Stone compartments survive beside Kilmory Water just south of Lagg. Torrylin Cairn is a Neolithic chambered tomb, a prehistoric burial cairn with an internal stone chamber, though stone robbing and later field clearance have left its original outline uncertain.
The cairn belongs to the Clyde cairn tradition, a south-west Scottish type of long chambered cairn. Antiquarian excavation revealed a divided burial chamber, with the innermost compartment still holding the remains of adults and children alongside a flint tool and pottery fragment.
What follows is drawn from published sources, with each claim labelled by how firmly it is established.
History
Torrylin Cairn is the remains of a Neolithic chambered tomb near Kilmory on Arran. The cairn stands beside Kilmory Water just south of the hamlet of Lagg. Stone robbing and later dumping of field stones have made its original shape and size uncertain.
The monument is a Clyde cairn, meaning a south-west Scottish type of long chambered burial cairn. The tomb probably had a crescent-shaped forecourt framed by a facade of slender upright stones. Nineteenth-century antiquarian excavation uncovered an elongated burial chamber divided into four compartments.
Only the innermost compartment was intact during excavation. The intact compartment contained the remains of six adults, a child and an infant, together with a flint tool and a pottery fragment. The source pack compares Torrylin with the better-preserved Carn Ban to the north-east.
What to look for
-
Divided chamber
The chamber was separated into four burial compartments.
-
Damaged cairn body
Stone robbing and dumped field stones make the original mound difficult to read.
-
Forecourt evidence
The tomb probably had a crescent-shaped forecourt at the front.
-
Kilmory Water setting
The cairn lies beside the watercourse south of Lagg.
Plan your visit
- Location
- 55.4408°N · 5.2339°W
- Access
- Open access
- Terrain
- Moderate walking
Opening & admission
The pack gives a Historic Environment Scotland designation but no current admission details; check current official access information before travelling.
- The cairn lies beside Kilmory Water south of Lagg.
- Stone robbing and dumped field stones have obscured the original cairn shape.
Nearby places
Questions people ask
- What is Torrylin Cairn?
- It is a Neolithic chambered tomb, meaning a prehistoric burial cairn with an internal chamber, on Arran.
- What type of cairn is Torrylin?
- It is a Clyde cairn, a type of long chambered cairn found in south-west Scotland.
- What was found in Torrylin Cairn?
- The intact compartment contained the remains of six adults, a child and an infant, with a flint tool and pottery fragment.
- Why is Torrylin Cairn hard to read today?
- The source pack says stone robbing and later dumping of field stones have made its original shape and size uncertain.
Sources
The Ancient Codex, in your pocket
Get the Pocket Codex app
Carry the directory with you — Torrylin Cairn and thousands of ancient places across Britain and Ireland, offline, wherever you roam.