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Highland (Mainland): Latest Posts — Folklore

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Balnaroid (Standing Stone / Menhir)

The solitary pillar of the circle at Ballinrait is said to have served the purpose of a sun dial, just as a tree or post in the same neighbourhood was the clock of the clachan. The other stones of the circle were broken up some sixty years ago. It is related that one old man used every morning to walk round the circle three times before beginning work, from the belief that his so doing would bring him good luck.
From 'History of Nairnshire' by George Bain, 1893.
http://www.archive.org/stream/historyofnairnsh00bainuoft#page/4
Rhiannon Posted by Rhiannon
14th October 2011ce

Newmore Wood Cairn (Cairn(s))

Near this cairn and the cup-and-ring-marked rock is a stone called Clach Ceann a' Mheoir. I can't find a photo of it. But it gets named on the OS map so I think it must be quite sizeable. It's got its own folklore:
In the parish of Rosskeen there is a large boulder-stone called Clach ceann nam meur, the "Stone of the Finger Ends," at the east of the Farm of Dalnacloich, "the field of the stone." Connected with this stone is a tradition which shows it as a horrible memorial of feudal times - that a laird of Achnacloich, when settling marches, asked a youth, whom he had taken to witness the settlement, whether he would remember that as the march-stone. On his replying that he would, the Laird commanded him to lay his hand flat upon the stone, and with a stroke of his sword cut off the tips of the lad's fingers, saying, "You will remember it now." And posterity still remembers it.
This seems so unwarranted and unpleasant I can't help wondering whether the name comes from something else.. yes I'm just looking for a cupmarky connection. Sometimes stones are said to bear the fingermarks of some giant or devil. Wouldn't it be nice if there were some fingermarks on the stone... if you're passing you could look?!

Quote from 'Names of Places in Easter Ross' by the Rev. William Taylor, in The Scottish Geographical Magazine, v2, 1886.
http://www.archive.org/stream/scottishgeograph02scotuoft#page/16/
Rhiannon Posted by Rhiannon
11th October 2011ce

Acharra (Standing Stone / Menhir)

This stone probably does not have anything to do with this story: you'd imagine you'd want one more horizontal for balancing milk in. But it being (as the RCAHMS record strongly states) 'one of the most impressive standing stones in Lorn', it surely has added to the Respect for Stones in the area. The Acharra stone is a hefty 3.7m high with a pointy tip. It's about a mile from Achadh nan Darach.
The being which attached herself to the farm-house of Achindarroch (Acha-nan-darach, field of oaks) in Glenduror, Appin, Argyleshire, was variously known as the Glaistig and as the Gruagach of Glenduror. She attended to the cattle, and took particular charge of keeping the calves from the cows at night. She followed the house (not the family), and was alive not many years ago. A portion of the milk was poured out for her every evening on a stone called Clach na Glaistig (the Glaistig stone), and once this was neglected by a new tenant, the calves were found next morning with the cows.

Her face was described by those who professed to have seen her, as being like a grey stone overgrown with lichens. A servant girl, going on a dark evening to draw water from a stream flowing past the house, was asked by her fellow-servants if she was not afraid of the Glaistig. In her reply she spoke contemptuously of that being, and on her way to the stream received a slap on the cheek that twisted her head to one side. The following evening, going on the same errand, she got a slap on the other cheek that put her head right.
From p162 of 'Superstitions of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland' by John Gregorson Campbell (1900), where you can read more about this type of creature, associated with various Scottish locations (and generally with similar Gruagach stones for milk).
http://www.archive.org/stream/cu31924029909896#page/n185/
Rhiannon Posted by Rhiannon
18th April 2011ce

Mains of Moyness (Ring Cairn)

The Moyness Stone Circle has been dismantled, but it was unique in one respect. One of the boulders of which the circle was composed was said to have been a rocking stone or loggan, and according to traditionary belief was used as an ordeal stone for determining the innocence or guilt of a person accused of crime. If the stone rocked when the person was placed on it, guilt was established; if it remained unmoved, innocence was declared. Considerable sanctity, as may be supposed, attached to this tell-tale stone with its mysterious movements, but the school children of later times, with irreverent familiarity, were wont to play upon it.
From p3 of 'History of Nairnshire' by George Bain (1893).
Rhiannon Posted by Rhiannon
21st February 2011ce

Blairmore (Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork)

This area is full of hut circles, cairns and other traces. http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/6006/details/blairmore/
My friend, the Rev. Mr. Joass of Eddertoun (Ross-shire) has been prosecuting similar researches to my own with great vigour [..] his notes of exploration are so exceedingly interesting that I prefer incorporating them in their entirety [..]

" In Rogart [..] I found similar pairs of [hut] circles associated with tumuli , which latter are connected, in the traditions of the district, with battles fought between the McKays and Sutherlands within the historic period. Such stories frequently spring up to suit the circumstances of particular localities. The kists of these tumuli indicate that they were not the hurriedly got-up graves of those who fell in battle, but the burial places of detached settlements [..]"
Some Further Notes upon Pre-Historic Hut-Circles, by G E Roberts. J of the Anth. Soc of London (vol 3, 1865).
Rhiannon Posted by Rhiannon
9th February 2011ce

Clach Mhic Mhios, Glen Loth (Standing Stone / Menhir)

Found on the Am Baile website, from the John O'Groats Journal Christmas Edition 1929...

" The legend concerning it is that a month old son (which is English for Mac Mese) carried it there from the top of Ravens Rock, one of the surrounding hills. "

http://www.ambaile.org.uk/en/item/item_page.jsp?item_id=92804

(click to enlarge photo, then look to bottom right corner)
summerlands Posted by summerlands
8th February 2011ce

Skail (Chambered Cairn)

From the Northern Times, Published: 25 May, 2007 (report on annual summer school of the Council for Scottish Archaeology at Bettyhill)

"at Skail, discussion centred on the denuded neolithic chamber known locally as "the Temple", associated in folklore and possibly in reality, with Sagart Ruadh, the "Red Priest", a Columban cleric said to have died there at the hands of a Norse warrior."

http://www.northern-times.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/2059/Exploring_north_Sutherland_s_archaeological_heritage.html
summerlands Posted by summerlands
6th February 2011ce

Knockfarrel (Hillfort)

On the summit of the hill we met two boys herding cows [...and] we were curious enough to ask them if they ever heard of Coinneach Odhar [the Brahan Seer] in the district, and if he ever said anything regarding the fort on Knockfarrel. They took us to what they called "Fingal's Well," in the interior of the ruined fort, and said that this well was used by the inhabitants of the fortress "until Fingal, one day, drove them out, and placed a large stone over the well, which has ever since kept the water from oozing up, after which he jumped to the other side of the (Strathpeffer) valley."

There being considerable rains for some days prior to our visit, water could be seen in the "well," but one of the boys drove down his stick until he reached the stone, producing a hollow sound which unmistakably indicated the existence of a cavity beneath it. "Coinneach Odhar foretold," said the boy, "that if ever that stone was taken out of its place, Loch Ussie would ooze up through the well and flood the valley below to such an extent that ships would sail up to Strathpeffer and be fastened to Clach an Tiompan; and this would happen after the stone had fallen three times. It has already fallen twice, " continued our youthful informant, "and you can now see it newly raised, strongly and carefully propped up, near the end of the doctor's house."
From 'The Prophecies of the Brahan Seer' by Alexander Mackenzie (1877).
Rhiannon Posted by Rhiannon
21st December 2010ce

Windhill (Standing Stones)

If one of these is the Clach an t-Seasaidh, as Postman suggests, then it's got some gory folklore:
We have received various versions of the, as yet, unfulfilled prediction regarding Clach an t-Seasaidh, near the Muir of Ord. This is an angular stone, sharp at the top, which at one time stood upright, and was of considerable height. It is now partly broken and lying on the ground.
"The day will come when the ravens will, from the top of it, drink their three fulls, for three successive days, of the blood of the Mackenzies."

Mr Maclennan's version is:- "The day will come when the ravens will drink their full of the Mackenzies' blood three times off the top of the Clach Mhor, and glad am I (continues the Seer) that I will not live to see that day, for a bloody and destructive battle will be fought on the Muir of Ord. A squint-eyed (cam), pox-pitted, tailor will originate the battle; for men will become so scarce in those days that each of seven women will strive hard for the squint-eyed tailor's heart and hand, and out of this strife the conflict will originate."

Mr Macintyre writes regarding these:- "The prophecies that 'the raven would drink from the top of Clach-an-t'-seasaidh, its full of the blood of the Mackenzies for three successive days', and 'that the Mackenzies would be so reduced in numbers, that they would all be taken in an open fishing-boat (scuta dubh) back to Ireland from whence they originally came, remain still unfulfilled."
From 'The Prophecies of the Brahan Seer' by Alexander Mackenzie (1877).
Rhiannon Posted by Rhiannon
21st December 2010ce

Arpafeelie (Bullaun Stone)

A tradition exists regarding the stone. It seems that some fifty years ago an old man who occupied the farm of Taendore carried the stone to his house, either from a belief of some latent virtue or for more prosaic purposes. For three successive nights after its removal the family were disturbed by loud, mysterious noises, which on the third night reached a climax. The sounds were intensified, cattle bellowed, dogs howled all over the valley, and a dread voice, in tones of thunder, exclaimed in distinct syllables, "Put back that stone!" Instant obedience was given by the terror-stricken inmates, and the stone has rested untouched since then, and its mystic guardian has been silent.

Whispers are not uncommon in the district, that the stone also possesses hidden virtues similar to those of the font at Killianan on Loch Ness and other stones, when childless women bathe in its cloud-drawn waters immediately before sunrise.
From p387 of 'On cup-marked stones in the neighbourhood of Inverness' by William Jolly, in v16 of PSAS (1881/2).
Rhiannon Posted by Rhiannon
21st December 2010ce
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