A ring of kerbstones and surviving monoliths preserves a rare Clava-type burial and ceremonial monument within modern Aviemore.
Quick facts
- Date
- Late Neolithic or Early Bronze Age, fourth to third millennia BC
- Architect / designer
- Prehistoric builders; individual makers unknown
- Type
- Clava-type chambered cairn with outer kerb and surviving stone-circle monoliths
- Designation
- Scheduled monument (SM889)
- OS grid reference
- NH 89686 13478
Architecture, archaeology and continuing use
An outer kerb about thirteen metres across encloses a smaller inner ring. Most cairn material has gone, but four upright monoliths and a fallen stone still reveal the wider stone circle.
Its story
Communities in the late Neolithic or Early Bronze Age created the cairn within a wider Strathspey ritual landscape. It was first scheduled in 1935, and amended documentation in 2016 clarified the protected area and exclusions.
Why it is included
National importance rests on the monument’s structural survival, unexcavated archaeological potential and place within the restricted distribution of Clava cairns.
What to notice
- The near-complete outer kerb.
- The smaller inner ring visible through turf.
- Standing stones arranged beyond the cairn edge.
Reading the surroundings
Approach only by lawful public access and respect neighbouring homes. Do not climb, move stones, dig or disturb vegetation.
Timeline
- Fourth–third millennia BC Prehistoric communities constructed the chambered cairn and stone circle.
- 30 November 1935 The monument first received statutory scheduling.
- 16 June 2016 An amended schedule clarified the protected archaeological area.
- 2026 The unexcavated monument survives within Aviemore’s residential fabric.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
Most of the original cairn fill has been removed, and the monument has not been excavated to establish a finer chronology.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Aviemore Chambered Cairn and Stone Circle, SM889 — Designation status, mapped location, date, fabric and architectural or archaeological interest.
- Historic Environment Scotland scheduling record — Current protection, archaeological form, chronology and access-sensitive setting.
Location
OS grid reference NH 89686 13478 · Location confidence: High: the national designation supplies an official mapped National Grid Reference; an additional source confirms the Place relationship, history or current identity. · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
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