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

The Caiy Stane

Standing Stone / Menhir

Fieldnotes

The Caiy Stane (AKA Kel, Cat or Camus Stane), Caiystane View, Edinburgh
Tuesday 4/9/01, 12:50pm
Ah- a megalithic lunchtime! It's not often I get a chance to do much during my lunch-break, but this is one of those rare occasions and I took the opportunity to (re) visit this splendid monolith. It's funny- every journey I make to sites such as this feels like some sort of pilgrimage. Even the journey up here through the Oxgangs housing schemes on an LRT No. 17 bus felt special. Here I am in a quiet South Edinburgh suburb in the shadow of the Pentlands next to an almost 10 ft. high red sandstone monolith. As well as being tall it's also a wide beast- about 5 ft. or so with curious large grooves out of either side at the base. The NTS wall plaque says this stone is over 5000 years old and the immediate vicinity was populated with cairns, cists and urns suggesting that this hilltop was used for burial/ritual in the Bronze Age. Nothing remains apart from the Caiy Stane- everything else has disappeared under driveways and gardens. I also read somewhere that legend says this stone marked a battle between the Picts and the Romans. Jeez- the last time I visited this place I was still at school! Unfortunately the reverse side of this stone is heavily vandalised- loads of spraypaint, carvings out of the stone, chewing gum stuck in the cupmarks- how clever. The reverse side is also the most interesting as it has many small cupmarks including six in a straight line which I don't think I've seen before. The founders of our great city saw fit to name not one, not two, but seven streets after this standing stone. Unfortunately its' obviously not regarded with such high esteem these days. C'mon NTS- get someone round here to clean this fab stone up.

Directions
Catch a No.17 bus from Princes Street heading south (towards Hunters Tryst). Travel up Lothain Road, down Morningside Road and through Oxgangs. Get off the bus next to the Safeways at Hunters Tryst. Walk back down to the roundabout and turn right along Oxgangs Road. Continue and cross at the first traffic lights next to Caiystane Drive. Continue up Oxgangs Road and turn off at the next left which is Caiystane View- the Caiy Stane is on the right of this road- you can't miss it!
Posted by Martin
4th September 2001ce

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