Cairnholy

The megalithic structures of Cairnholy (I + II) are located 150 m apart on a slope above Kirkdale.

Cairnholy I

Eight tall, slender stones of the slightly concave exedra and many stones of the chamber have been preserved. The two portal steles, each about three meters high, are particularly striking. They formed the entrance to the chamber, which was closed by a tall, narrow closure stone with a hole in the ground for anchoring. The closure stone now lies overturned between the portal steles. The cairn was originally about 43 meters long and ten meters wide. The trapezoidal stone mound that covered the chamber is oriented west-east. The chamber consisted of two areas, the part further back was also separated from the area closer to the entrance by a closure stone.

During the excavations in 1949, some grave goods were recovered. The most important was part of an axe, made of green jadeite, which comes from the Alps.