Monument record MAB9577 - MUIRS OF KILDRUMMY

Souterrain, the main part orientated east-west, turning at a right angle at the west end to the narrow entrance.

Souterrain, the main part orientated east-west, turning at a right angle at the west end to the narrow entrance. It is one of two (see also NJ41NE0001) cleared out in by HG Lumsden 1875: it had been damaged by removal of stones in 1821 by a farmer. This, the northernmost, contained ashes and charred wood, animal bones and a broken stone lamp. The chamber floor is flat, the walling of drystone with capping slabs. An enclosure, circa 12m square, dug circa 0.60m deep, with earth thrown outwards, was said to have adjoined the souterrain. Some 40-50 other souterrains are said to have been found in area. The passage is 16m long, varying in width from 1.3m at the west end to 1.9m at the east end. Much of the original roofing of large slabs remains, although it has been removed at both east and west ends. The walls stand up to 1.7m high constructed mainly of angular random masonry on a base course of large irregular boulders. The upper levels of masonry are corbelled. A step of five steps at the entrance may be relatively modern, and at least two more steps may be buried beneath soil washed into this end. In the south wall near the east end is an entrance to a secondary chamber. At least two cup-marked slabs are incorporated into the roof. One, on the south side 4.6m from the east end, is only partially visible, the underside with cupmarks up to 7.5cm in diameter, two linked by a short length of channel. The other, on the north side, bears cup-and-ring marks, the stone too inaccessible to discern details. The cupmarked stones were recorded in May 2019 by Scotland's Rock Art Project. The stone on the south side is partially hidden by roofing slabs; in addition to the cup marks there are four wide parallel linear grooves. The northern slab is also partially hidden, but what appears to be seven shallow and un-eroded circular depressions were observed (although some of these may be natural), and one possible cup mark with a pecked arc.

6456 24-41, 6456 24-41 (Ground Photograph). SAB12722.

6457 36-40, 6457 36-40 (Ground Photograph). SAB12721.

AB 4129 (1943), AB 4129 (1943) (Ground Photograph). SAB12723.

AB 42 (1943), AB 42 (1943) (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB12720.

STUART, J, 1822, ARCH SCOT 2, 53 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1815.

ORDNANCE SURVEY, 1871, Ordnance Name Book, No47(1867) 49,67-8 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1360.

Author unknown, 1872, PSAS 9(1871-2) 220, 220 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1426.

LUMSDEN, HG, 1877, PSAS 12(1886-7) 356-8, 356-8 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1073.

REID, RW, 1924, ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE OF SPECIMENS FROM PREHIST INTERMENTS IN THE NE OF SCOTLAND IN ANTHROPOLOGICAL MUS, MARISCHAL COLLEGE, No 132 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1496.

SIMPSON, WD, 1943, PROVINCE OF MAR, PL 44 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1676.

DOE, 1966, A M's SCOT, 8 (Bibliographic reference). SAB353.

Jan 22 1981 , AAS/81/03/S3/3, AAS/81/03/S3/3 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB12719.

Record last edited

Mar 26 2026 3:01PM