Marriage Stone, farm cottage at Coillemore, Invergordon

Location: Coillemore, Invergordon, Ross-shire, IV18 0PG,

Easting and Northing:  269649 872482

Parish: Rosskeen

Date: AD 1400 – 1600

The stone was discovered above the fire hearth behind some plasterboard when the house was renovated some 20 years ago.  It is believed to be a fragmentary Marriage Stone dated to somewhere between 1400 – 1600 AD

On it are depicted two quartered shields side by side; usual for a statement of a marriage. 

The dexter (left, = stage right) shield has

1&4    a lion rampant

2        a galley with oars

3        a boar’s head couped

The sinister shield has

 1&4     a hand grasping a dagger

2&3     a lymphad

These are symbolic arms as used in the Islands and West Highlands, still used today, but in a more regulated fashion. 

The Lion rampant is usually taken to be for Dalriada and particularly McDougal, a family which followed the English in 1314 and never came into King Robert’s peace and so were rather eclipsed politically, but also MacDonald and others. 

The boar’s head is used by the Macintoshes, but could also be for Chisholm or Baird or almost any family from the Merse, if that fitted.

The hand holding a dagger is also a common feature, used by Macpherson, Farquharson, but more often it holds a cross for St Columba or St Moluag. The hand itself, if apaume (flat and palm facing out) is for Ulster, as in O’Neill, but more often in Highland heraldry it is holding something, which doesn’t mean it isn’t originally for Ulster, but certainly has its own meaning.

Submitted by Cait McCullagh, with commentary on heraldry by Alex Maxwell Findlater.

Photograph taken by Victoria Maclellan.

Best, 

Cait