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Cairnholy I

Cairnholy I is a chambered cairn which stands in a majestic position on a hillside overlooking Wigtown Bay.

What can be seen today are the stones of an internal burial chamber and associated ante-chamber which would once have been covered with smaller stones within the mound of a cairn. The complex dates back to the 4th millenium BC.

The burial chamber consists of four slabs of stone on top of which would probably have been topped off with a covering stone.

To the east of the chamber are two tall portal stones with three further shorter pillars arranged on either side of those.

The cairn originally stretched west from the burial chamber, and while most of the cairn material was robbed for field walls and building in the 18th century its extent can be identified by a low mound edged with stones.

Around 200m further up the hill is a second chambered cairn, Cairnholy II.

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Alternative names for Cairnholy I

Cairn Holy I; Cairn Holy 1; Cairnholy 1

Where is Cairnholy I?

Cairnholy I is in the parish of Kirkmabreck and the county of Wigtownshire.

Grid reference: NX 51760 53890

Lat / long: 54.857776, -4.310896

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OS Map for Cairnholy I

OS map 312
Kirkcudbright & Castle Douglas (Gatehouse of Fleet)
OS Explorer map 312


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Directions to Cairnholy I

Enter a starting point

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Weather at Cairnholy I

21°C
max 21°C / min 21°C
5km/h ESE
1024mb
61%
69%
03:38 20:58

Broken clouds
Weather observed at Gatehouse of Fleet at 16:15

References (books)

Guide to Prehistoric Scotland
Richard Feachem
London, 1963

References (websites)

Canmore
Historic Environment Scotland

Ancient sites near Cairnholy I

Cairnholy II chambered cairn

0.2km away

Eggerness Castle fort

6.5km away

Trusty's Hill fort

7.4km away

Castle Feather fort

20.8km away

Stairhaven broch

30.8km away

Craigenholly souterrain

33.3km away

Dunragit cursus

36.8km away

Cults Loch souterrain

39.9km away

Cults Loch 1 crannog

40.1km away
more ancient sites....
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Castles near Cairnholy I

Kirkdale (site of)

0.7km away

Barholm Castle

1.0km away

Carsluith Castle

2.3km away

Kirkclaugh motte

2.4km away

Cassencarie

5.6km away

Ardwall (possible) (site of)

6.4km away

Eggerness Castle (site of)

6.5km away

Bush o’ Bield (possible) (site of)

6.6km away

Eggerness

6.8km away
more castles....
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Pictish stones near Cairnholy I

Eggerness Class I rock carving

7.4km away

Trusty's Hill Class I rock carving

7.4km away

Borthwick Mains Class I symbol stone

110.2km away

Princes Street Gardens Class I symbol stone

140.6km away

Abernethy No. 2 Class III symbol stone

140.8km away

Abernethy No. 4 Class III cross shaft

140.8km away

Hawkhill Class III cross-slab

144.0km away

Old Kilmadock 2 Class I symbol stone

149.7km away

Old Kilmadock 1 Class II cross slab

149.7km away
more Pictish stones....
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Pictish sites near Cairnholy I

Whitecleugh silver chain

72.2km away

Todholes (possible) silver chain

105.6km away

Borland silver chain

107.2km away

Whitlaw silver chain

136.3km away

Haddington silver chain

156.3km away

Traprain Law silver chain

161.9km away

Hoardweel silver chain

166.4km away

Norrie's Law hoard

178.0km away

Dunnicaer fort

269.5km away
more Pictish sites....
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Accommodation near Cairnholy I

Cally Palace Hotel
hotelGatehouse of Fleet
8.2km away
Glaisnock House
bed and breakfastWigtown
8.5km away
ReadingLasses
café, self-catering apartmentWigtown
8.5km away
The Ship Inn
hotelGatehouse of Fleet
8.6km away
The Bruce Hotel, Newton Stewart
hotelNewton Stewart
15.4km away
Creebridge House Hotel
hotelNewton Stewart
15.8km away
Galloway Arms Hotel
hotelMinnigaff
15.8km away
Minnigaff SYHA Hostel
hostelNewton Stewart
16.4km away
Selkirk Arms Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barKirkcudbright
16.7km away
Old Place of Monreith
self-cateringPort William
17.4km away

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bed and breakfasts
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more accommodation....

Cafés, restaurants & bars near Cairnholy I

ReadingLasses
café, self-catering apartmentWigtown
8.5km away
Selkirk Arms Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barKirkcudbright
16.7km away
King's Arms Hotel, Castle Douglas
hotel, restaurant, barCastle Douglas
25.9km away
Tigh Na Mara Hotel
hotel, restaurantSandhead
42.1km away
Cavens Country House Hotel
hotel, restaurantDumfries
46.1km away
Aston Hotel Dumfries
hotel, restaurant, barDumfries
50.8km away
Best Western Station Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barDumfries
51.1km away
Friars Carse Country House Hotel
hotel, restaurantAuldgirth
51.3km away
Premier Inn Dumfries
hotel, restaurantDumfries
53.6km away
Trigony Country House Hotel
hotel, restaurantThornhill
54.2km away
more food.... / more drink....

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Dunbar harbour and castle
Published on the 4th of April 2019 at 12:25 pm. Updated on the 10th of April 2019 at 12:26 pm.

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About

Andy Sweet above Fast Castle

Stravaiging around Scotland is written, photographed and researched by Andy Sweet.
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