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MHG55106 - Cup and ring marked stone - Clash Vaan Croft, Heights of Fodderty

Summary

A cup and ring marked boulder originally lying close to a stone dyke at the Heights of Fodderty. Subsequently moved.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

A cup and ring marked boulder was noted in 2006. The neighbouring land was the subject of a planning application (06/00363/FULRC) and an exclusion buffer was recommended to avoid any damage to the stone. <1>

John Wombell contacted the HER in September 2011 to raise concerns about the condition of this stone, which appears to have been disturbed during construction work. <2>

The stone was drawn to the attention of the Archaeology Scotland Adopt-a-Monument (AaM) team by concerned local residents, as it was located within a proposed house plot. This had received full planning permission, a while a condition had been attached to this to protect the stone in situ, it had been noticed that the stone had been disturbed, raising concerns about its future. Local residents, with assistance from the AaM team, recorded the original site of the stone, and gained permission for the stone to be moved and relocated the stone to the Neil Gunn Memorial site.
The stone measured 0.8 x 0.7 x 0.3m and was weathered to the point that although the cup marks were fairly visible the rings were only faintly visible. Interpretation information was provided and the stone now forms part of a wider heritage trail, which has improved access to the monument. This work was undertaken 1 January 2012 – 25 March 2014, as part of the 2011–16 Adopt-a-Monument Scheme. <3>

The stone was originally lying on top of a field dyke, probably moved there when the upland was area was resettled with crofts in the early 19th century. Just before moving the stone, it was discovered that there is also cup and ring mark decoration on the other side. As a result, after moving to the Neil Gunn Memorial Viewpoint, it was erected to display both faces. See link below to ARCH Find of the Month page for further information.
Information from Susan Kruse, 2018.

This panel was recorded as part of the ScRAP (Scotland’s Rock Art project) by members of NoSAS in July 2019. This panel is displayed at the Neil Gunn Viewpoint, Heights of Brae. There is car parking and an interpretation board. It was moved there for safekeeping on 16 January 2014 from NH 5106 6071. It has previously been recorded as Clash Vaan ScRAP 1349 Canmore 351657 (at its old location), and HEIGHTS OF BRAE, NEIL GUNN VIEWPOINT ScRAP 2234 Canmore 350592 (at its new location).

The panel is a slightly flattened boulder of schist, 0.9m x 0.8m x 0.4m thick. There are motifs on both sides. When the panel was reset in 2014 it was mounted against a low wall, upright in a north-south plane, so that the motifs on each side could be seen. On the side now facing west, the flatter surface, there are 17 cups, of which 3 have definite rings, 1 has a penannular, 1 has a possible partial ring, and 1 has an arc. One of the ringed cups has a second ring, and is aligned with the two other ringed cups, and joined to them by a long groove that connects all the central cups within these 3 motifs. The cup with pennanular is joined to an adjacent cup by a groove. The side facing east is more domed and the motifs are larger and deeper than on the W face. There are 18 mainly deep cups, of which 1 has a clear ring and one has a partial ring. At least 3 of the cups are conjoined or elongated. There is a groove around 2 of the upper cups. <4>

See MHG58957 for new location. A separate ScRAP number has been mistakenly allocated for this relocated panel. (T.Blackie 28/3/24)

Sources/Archives (4)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 5106 6071 (40m by 40m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NH56SW
Geographical Area	ROSS AND CROMARTY
Civil Parish	FODDERTY

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Investigations/Events (1)

External Links (4)