Two chambers of different plans make Tarradale an unusual Neolithic tomb and part of a wider concentration of cairns between the Beauly and Cromarty firths.
Quick facts
- Date
- Neolithic, probably 3800–2500 BC
- Architect / designer
- Unknown Neolithic community
- Type
- Orkney-Cromarty type chambered cairn with two chambers
- Designation
- Scheduled monument (SM13628)
- OS grid reference
- NH 54996 49734
Architecture, archaeology and continuing use
The surviving cairn occupies a knoll and contains two adjacent chambers built with upright slabs. Their differing layouts may represent separate phases, giving the monument unusual potential to reveal how communal burial places changed over generations.
Its story
The tomb was probably used between about 3800 and 2500 BC. It was rediscovered in 1999 during field investigation and scheduled in 2016 after its form and national importance were reassessed.
Why it is included
Scheduling recognises a well-preserved and potentially multi-phase chambered cairn that can illuminate Neolithic burial, architecture and settlement across the firth landscape.
What to notice
- The cairn's position on a natural knoll.
- Upright slabs defining the chamber structures.
- Differences between the two chamber plans.
Reading the surroundings
Do not move stones, clear vegetation or enter private woodland or fields without permission. Ground can be uneven and the monument is protected from disturbance.
Timeline
- Circa 3800–2500 BC Neolithic communities built and used the chambered tomb.
- 1999 Field investigation brought the cairn back to archaeological attention.
- 2016 The monument was scheduled for its national importance.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
The construction sequence and duration of use remain archaeological interpretations rather than precisely dated events.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Tarradale Chambered Cairn, SM13628 — Designation status, mapped location, date, fabric and architectural or archaeological interest.
- Highland HER: Tarradale chambered cairn — Rediscovery history, field observations and the monument's place in the local prehistoric landscape.
Location
OS grid reference NH 54996 49734 · 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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