Tomb or burial place · Prehistoric · North Ayrshire
Carn Ban, Arran
A grass-covered cairn lies in a forest clearing on a steep Arran slope. Carn Ban is a Neolithic chambered tomb, a prehistoric burial monument with an internal stone chamber, and one of the best-known long cairns of south-west Scotland.
The tomb belongs to the Clyde cairn tradition, a south-west Scottish type of long burial cairn with a chambered interior. Its trapezoidal mound, forecourt and divided chamber link it closely with nearby Torrylin Cairn, while the long walk to the clearing gives the site a more remote feel than many Arran monuments.
What follows is drawn from published sources, with each claim labelled by how firmly it is established.
History
Carn Ban is a Neolithic chambered tomb on the Isle of Arran.
The source pack describes it as one of the most famous Neolithic long cairns in south-west Scotland.
It is a Clyde cairn, meaning a south-west Scottish type of long burial cairn with stone chambers.
The monument has a trapezoidal plan and a semicircular forecourt at the upper north-eastern end.
Its entrance led into a long chamber divided by cross-slabs.
Late 19th-century excavation found only a flint flake, a fragment of unburnt human bone and a pitchstone flake.
The pack notes a close comparison with Torrylin Cairn, about three miles to the south-west.
What to look for
-
Long cairn form
The mound follows the elongated plan associated with Clyde cairns.
-
Forecourt
The upper end of the cairn had a semicircular forecourt before the chamber entrance.
-
Divided chamber
Cross-slabs split the burial chamber into internal compartments.
-
Forest clearing
The cairn stands partly grassed over in a clearing on a south-west-facing slope.
Plan your visit
- Location
- 55.4881°N · 5.1813°W
- Access
- Open access
- Terrain
- Easy going
Opening & admission
The pack links to a Historic Environment Scotland visitor guide; check current official access and route information before travelling.
- The pack describes a four-mile, or six-kilometre, walk to the site.
- The cairn lies in a forest clearing on a steep south-west-facing slope.
Nearby places
Questions people ask
- What is Carn Ban?
- Carn Ban is a Neolithic chambered tomb, meaning a prehistoric burial cairn with an internal stone chamber, on Arran.
- What type of cairn is Carn Ban?
- It is a Clyde cairn, a type of long chambered cairn found in south-west Scotland.
- What was found at Carn Ban?
- Excavation found a flint flake, a fragment of unburnt human bone and a pitchstone flake.
- Is Carn Ban easy to reach?
- The pack describes a four-mile, or six-kilometre, walk to the site, so visitors should check route conditions before travelling.
Sources
The Ancient Codex, in your pocket
Get the Pocket Codex app
Carry the directory with you — Carn Ban, Arran and thousands of ancient places across Britain and Ireland, offline, wherever you roam.