Scotland's Rock Art Project (ScRAP)
Date 25 June 2020
Event ID 1118796
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Note
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1118796
Date Fieldwork Started: 25/06/2020
Compiled by: Callander
Location Notes: The Peace Stone is marked prominently on Ordnance Surveys maps of the area but is now somewhat forlorn and forgotten within an overgrown 3m wide strip between the drystane dyke of an area of felled woodland and a high stock-proof wire fence. It lies about 500m SW of the SW corner of the Lake of Menteith and can be reached via the track which passes Malling farm from the A81. The nearest parking on the A81 is opposite the entrance to Arntamie Farm, with a walk of over a mile to reach the stone. The Peace Stone lies midway between two trees (40m from each) occupying the fenced off strip. It is immediately adjacent (W) to another larger and far more prominent boulder, otherwise it would be difficult to find. It was overgrown by moss and surrounded by deep bracken. The complex markings on its surface are now extremely faint. There are other boulders nearby and it is obvious that the Peace Stone has been moved here due to field clearance, as has been recorded previously.
The origins of the name 'Peace Stone' are uncertain but, contrary to the notes in Canmore and The Northern Antiquarian website, which say that the first record was made by Hutchinson 1893/99, it appears to have first been described by P. Dun, the Port of Menteith Stationmaster in his book 'Summer at the Lake of Menteith' (1866). Hutchinson's account of the stone's history seems to have been paraphrased from Dun's book. Dun gives the following folklore account of the stone's history:
"The Priory of Inchmahome had four dependent chapels attached to it......Another was at Arnchly, that is "The Field of the Burying-ground," situated about a mile to the west of the lake. The ruins of the chapel and part of the burying-ground are still visible. There is a curious prophecy connected with a stone situated near the ruins of the chapel of Arnchly, and which is worth recording. From time immemorial this stone went under the name of the "Peace Stone," and it was held in great reverence by the natives. One Pharic M'Pharic, a noted Gaelic prophet, foretold that, in the course of time, this stone would be buried underground by two brothers, who, for their indiscretion, were to die childless. By-and-by the stone would rise to the surface, and by the time it was fairly above ground, a battle was to be fought on "Auchveity," that is, "Betty's Field." The battle was to be long and fierce, until "Gramoch-Cam" of Glenny, that is, "Graham of the one eye," would sweep from the "Bay-wood" with his clan and decide the contest. After the battle, a large raven was to alight on the stone and drink the blood of the fallen. So much for the prophecy then; now for the fulfilment. About fifty years ago [NB this was written in 1863], two brothers (tenants of the farm of Arnchly), finding that the stone interfered with their agricultural labours, made a large trench, and had it put several feet below the surface. Very singular, indeed, both these men, although married, died without leaving any issue. With the labouring of the field for a number of years, the stone has actually made its appearance above ground, and there is at present living a descendant of the Grahams of Glenny who is blind of one eye, and the ravens are daily hovering over the devoted field. Tremble, ye natives! and rivals of the "Hero Grahams," keep an eye on Gramoch-Cam!"
ScRAP Note: the burial ground is about 1km E of the Peace Stone and is still shown on OS maps. It is in Canmore (44620) where it is called Arnchluy. Arnchly Farm is shown on the first series OS map as a ruin and is called Arnachly (Canmore 126896). The farm is about 250m NW of the burial ground. This suggests that the Peace Stone has been potentially been moved a considerable distance from it original location.
Panel Notes: The carvings on the panel were first described by AF Hutchison in 1899 (The Lake of Menteith: its Islands and Vicinity). He also provides a photograph of the stone, which is shown in the image section of this record and the surface features appear to be far clearer than they are now. Hutchison gave the following description: "The stone is roughly circular on the surface, measuring about 4 feet in diameter. It is entirely covered with cup and ring marks - 22 cups in all - varying in size from an inch to two inches in diameter. The cups and rings are very symmetrically formed. Nearly in the centre is a fine one surrounded by four circular grooves. Others have incomplete triple and quadruple circles, with radial ducts dividing them. There are other curious curves that sometimes interlace, and near the lower side of the stone are five or six cups with straight channels running out from them over the edge." The stone was visited and sketched by Ron Morris in 1977 and his photo and sketch is also shown in the image section. Apparently when Morris returned again in 1981, he failed to re-located the stone, saying it was untraceable. It seems to have been ploughed up and moved during forestry operations.
When I visited the stone on 25/6/2020 it was located as shown on the OS map and as described by others. The markings were almost indiscernible, even after carefully clearing the stone of its surface moss and detritus, and part of the carved surface has been broken off. However the 3D model and Meshlab enhancement revealed its surface detail relatively clearly. The model shows a surface that is more complex and interlaced than that sketched by Morris, who appears to have misread its N section. The S section tallies better with his sketch but is far more intricate in actuality. The 3D model needs more detailed analysis but I have sketched out the main characteristics (albeit not highly accurately) and have identified 5 main cup and ring systems spread over the centre of the stone. Three of the central cups have deep radial gutters running from them. The rings are often partial and some branch off to weave with or towards other rings. All have distinct central cupmarks and some of their rings have satellite cups siting across them. There are some isolated cups, especially in the S sector of the stone, where some have gutters running off to the edge (more clearly seen in the field than on the models). At least 2 of the cup marks in the S sector have indistinct partial rings around them.
