Cairnholy

Cairnholy consists of two stone burial monuments standing on a hillside with views across Wigtown Bay, distinguished by tall pillar stones and ritual chambers. The structures display the typical construction style of Clyde cairns, with massive stones fitted tightly at their ends.

The two burial monuments were built during the fourth millennium BC and follow the Clyde cairn architectural style common across southwest Scotland. This tomb type merged local building practices with traditions that extended across a wide geographic area.

The site reveals Neolithic practices through artifacts uncovered during excavations in 1949, including jade axes, pottery fragments, and flint arrowheads. These objects point to ritual activities and trade connections with distant regions.

The site is freely accessible year-round without any entrance charges. Parking is available near Cairnholy Farm off the A75 road, providing convenient access to the monuments.

Two nearby rocky outcrops display prehistoric cup and ring markings carved into their surfaces by earlier inhabitants. These patterns suggest the landscape held ritual importance long before the burial monuments were constructed.

Location: Dumfries and Galloway

Website: https://historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/cairn-holy-chambered-cairns

GPS coordinates: 54.85920,-4.30958

Latest update: December 12, 2025 09:08