I wonder if anyone knows of the provenance of the stone on the private estate of Altyre near Forres on the north west Scottish coast? We found a reference to it in the nineteenth century 'Annals of Forres' claiming that it had been moved there from 'the stones at Alves'. Alves is a village to the south east - and there is a generally unknown and fairly ruinous stone circle there.
The Altyre stone (or 'the black slab' as its known) is sometimes referred to as a 'Pictish cross' - a very fine example of which stands encaged in a hideous hi-tech box (courtesy of Historic Scotland) in Forres. Although there are carvings, we doubt that the stone is in fact such. The carvings may well have been applied later. It is a beautiful stone - 12ft high and as thin as the central stone at Callanish I.
If anyone has any more information - on the Altyre stone - or on Alves, we would be very interested to hear it...
 Reply | with quote | Posted by tuesday
13th April 2005ce
12:33 |
Alves and Altyre stone (tuesday, Apr 13, 2005, 12:33) |
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