The Shearers

© Copyright Andrew Curtis and licensed for reuse under creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0

A probable single stone row measuring at least 124m long, including 30 mainly medium and three  large-sized stones partly crossing a prominent ridge.  The row is sinuous in form, orientated east to west and sits within an historic field system. A nearby mound may represent a cairn. There are a number of landscape reveals. Uncertainty regarding its interpretation hinges on its proximity to an Iron Age fort and the possibility that it represents a robbed boundary wall similar to others known in the region. On balance a stone row interpretation seems most likely because no other boundaries of this type are known in the immediate vicinity, no relict bank is visible and the stone spacing is consistent.

Location

Scotland	Scottish Borders	Rest of Scotland	NT 79171 19272
Lat 55.46686831     Long -2.33095473

Map showing the location of The Shearers stone row.

Plan of The Shearers stone row (Source: survey at 1:500 by Sandy Gerrard, Andrew and Anne Tate).

Characteristics

Type: Single	Length: 109m
No. of stones: 30	Size of stones: Small, medium and large
Orientation: 96°	Altitude: 310m
Upper end: –	Lower end: –
Straight (Yes or No)  : No	Sea View: No
Context:  Prehistoric settlements, field systems and cairns
Notes: RCAHMS consider this site to be a field boundary, but photographs suggest that it may be a stone row. Furthermore it is scheduled as a stone row although the descriptive text indicates that it is considered to form part of an ancient field dyke. Burl follows this interpretation but also accepts that there is a degree of uncertainty. Barber notes that it is “a row of stones of unknown function” and is clear that it is not a dyke.

Other Information

Public Access:  Yes

Land Status:

Scheduled Ancient Monument: Yes

Identification

Category: Probable. This line of stones lies within an area of ridge and furrow close to Hownam hillfort and it is this that has probably led to concerns regarding a prehistoric stone row interpretation. The row is on the same alignment as the fields and for this reason it has been seen as being part of the field system. However, it is clearly possible that the fields could have been arranged to respect an earlier line of stones and therefore this itself cannot be seen as a reason for doubting a stone row explanation. Indeed if field boundaries were formed in this way one would expect to find similiar examples in the vicinity and apparently this is not the case. The form and character of the site is consistent with a stone row interpretation and therefore until proven otherwise it would seem appropriate to consider this is as a probable prehistoric stone row.

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Typology

This stone row is of Type S12. Information on this form of stone row and other rows of this type is available here.

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Photographs

© Copyright Walter Baxter and licensed for reuse under creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0

View from the western end of the row, looking north towards Hownam Rings hillfort © Anne T

View from the western end of the row, looking west north west towards where the ground drops down to the Bucht Sike Valley© Anne T

Boulders at the western end of the row, just down the hill.  This photo looks east back up along the row, which can be seen at the top of the hill against the horizon.  © Anne T

View from the low stones towards the east of the row, looking north towards Hownam Rings hillfort.

© Anne T

View towards the middle of the row, where the stones are larger, looking westwards towards the Bucht Sike valley.© Anne T

 View from the south east. © Anne T

The eastern length of the row and associated cairn. View from the west.

Stones forming the central length of the row. View from the east.

Stones forming the central length of the row. View from the east.

View from above and west showing the eastern part of the row (Scale 1m).

Looking east along the row. In common with longer rows this one has a sinuous form.

Length of row leading up the west facing slope. View from the west.

Looking east along the row (Scale 1m).

The central length of the row. View from the west (Scale 1m).

The western length of the row. View from the east (Scale 1m).

Individual Stones

Plan showing positions of numbered stones. Click on image to open a higher resolution plan.

Stone 1. View from south (Scale 1m).

Stone 2. View from south (Scale 1m).

Stone 3. View from south (Scale 1m).

Stone 4. View from south (Scale 1m).

Stone 5. View from south (Scale 1m).

Stone 6. View from south (Scale 1m).

Stone 7. View from south (Scale 1m).

Stones 8 (left) and 9 (right). View from south (Scale 1m).

Stones 10 (left) and 11 (right). View from south (Scale 1m).

Stone 12. View from south (Scale 1m).

Stone 13. View from south (Scale 1m).

Stone 14. View from south (Scale 1m).

Stone 15. View from south (Scale 1m).

Stone 16. View from south (Scale 1m).

Stone 17. View from south (Scale 1m).

Stone 18. View from south (Scale 1m).

Stone 19. View from south (Scale 1m).

Stone 20. View from south (Scale 1m).

Stone 21. View from south (Scale 1m).

Stone 22. View from south (Scale 1m).

Stone 22. View from south with Hownam Law beyond (Scale 1m).

Stone 23. View from south (Scale 1m).

Stone 24. View from south (Scale 1m).

Stone 25. View from south (Scale 1m).

Stone 26. View from south (Scale 1m).

Stone 27. View from south (Scale 1m).

Stone 28. View from south (Scale 1m).

Stone 29. View from south (Scale 1m).

Stone 30. View from south (Scale 1m).

Landcape Comments

A pair of stones appear to mimic Hownam Law in the background. A coincidence or deliberate?

View of Hownam Law just before it suddenly and rather unexpectedly disappears behind Hownam Rings. The row has therefore been built across the line of visibility to Hownam Law and its disappearance/appearance at stone 2 maybe significant and deliberate. 

Hownam Law which is a feature of the landscape for most of the row’s length suddenly disappears at stone 2. 

From the western end of the row the hills to the east are entirely hidden by the rising ground on which the row is built.  As you walk from stone 1 to stone 2 the hill summits appear one after the other.

As you approach stone 2 the tops of the distant hills including The Schil appear and are fully revealed as you walk eastward along the row.  It may significant that the western end of the row is built at the point where these hills cannot be seen.

In common with many longer rows The Shearers appears to have been carefully positioned to provide landscape reveals. It may also be significant that the western end of the row starts very close to a spring.

Access Information

Limited car parking is available in Hownam village at NT 77872 19153. From here follow the track uphill to the east.  There is a fine standing stone at NT 78747 18908 which is worth checking out. From here follow the track to NT 79205 19048 then head north.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Anne and Andrew Tate for helping with the survey and for sharing such an enjoyable day in another special place.

Online Resources 

Megalithic Portal     Modern Antiquarian     Canmore     John Barber

Other References

Burl, A., 1993, From Carnac to Callanish – The prehistoric rows and avenues of Britain, Ireland and Brittany, Yale University Press, New York and London, pg. 156.

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Timeline

VISITED:- 27th June 2018

FIRST PUBLISHED:- 29th January 2018

LAST UPDATED:- 23rd October 2018