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Scotland   Argyll and Bute (Mainland)   Kilmartin Area  

Kintraw

Standing Stone / Menhir

<b>Kintraw</b>Posted by winterjcImage © Norie
Nearest Town:Lochgilphead (17km SSE)
OS Ref (GB):   NM8305 / Sheet: 55
Latitude:56° 11' 16.82" N
Longitude:   5° 29' 51.07" W



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<b>Kintraw</b>Posted by Howburn Digger <b>Kintraw</b>Posted by GLADMAN <b>Kintraw</b>Posted by GLADMAN <b>Kintraw</b>Posted by postman <b>Kintraw</b>Posted by notjamesbond <b>Kintraw</b>Posted by greywether <b>Kintraw</b>Posted by greywether <b>Kintraw</b>Posted by greywether <b>Kintraw</b>Posted by greywether <b>Kintraw</b>Posted by greywether <b>Kintraw</b>Posted by greywether <b>Kintraw</b>Posted by wee_malky <b>Kintraw</b>Posted by wee_malky <b>Kintraw</b>Posted by wee_malky <b>Kintraw</b>Posted by IronMan <b>Kintraw</b>Posted by winterjc <b>Kintraw</b>Posted by winterjc <b>Kintraw</b>Posted by winterjc <b>Kintraw</b>Posted by winterjc

Fieldnotes

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Although it is the 4m high standing stone which naturally attracts most of the attention here, the cairns are also interesting.

The largest (Cairn A) is 15m diameter and has a number of its kerbstones still visible. There was a false portal in the SW (no longer visible but it can be seen in 1699 sketch posted by Paulus) and in front of that lies a 2.3m recumbent monolith which may be in its original position as no stone hole was found.

A kerb cairn (Cairn B) lies to the SW of Cairn A. It is 7.3m in diameter and its kerbstones are still clearly visible.

There is space to pull off the road at the site and a new metal "kissing gate" has been installed.

Visited 22 June 2004
greywether Posted by greywether
23rd June 2004ce

We visited this site in Feb.2000. What a view. Situated high above the head of Loch Craignish on a steep bend in the A816 a short drive north from Kilmartin village.
The views SE over Loch Craignish towards the mountains of Jura and Islay are outstanding.
We had no time to explore the complex Alexander Thom theory as described in the MA. However, this stone seems to have a definite and precise vertical presence which would perhaps support this theory. The journey here is a must, if visiting the Kilmartin area.
Posted by winterjc
25th November 2001ce

Folklore

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One imagines the fairy hill of the story to be the cairn at Kintraw.
Many years ago, the wife of the farmer at Kintraw fell ill and died, leaving two or three young children. The Sunday after the funeral the farmer and his servants went to church, leaving the children at home in charge of the eldest, a girl of about ten years of age. On the farmer's return the children told him their mother had been to see them, and had combed their hair and dressed them. As they still persisted in their statement after being remonstrated with, they were punished for telling what was not true.

The following Sunday the same thing occurred again. The father now told the children, if their mother came again, they were in inquire of her why she came. Next Sunday, when she reappeared, the eldest child put her father's question to her, when the mother told them she had been carried off by the "Good People" (Daione Sìth), and could only get away for an hour or two on Sundays, and should her coffin be opened it would be found to contain only a withered leaf.

The farmer, much perplexed, went to the minister for advice, who scoffed at the idea of any supernatural connection with the children's story, ridiculed the existence of "Good People," and would not allow the coffin to be opened. The matter was therefore allowed to rest. But, some little time after, the minister, who had gone to Lochgilphead for the day, was found lying dead near the Fairies' Hill, a victim, many people thought, to the indignation of the Fairy world he had laughed at.

from
Lord Archibald Campbell, Waifs and Strays of Celtic Tradition, Argyllshire Series, vol. 1 (London: David Nutt, 1889), pp. 71-72.

Campbell's source: Mrs. Annie Thorpe née Miss MacDougall of Lunga, Ardbecknish, Lochow.

online at Folklore and Mythology
Electronic Texts
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/abduct.html#fairyhill
Rhiannon Posted by Rhiannon
22nd June 2004ce
Edited 20th May 2005ce

Miscellaneous

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This site may possibly mark the Winter Solstice sunset as the sun sets in the Paps of Jura. Posted by Martin
28th December 2001ce

Links

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PSAS 99


Short excavation report with plans.
greywether Posted by greywether
5th December 2003ce