Football Cairn Round Cairn View all content for Football Cairn

Fairly trashed cairn, as mentioned by Stan Beckensall in his 'Prehistoric Rock Art in Northumberland'. In the middle is a cist, the cover of which is rather substantial, and looks like it's been split in two at some point. The cist is probably the best surviving part of the cairn. It's main bulk has been spread by excavation in centuries past, and the kerb is visible in patches. But it's got the obligatory view of Simonside, added to which is a clear line of sight over the rest of the Cheviots, as far as Kielder to the east, and Cheviot itslef to the north west. It also has one of the little standing stones with a cup on top, which seem to come as part of the burial package in this area. It also has a couple of patches of rock art. I couldn't find the larger of the two, which SB says is the harder to spot. Having found the 'easy' one, I'm not surprised. It's just underneath the 'p' in 'sheepfold' on the map, and comprises of a large basin and a couple of motifs of cups and concentric rings, covered in lichen. Access to the cairn itself is by a fairly decent trackway/bridlepath, with a quick scramble over 20m or so of heather, mercifully bracken free. Revisited 09/05/05 Found Panel 1a with the aid of a gps contraption. It is so weathered. So very, very weathered. I can't see it being there for much longer. It's very close to the cairn, much closer than I'd previously thought, just down from the modern carving of a five-pointed star.

Posted by Hob 6th November 2004ce Edited 10th May 2005ce

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