(NY 64189286) Devil's Lapful long cairn. (1)

A long cairn, parallel to footpath, 60 paces long overall. No indication as to which is the broadest or highest end. Has been much mutilated to provide stones for the sheepfold which is built entirely out of its north end. Can be seen from below by three pointed modern cairns made up on it. Situated in land being afforested this large cairn points west of south. (2)

Situated on a south west slope just about the 1000 foot contour. The cairn which is oriented NNE-SSW is about 200 feet long but has been disturbed at the northern end. At the south end, which is the best preserved, the width is about 40 feet.
The sheep folds on the west side of the cairn and the three curricks on top of the cairn were no doubt constructed from its stones and account for the present mutilation. The resulting hollows have exposed a number of slabby stones along the centre line of the cairn.
The cairn has an average height of 4 to 5 feet. An indefinite line of stones along the eastern edge may be the remains of a kerb, but there are no indications of ditches. At the northern end there is a suggestion of horns but the sheep folds in this area make it impossible for any certain conclusions to be drawn. (3)

A long cairn, oriented NNE-SSW, composed of large stones. It has a maximum length of 60m with a maximum height of 2m at the southern end and 1.2m at the northern, the central and maximum width is 16.5m.
The cairn has been badly mutilated throughout its length and no tapering is now visible; a currick has been erected upon the southern extremity, and a sheepfold constructed apparently with the original cairn material has been built adjacent to, and into, the north-west face.
There are no traces of kerbing or side ditches. Neither extremity shows 'horning'.
The feature is entirely surrounded by dense afforestation but may be approached by a fire-break. (4)

In poor condition. See photographs. Surveyed at 6 inch scale. (5)

Mainly as described. The general condition of this long cairn is poor; is now covered by a mass of felled trees and mutilated throughout its length by robbing. About 12m of the north east end have been severely robbed almost to ground level. A few internal depressions are probably the
result of robbing rather than of collapsed chambers. The curricks are now collapsed and barely visible. Surveyed at 1:10000. (6)

Further robbing holes can be seen along the spine of the cairn. The three curricks have been removed. The cairn measures c.58m long by 14m wide. Composed of rounded boulders and some slabs, with smaller stones around the edge. (7)

Plan and section of cairn. (8)

NY 6419 9285. Devil's Lapful Long Cairn, 1km E of Butteryhaugh
Bridge. Scheduled RSM No 25106. The cairn is orientated NNE-SSW and measures a maximum of 60m long and 14m wide and stands to a maximum height of 2m. (9)

NY 6418 9286. The Devil's Lapful long cairn was surveyed by RCHME at 1:500 scale in July 1997 as part of the Kielder SAM's Survey. The situation and general character of the cairn are as described by previous sources. The cairn measures 54m by 14m minimum, but as previous authorities have shown it is impossible to give precise dimensions due to the robbing of the stone from the north-eastern end of the cairn, and the concomitant building of the sheepfold into its north-western side. The heights of 2.0m and 1.2m, given by authority 4, are confirmed.

In addition to the wholesale removal of parts of the cairn the NE end of the cairn, its surface has been mutilated by up to 14 holes. The two largest appear to be shooting butts since the stones have been heaped around the hollow, but the rest are probably robbing.

There is no indication of `horning'; any suggestion of this is an effect created by the robbing. Nor is there any indication of a kerb, any internal structures or the three curricks (cairns) mentioned by earlier authorities.

The sheepfold is a dry-stone, three compartment structure measuring 14.8m by 7.9m overall, with walls up to 1.1m high set within a larger curvilinear field wall, in a ruinous state. (10)

NY 642 929. The Devil's Lapful. The cairn has suffered greatly from stone robbing, particularly at the NE end where it is almost completely robbed out, no doubt to build the sheepfolds which are attached to its NW side. Other robbing holes can be seen along the spine of the cairn but the three curricks mentioned in earlier accounts have now been removed. The lower SW half of the cairn is better reserved, and the SW end itself is gently convex. Overall the cairn measures about 58m along its major axis and about 14m in width, the sides being roughly parallel. The cairn survives to a height of almost 2m at the SW end and is about 1.20m high halfway along its length. Like Bellshiel Law, it is composed of rounded boulders and some slabs, with smaller stones around the edges. (11a)