Sweathouse in Kilross

Listed in both the SMR (1989) and the RMP (1995) and classified 'Sweathouse'. Not shown on any edition of the OS 6-inch map. In poorly drained pasture, at the base of a gentle N-facing slope. The remains consist of a semicircular depression (diam. c. 3.3m; D 0.7m) lined with stones. There is a modern field drain to NE and a field boundary to E. This is probably post-1700 AD in date. Compiled by: Archaeological Survey Unit, UCC Date of upload: 13 December 2011

Linked to traditional sweat-house rituals, possibly used for physical cleansing and healing. Sweathouses were often associated with saintly sites or folk practices involving heat, water, and prayer for cure of ailments such as rheumatism.