What is recorded here
Magic and ceremony swirled around this stone, marking the birthplace of power for Dal Riata and the Hebrides. A tall rectangular slab rises from a grassy hollow beside the Hell River, its flat top sloping east like a tongue waiting to speak. The northern face pockmarks with tiny solution holes, as if rain had whispered secrets into the rock for centuries.
On a slight rise W of the NW-SE Hell River, and c. 40m WSW of the inauguration mound (CL034-095001-/CL034-095007-). A rectangular orthostat (0.9m x 0.24m; H 1.75-2m) aligned ENE-WSW. The top is flat and slopes down to the E (0.74m by 0.2m to 0.22m). It is in a slight grass-covered hollow (2.4m NW-SE; 3m NE-SW). The N side has a lot of solution holes (Wth 0.02m; D 0.01m). (Westropp 1917, 11)
Compiled by: Michael Moore
Date of upload: 19 June 2018
Probably dating to the early medieval period, this standing stone may be associated with the nearby inauguration mound, suggesting a ceremonial or symbolic role linked to local kingship traditions. Such stones were often used in the investiture of rulers, reflecting the spiritual and political significance of the landscape.
The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.
- What survives
- Recorded monument
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