The Modern Antiquarian. Ancient Sites, Stone Circles, Neolithic Monuments, Ancient Monuments, Prehistoric Sites, Megalithic Mysteries

Scotland   The Western Isles  

Lewis and Harris

<b>Lewis and Harris</b>Posted by a23Cnoc Fillibhear Bheag © a23
Also known as:
  • Eilean Leadhais

See individual sites for details

Added by TMA Ed

Show  |  Hide
Web searches for Lewis and Harris

Sites in this group:

23 posts
Achmore Stone Circle
1 post
Aird Sleitenish Stone Circle
3 posts
Airigh Mhaoldonuich Standing Stone / Menhir
4 posts
Ballantrushall Stone Circle
4 posts
Benside
3 posts
Bernera Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork
18 posts
20 sites
Callanish and its Environs
4 posts
Carnan a'Ghrodhair Souterrain
2 posts
Clachan a Chaluim Standing Stones
37 posts
Clach an Trushal Standing Stone / Menhir
5 posts
Clach an Tursa Standing Stone / Menhir
1 post
Clach Bioreach Standing Stone / Menhir
Clach Ghlas Standing Stone / Menhir
6 posts
Clach Stein Standing Stones
6 posts
Clach Stei Lin Stone Circle
5 posts
Cnoc Nan Dursainean Chambered Cairn
3 posts
Cnoc Na Croich Chambered Tomb
9 posts
Coir Fhinn Chambered Cairn
12 posts
Druim Dubh Stone Circle
2 posts
Dun Barraglom Broch
1 post
Dun Borranish Stone Fort / Dun
3 posts
Dun Borve Cup Marked Stone
33 posts
Dun Carloway Broch
3 posts
Dun Cromor Stone Fort / Dun
2 posts
Dun Loch an Duin Stone Fort / Dun
15 posts
Fang Circle Stone Circle
3 posts
Loch An Duin Stone Fort / Dun
6 posts
Loch an Duna Broch
3 posts
Loch An Dunain Stone Fort / Dun
22 posts
The Macleod Stone Standing Stone / Menhir
4 posts
Priests Glen
4 posts
Rodelpark Stone Fort / Dun
2 posts
Roghadal Stone Circle
15 posts
Rubha Charnain Cup Marked Stone
16 posts
Sgarasta Standing Stone / Menhir
20 posts
Steinacleit Stone Circle
4 posts
Stone 10
4 posts
Taransay Standing Stone / Menhir
13 posts
Traigh Bostadh Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork
2 posts
Traigh Na Berie Broch
Sites of disputed antiquity:
3 posts
Cleiteir Standing Stones Standing Stones
16 posts
Sildinis Kerbed Cairn

News

Add news Add news

Contentious £200m Lewis windfarm takes step forward


environmental survey for site on outskirts of Stornoway lodged with Scottish Government


Plans to build a controversial £200million windfarm on the outskirts of Stornoway have moved forward... continues...
moss Posted by moss
24th September 2010ce

Council backs huge wind farm plan


"Plans to build the largest onshore wind farm in Europe have been approved by Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles Council).
An application by Lewis Wind Power for a 209 turbine wind farm in North Lewis, costing £400m, was passed by 19 votes to eight on Wednesday evening.

It was approved despite more than 4,000 objections... continues...
baza Posted by baza
1st July 2005ce

Links

Add a link Add a link

ARCHway


An Account of some Remains of Antiquity In the Island of Lewis, one of the Hebrides. In a letter from Colin M'Kenzie, Esq to John M'Kenzie, Esq;

From Archaeologica Scotica: transactions of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
Volume 1 (1792)
Rhiannon Posted by Rhiannon
21st August 2006ce

Latest posts for Lewis and Harris

Showing 1-10 of 866 posts. Most recent first | Next 10

Bernera Bridge Circle (Stone Circle) — Images (click to view fullsize)

<b>Bernera Bridge Circle</b>Posted by tjj tjj Posted by tjj
31st May 2013ce

Ceann Hulavig (Stone Circle) — Images

<b>Ceann Hulavig</b>Posted by tjj tjj Posted by tjj
31st May 2013ce

Callanish (Standing Stones) — Images

<b>Callanish</b>Posted by tjj<b>Callanish</b>Posted by tjj<b>Callanish</b>Posted by tjj tjj Posted by tjj
31st May 2013ce

Sgarasta (Standing Stone / Menhir) — Images

<b>Sgarasta</b>Posted by tjj tjj Posted by tjj
31st May 2013ce

Sgarasta (Standing Stone / Menhir) — Fieldnotes

This was a 'wonderful surprise'. Again, I have Margaret Curtis to thank for pointing it out. It was a very windy, chilly, bright day and I took a few minutes for myself to run and look at this stone. Some ancient sites induce a sensation of euphoria, this was definitely one of them - the wind, the rolling clouds and the blue sea in front of me gave me a momentary feeling of flying. What more can I say.

Photographed the information board and have reproduced the text below:

"In this field today stands a solitary standing stone almost 2 metres high, overlooking the Sound of Taransay. It has remained in this position for up to 5,000 years since the Neolithic period or Early Bronze Age. Across the Sound, another standing stone is set above the shore on the island of Taransay, and a third, Clach MhicLeoid, is on Aird Nisabost to the north-east. Over the years local legends have gathered around the stone. In one, a giantess was gathering limpets on the shore and, striking a stone with her hammer, it flew off in three pieces, which landed at each of the three sites.
The Scarista bardess Seonag NicSuain wrote a ‘Song of Steineagaidh Stone’
‘Some say in the village
(though unproven so far)
‘Tis a headstone of a chieftain
From Fingalian’s war.

Should arms and battle
Stir up, as of yore,
Won’t he have to struggle
From ‘neath Steineagaidh Stone

Each man will retire
In peace to sleep in pastures
But over Finlay’s land
The big stone will be watching’

When the stone was first raised, however, it was part of a complex prehistoric ritual site. In front of the stone stood a large circle of 12 or 13 atones more than 40 metres in diameter, indicated now by several fallen stones or the stony sockets in which they had stood. Behind the stone is also a large circular mound which, if contemporary with the circle, may be the remains of a burial cairn. Geophysical survey has shown that around all of this was a ditch, either man-made or natural, that defined the edges of the monument.

The scale and complexity of the original site, and its proximity to other standing stones, suggest that this was the this was the focus for prehistoric religious activity in Harris, as Calanais was for Lewis.

The field wall is said to have been built from the demolished houses of the Scarista tenants who were cleared from the area in the 19th century."
tjj Posted by tjj
31st May 2013ce

Coir Fhinn (Chambered Cairn) — Fieldnotes

I have Margaret Curtis to thank for pointing this one out. She joined me and Friend for our trip down to west Harris one windy but bright day a couple of days after we spent an afternoon with her at Callanish.

A burial chamber in someone's garden near to Horgabost beach on Harris. Thrilling to see as no way would we have spotted it without Margaret's knowledge and generosity in sharing it.
tjj Posted by tjj
30th May 2013ce

Coir Fhinn (Chambered Cairn) — Images

<b>Coir Fhinn</b>Posted by tjj tjj Posted by tjj
30th May 2013ce

Traigh Bostadh (Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork) — Fieldnotes

Our first full day on Lewis, we walked from where we were staying on Great Bernera to the Bostadh Iron Age House. The sun decided to shine and walking down into the white sandy cove was a joy. The Iron Age House was closed as it was Sunday but normally open between noon and 4.00pm.
On the walk back saw a golden eagle, it sat and watched our progress from a high ridge ... my first, one and only, sighting of an eagle in the wild.
tjj Posted by tjj
30th May 2013ce
Showing 1-10 of 866 posts. Most recent first | Next 10