markj99

In my experience Rock Art is the most frustrating of all the categories (except possibly Burnt Mounds). It is hard to find due to erosion, being covered by turf or a 6 figure grid reference accurate to 100 square metres. I walked past the Clarksburn Wood stone several times in dry weather only to see the cup and rings marking appear on a rainy day.

Rockartuk were Rock Stars in the Rock Art world. Gus van Veen and Jan Brouwer travelled the length and breadth of the United Kingdom unearthing hidden gems, cataloguing sites and taking exceptional pictures of Rock Art.

Sadly, Jan Brower passed away in 2011. The last post of Rockartuk on TMA was on 29th January 2011 . The free archive of photos had to be rescued due to Fotopic.net’s demise. They are now available on UKRA.net (go to Links).

Mossyard was investigated by Rockartuk and they found 6 separate sites in the location. I was only able to find Mossyard 1,3 and 6 on my visit in 2017 but 50% is a good result in the search for Rock Art.

I have just notice that the grid reference for this site is rather closer to Mossyard 1 than Mossyard 3. The officially recorded grid reference in Canmore ID 63739 (go to Links) is NX 5469 5204 for Mossyard 3.

Middleton Standing Stone is a granite standing stone erected in a field WNW of Barrapol, Isle of Tiree. It has a broad base c. 1.0m x 0.7m according to Canmore ID 21473 (go to Links) rising to a broad point at 1.6m. The stone is 200m NW of Clachan Dubh, a thatched roof house in Barrapol.

Directions: From Scarinish, the largest village in Tiree, take the B8065 coast road heading W for c. 5 miles until you reach a junction with the B8066. Turn right for Heylipol. After c. 130 yards bear sharp left avoiding the B8066 Cornaig. Continue on the B8065 through Heylipol for 1.25 miles until you reach a crossroads. Go straight on following the B8065. Continue through the sparse community of Barrapol for c. 1.1 miles until you reach a thatched cottage, Clachan Dubh, on the right. There is room to park at the croft buildings adjacent to the cottage. A farm track starts just W of the cottage. Follow parallel to the road for 70 yards then turn right following a farm track NW for 150 yards. Middleton Standing Stone is 20 yards W from this point.

Mid Float W is a standing stone c 100 yards N of Mid Float Farm. It is a roughly conical stone up to 15 feet round at the base tapering to a rounded top at c. 4.5 feet.

Canmore ID 60457 (go to Links) considers it to be an earthfast glacial erratic. This seems likely as the stone doesn’t conform to the usual standing stone pattern.

Directions: From Stranraer follow the A716 Drummore for 6.5 miles until you reach Sandhead. Turn R onto the signposted B7042 Portpatrick road for 0.3 miles. Turn L onto the unsigned road at the end of the wood. Follow this road for 1.4 miles until you pass Auchentibbert Cottage on your R, then turn L after 100 yards. Follow this narrow lane for 0.7 mile to the next junction. Turn L for 0.25 miles to reach a gateway with room to park just before Mid Float Farm. Mid Float W is c. 70 yards NE of the gate.

Mid Float W is 250 yards W of Mid Float E.

Mid Float W is not on OS mapping.

Mid Float E is a standing stone 250 yards NE of Mid Float Farm. The base of the stone is triangular c. 3x3x3 feet in cross-section. It rises to a rounded point at 5.5 feet. The flat SW face shows signs of cattle rubbing. The E face is flat and irregular. The N side of the stone is angular with sheared faces.
Canmore ID 60456 (go to Links) suggested there were 4 cup marks on the SW face in 1970 however a later visit in 1984 came to the conclusion that they were probably natural.
Canmore also proposed the stone may be a glacial erratic which was placed in a vertical position, presumably as a rubbing stone. However the shape of the stone and the fact that it is has a footing in the ground leads me to think it may be prehistoric. If we consider the nearby, now recumbent, standing stone at Whirlpool c. 550 yards N, it is possible there may have been an alignment.

Directions: From Stranraer follow the A716 Drummore for 6.5 miles until you reach Sandhead. Turn R onto the signposted B7042 Portpatrick road for 0.3 miles. Turn L onto the unsigned road at the end of the wood. Follow this road for 1.4 miles until you pass Auchentibbert Cottage on your R, then turn L after 100 yards. Stay on this narrow lane for 0.6 miles observing the 3 wind turbines on Whirlpool Farm on the R. You can park at a double gate at the base of a hill. Turn R in the field following the field perimeter SE for c. 0.33 mile until you can see Mid Float E on your R in an adjacent field.

Mid Float E is 250 yards E of Mid Float W.

Mid Float E is not on OS mapping.