43m x 10m, has been robbed of most of its material. The chamber is built with in an inner and outer compartment, the inner one oddly built as a box, inaccessible from the outer one, as visible in the photo. The site was excavated in 1949. Little is known about the burials for the acid soil conditions have dissolved the bones. Among the objects found in the outer compartment were part of an axe of jadeite, a rare green stone imported from the Alps and a leaf-shaped arrowhead. The axe is kept in the Royal Museum of Scotland, in Edinburgh. Some 150m uphill is another fine chambered cairn, Cairnholy II. In care of Historic Scotland

Other chambered cairns ------------------ Achnacree (Carn Ban) Barpa Langass Beorgs of Housetter Blackhammer Cairnholy I Cairnholy II Camster Long Camster Round Camus nan Geall Clettraval Cnoc Freiceadain North Cnoc Freiceadain South Coille na Borgie South Cuween Hill East Bennan Garrywhin (Cairn o' Get) Holm of Papa Westray North Holm of Papa Westray South Isbister (Tomb of the Eagles) Knowe of Lairo Knowe of Yarso Maes Howe Midhowe Nether Largie South Ord North Ord South Punds Water South Yarrows South Taversoe Tuick Torrylin Unival Unstan Vinquoy Wideford Hill Other sites in Dumfries & Galloway ---------------------- Cairnholy I Cairnholy II Girdle Stanes Glenquicken Glenterrow High Banks Loupin' Stanes Torhousekie Twelve Apostles Wren's Egg