Miltown of Clava

Also known as:
Milton of Clava
Nearest town:
Inverness (9km W)
OS reference:
NH753439
OS sheet:
27
Latitude:
57° 28' 5.74 N
Longitude:
4° 4' 45.56 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Miltown of Clava (Clava Cairn) by GLADMAN

The surviving circle stone... pretty good, to be fair.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jun 6, 2019
Image of Miltown of Clava (Clava Cairn) by GLADMAN

Perhaps it was the influence of the rain; or the manner in which the existence of the monument is clearly SO resented by the landowner... whatever the reason, I felt a touch of melancholia here. But worth a visit nonetheless before la pièce de résistance at Mains of Daviot.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jun 6, 2019
Image of Miltown of Clava (Clava Cairn) by thesweetcheat

Elevated view of the site from the hillside to the SE. The River Nairn is hidden by the trees in the background.

Image credit: A. Brookes (20.10.2014)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Dec 28, 2014
Image of Miltown of Clava (Clava Cairn) by thesweetcheat

Enough remains to more than repay the minimal effort of a visit.

Image credit: A. Brookes (20.10.2014)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Dec 28, 2014
Image of Miltown of Clava (Clava Cairn) by thesweetcheat

Some of the larger blocks in the mound appear to have been kerb stones.

Image credit: A. Brookes (20.10.2014)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Dec 28, 2014
Image of Miltown of Clava (Clava Cairn) by thesweetcheat

Fallen(?) stone to the north of the cairn. The site is so disturbed that it’s not possible to tell what – if anything – this was part of.

Image credit: A. Brookes (20.10.2014)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Dec 28, 2014
Image of Miltown of Clava (Clava Cairn) by thesweetcheat

The cairn is very badly disturbed. Could the stone in the bottom left corner have been a circle stone?

Image credit: A. Brookes (20.10.2014)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Dec 28, 2014
Image of Miltown of Clava (Clava Cairn) by thesweetcheat

The disturbed mound and stone scatter. The Nairn Viaduct is visible away to the east.

Image credit: A. Brookes (7.10.10)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Dec 22, 2010
Image of Miltown of Clava (Clava Cairn) by Moth

Ring cairn looking along ‘Clava’ valley towards main site

Image credit: Tim Clark
Moth
Moth Aug 28, 2004
Image of Miltown of Clava (Clava Cairn) by Moth

Ring cairn nearest main ‘Clava’ site

Image credit: Tim Clark
Moth
Moth Aug 28, 2004
Image of Miltown of Clava (Clava Cairn) by Moth

Foundations of the ruined chapel (I think) with possible ringcairn on far left

Image credit: Tim Clark
Moth
Moth Aug 28, 2004
Image of Miltown of Clava (Clava Cairn) by Moth

The large-ish stone in the possible cairn by the ruined chapel (or whatever) down the shallow valley – towards the main ‘Clava’ site

Image credit: Tim Clark
Moth
Moth Aug 28, 2004
Image of Miltown of Clava (Clava Cairn) by Moth

The start of the path up to the ringcairn etc. They once tried to fix my car at the garage to the right, but that’s a long story.

Image credit: Tim Clark
Moth
Moth Aug 28, 2004
Image of Miltown of Clava (Clava Cairn) by Jane

Away from the main clava cairns, walking west for 500ms, is this peculiar place, clearly part of the larger complex.

Image credit: Jane Tomlinson
Jane
Jane Jul 9, 2004

Articles

Miltown of Clava

thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jul 13, 2012

The site is a short stroll along the road from the main Clava Cairns, access is along a neat path from Milton of Clava, where the road bends sharply southeast.

The most obvious marker is the lovely “playing card” slab, all that remains of the circle that once surrounded the cairn here. The cairn itself is disturbed and much of the material has been rather scattered, but a low mound remains, still pretty substantial. It lacks the special atmosphere of its near neighbours, and the river is unseen and unheard in spite of its proximity. The valley location is very pleasant and peaceful though, and the site probably sees substantially fewer visitors than the more famous site so close by. Certainly worthy of the very minimal effort required.

Miltown of Clava

greywether
greywether Dec 10, 2003

Lies about a quarter mile SW of the more famous Balnuaran of Clava cairns. Most prominent feature is 2.4m high monolith from surrounding stone circle. Other stones are visible but difficult to establish a clear overall pattern.

Topics

Are these of interest? 3
nix
nix
Aug 2011
Miltown/Milton 2
T
taras
Aug 2006

Sites within 20km of Miltown of Clava

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