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MHG3434 - Aldourie - Ring Cairn

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Full Description

NH53NE 4 5999 3587.

(NH 59993587) Stone Circle (NAT) (NH 60003587) Site of Stone Circle (NR) OS 6"map, Inverness-shire, 2nd ed., (1905)

This site is marked on the 1870 edition of the 6-inch O.S. map as "Stone Circle (Removed from east to west side of fence)". There are eighteen stones, either boulders or split slabs, set in a circle evenly spaced except on the south-west side where the largest stone, a pointed slab 4ft 10ins high, is flanked by two small contiguous stones. In the centre lies a large flat stone. This arrangement is obviously artificial, and the stones may well come from a dismembered Clava-type tomb. It is possible that the tallest stone is in situ and it could well be one of the monoliths at such a site.
A S Henshall 1963, visited 21 April 1958

The stone circle is as described above; it measures 14.5m NE-SW x 10.0m NW-SE. See GP: AO/62/114/1. There is no evidence of a stone circle at the site at NH 60003587 shown on the O.S. map. Published 25" survey Visited by OS (E G C) 20 March 1962

'In Durris (ie. Dores) at the North end of Loch-Ness is a Druid temple of three concentric circles: in all of these druidical circles there was an altar stone at the centre, but that at Dirris is taken away, and near the centre is a hollowed stone, which either was a laver to wash in, or a bason(sic) to receive the blood of the sacrifice.'
T Pennent 1769

The above description, prior to the moving of the stones, seems to confirm Henshall's suggestion that this was originally a Clava-type structure, and most probably a ring-cairn.
Information from R B Gourlay (Highland Regional Archaeologist to OS 18 March 1987

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Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 5998 3587 (80m by 80m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NH53NE
Civil Parish	DORES
Geographical Area	INVERNESS

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