North Uist, Clachan Sands, Clach An T-sagairt

Cross incised on Boulder, Clach an t-Sagairt, Dun Rosail.

About 100 yards north of Dun Rosail is a large block of stone set on edge facing the south-east and measuring 8 feet in height, 11 feet in breadth and 4 ½ feet in thickness at its base, with a Latin cross incised on it towards the sinister top corner of its face. The cross measures 1 foot 3 inches in length and 11 ½ inches across the arms. For about 3 inches at the lower part of the shaft it narrows from a width of 21 inches to about 1 inch. This stone is also known as Clach na h’Ulaidh and Crois Aona’ain. (Fig. 103.)

RCAHMS 1928, visited 12 August 1914.

OS map: North Uist xxxi

Known locally as Clach an t-Sagairt - as described above.

Visited by OS (N K B) 21 June 1965.

Quite possibly a free-standing natural boulder.

G Moir 1981.

A large cross-marked boulder stands on a NW-facing hillside in the township of Clachan Sands, 1km SE of Hornish Strand and about 100m N of the slight remains of Dun Rosail (i). The extensive view includes a burial-ground on the site of a medieval parish church dedicated to St Columba, 0.7km to the NW, and a well dedicated to the same saint lies 1km to the S (ii).

The cross-marked stone is a massive slab of gneiss, similar to others which are partly detached from a rock-outcrop about 40m to the NNE. It has been set on edge and measures 3.8m from E to W by 3m in height, tapering in thickness from 0.9m at the base to 0.4m. The S face is almost flat, and high up towards the E end there is a Latin cross, now worn and lichen-stained. It measures 0.32m by 0.28m across the arms, and the lower part of the shaft is wider and more deeply sunk than the other arms, but all have slightly expanded rounded terminals. The shaft is extended for about 70mm by a narrower spike or pedestal to the right of its central axis.

Among the various names that have been recorded for the boulder are 'Crois Aona'ain' and 'An'adhan', suggesting a traditional association with St Adomnan which would be appropriate in an area with dedications to Columba (iii). The name 'Clach an t-Sagairt' ('the priest's stone') is often associated with meeting-places for recusant worship (iv), but this seems unlikely on North Uist. Martin about 1700 described a stone 'which the natives call a cross', and in 1878 it was believed to be 'the site of a general meeting place of the Picts for worship' (v).

Footnotes:

(i) RCAHMS 1928, No.325; NMRS database NF87NE 7.

(ii) E Beveridge 1911, 276-8; RCAHMS 1928, No.290; NMRS database NF87NE, nos.9 and 13; Name Book, Inverness-shire (Hebrides), No.6, p.87. A low mound N of the burial-ground is named Druim na Croise, 'Ridge of the Cross'.

(iii) A Carmichael et al 1928-71, 2, 222; A Carmichael 1887, 242-3, also recording the name 'Clach na h-Ulaidh' ('Stone of the Treasure'); E Beveridge 1911, 278.

(iv) Cf. A MacDonell and D McRoberts 1966, 71-81.

(v) M Martin 1934, 59; Name Book, Inverness-shire (Hebrides), No.6, p.90.

E Beveridge 1911, 277-8; RCAHMS 1928, No.170 and fig.103..

I Fisher 2001, 112.

NF87NE 14 8785 7605.

(NF 8785 7605) Clach an t-Sagairt (NR)

OS 6"map, Inverness-shire, 2nd ed., (1904)

Clach an t-Sagairt is a large stone block set on edge, facing SE, and measuring 8ft long, 11ft broad, and 4 1/2ft thick, with a Latin cross incised on it towards the sinister top corner of its face.

This cross is also known as Clach na h'Ulaidh and Crois Aona'ain.

It may have marked a sanctuary limit of St Columba's Chapel (NF87NE 9).

Information from OS.

RCAHMS 1928; E Beveridge 1911.