Site Report

WoSASPIN 7970
NS48SE 7 458 807.

NS 458 807. This Clyde group, chambered long cairn has been much robbed and disturbed, and is no more than 3' high. Situated on a gentle slope, it measures 44' long from the facade and tapers from 26' wide at the E end to a rounded W end. At 34' behind the entrance a line of stones amongst the cairn material runs transversely to the axis. Though not set in the ground, they may represent the true end of the cairn.
A kerb of stones running in a straight line obliquely across the SW corner of the cairn certainly appears secondary. Four stones of a slightly concave facade can be seen. There is a considerable amount of stone on each side of the forecourt, which presumably accumulated when the cairn was wrecked, but some flat slabs which may be part of a forecourt blocking may be seen against the E face of the N facade stone. The two outer side stones of the chamber are visible, both leaning acutely into the chamber, which has been at least 13'10" long.
A S Henshall 1972.

No trace of this cairn could be found. Although the general area is under afforestation, approximately half an acre has been left unplanted which the Forestry Officer (Drymen) understands was because of the existence of this cairn. However, part of this open area has been since used as a quarry and a road also passes through it.
Visited by OS (J P) 13 November 1975.
This cairn has recently been destroyed by quarrying during the construction of a forestry road. Formerly it consisted of a mound measuring 13.4m in length by 7.9m in maximum width and orientated ENE-WSW. Four stones of the facade survived, together with the remains of an axial chamber behind them.
RCAHMS 1978, visited 1978

Letter from GU Post Grad, Allan Park, relocating this monument and also 7971, the associated standing stone. So apparentlty they were not destroyed by quarrying at all. SJ 5/9/02

Despite previous reports, this site has not been destroyed by quarrying or road construction and is much as described by Henshall (1972). The ruinous remains of the chambered cairn are located at the N side of a forest clearing. The structure comprises a sub-rectangular spread of boulders averaging c.0.4m across, and occupies a ridge of bedrock running WNW/ESE. The mound has a rounded end to the W, while the central area is sunken, and several large slabs, probably collapsed lintels, are visible in the interior. At the NE corner of the mound, two large orthostats protrude from the rubble, indicating the position of the E-facing façade. Immediately to the S and W of these orthostats are two large slabs, one disc-shaped and 1.2m across, the other cuboid and 1.1m in length. It is likely that these represent displaced lintels of the central passage. The passage itself is choked with rubble but large set stones are visible on either side, particularly on the S, and suggest that the chamber was 4.5m in length. The cairn material either side of the chamber is slight, suggesting that the cairn body has been heavily robbed. There is no sign of the reported standing stone or shielings in the area, though there are several bedrock outcrops and a small round cairn, c.3m in diameter, 30m to the E of the cairn.
Cavers, G., AOC Archaeology Group, 'Kilpatrick Hills and Cochno Hill North: An archaeological survey', 2013

The Shiels of Gartlea Cairn lies within a clearing in the forest plantation which is sheltered by tree plantations to the E and W. To the N of the cairn is
an area of deforestation which has been accessed by logging vehicles from the forestry track, lying 30m SW of the cairn. To the SE of the cairn there is a natural
elongated mound which is abuted to the S by a rubble heap created by the working quarry lying 60m to the SE of the cairn. The cairn sits at a height in the landscape of about 226mOD which would have had good views of the landscape to the N and W before the forestry was planted. The cairn is lying on a terrace at the top of a S-facing slope which joins a natural ridge to the E of the cairn. The ridge has several areas of exposed areas of bedrock upon it along with an unrelated clearance cairn 30m to the ENE of the Shiels of Gartlea cairn.

The Shiels of Gartlea cairn is a Clyde-type cairn which has been damaged by the Forestry Commission Scotland plantation works to the NW of the structure. The cairn measures 10.3m along its ENE-WSW oriented axis and 5.1m in width. It survives as an overgrown mound of drystone rubble measuring less than 0.8m in height with a further spread of rubble around its extents. It is more clearly seen from the S as it sits up on a natural slope making it appear larger.

The facade is on the E and is facing uphill as the cairn lies on a gentle west facing slope. Two in-situ orthostats are situated to the N of where the entrance would most likely be located with the Southern lying on the N side of the possible entrance. Two large stones are lying prostrate in front of the facade and may have once been part of it. Another two stones are lying just W of the possible entrance on the cairn body. The N stone may be a fallen orthostat from the chamber and the S stone is more likely a displaced capstone.

A set stone lying within the centre of the cairn body represents the last visible remains of the SSE side of the chamber. A stone lying on top of the set stone is probably a displaced capstone.

The cairn is largely overgrown but rubble is visible in places across the body with three stones at the NE of the cairn possibly once part of the cairn kerb, although no longer in-situ.

The condition of the monument is extremely ruinous due to forestry works and the growth of trees upon the body of the cairn itself. It is recommended that the trees present on the cairn are removed and 15m buffer established around the site.
Hudson, G. & Humble, J., AOC Archaeology Group, 'Shiels of Gartlea Cairn and Lang Cairn, Dumbarton: Neolithic Chambered Cairns. Archaeological survey, February/March 2017', 2017