The Caiy Stane

Nearest town:
Edinburgh (7km N)
OS reference:
NT243683
OS sheet:
66
Latitude:
55° 54' 6.32 N
Longitude:
3° 12' 39.05 W
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The Caiy Stane

Caiy Stane Restoration

Martin
Martin Sep 12, 2001
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This is the reply I received from the NTS re the poor state of this grand monolith;

Thank you for your recent e-mail regarding the Caiy Stane. I have been asked to reply because, as the Conservator for the South region of the National Trust for Scotland, the Caiy Stane falls within my remit. The regional archaeologist, Robin Turner, and one of the regional surveyors, Bryan Dickson, also have an input into discussions regarding the Caiy Stane.

We are aware of the condition of the Caiy Stane and recently commissioned a stone conservator from Historic Scotland to undertake tests and produce a proposal for the removal of the graffiti and general cleaning. I am awaiting his proposal and once I have this we will press ahead with the work.

I agree with you that the Caiy Stane is of great importance and it is clearly lamentable that it has got into this condition. Following the conservation work we will be monitoring the Caiy stane regularly for signs of further damage, but, as you will appreciate, it is very difficult to stop this kind of thing from happening altogether.

Thank you again for your interest in this matter, and please do not hesitate to contact me again if you have any further comments.

Yours sincerely

Isobel Griffin

Regional Conservator

National Trust for Scotland

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The Caiy Stane

W
winterjc May 13, 2002
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I visited this site with an old friend who was doing the driving. We spent the best part of an hour driving around housing schemes in the rain and would never have found the stone without the directions of some helpful locals (should have checked out Martin's directions properly before setting out).

We found the stone standing, still proud at the side of the street – and what a presence it has!

And then you go round the back and there, along with some cup markings, is the paint. I dont know what cup markings are all about and I don't know what function graffitti serves – given the absence of young male passage and identity rituals in our small, small world, maybe it's the same!? And then again......

It could do with being cleaned up though.

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The Caiy Stane

Martin
Martin Sep 4, 2001
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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!

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Folklore

The Caiy Stane
Standing Stone / Menhir
Martin
Martin Sep 4, 2001
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"There are many evidences of Roman occupation round the Pentland Hills, and the Caiy Stone of Kelstane or Battle stone near Fairmilehead marks the place of a traditionary battle between the Romans and the PictsÉ..Evidence of the Danish occupation was seen in the Camus Stone, from which Comiston gets its name. This stone has disappearedÉ(?). The Camus Stone was probably erected by or for a Danish commander named Camus"

From "The Call of the Pentlands" by Will Grant, 1927 pages 207-208.

I think the 'Caiy Stone of Kelstane' is maybe a mis-print and should read 'or'. I was also interested in the part re the disappearance of the Camus Stone as I was sure this was just another name for the Caiy Stane. I had another look at my Edinburgh map and there are five streets round about the Caiy Stane named after Camus, some of which join Comiston Road. Was there another stone nearby that has been confused with the Caiy Stane over the years???

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Folklore

The Caiy Stane
Standing Stone / Menhir
Martin
Martin Sep 4, 2001
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"In an adjacent field, close to the quadrilateral of trees that are supposed to mark the line of a Roman camp, is the Kel or Kat Stone- translated 'Battle Stone'- a cup-marked monolith seven feet in height, which, if legend speaks true, marks the grave of a chieftain who fell in fight. It certainly was raised for a purpose; and the gray and lichened landmark, standing where it does on a ridge and near a cross-road, looking across to the Pentlands and down upon Swanston catches the eye and challenges the fancy"

From "The Fringes of Edinburgh" by John Geddie (date unknown) pages 102-105.

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