Millcraig

NH67SE 21 6538 7065.

(NH 6538 7065) Stone Cist containing Silver Coins of the 14th century found AD. 1852 (NAT)

OS 6" map, Ross-shire, 2nd ed., (1907)

In 1852, a stone-cist containing several silver coins of the 14th century, was dug up in a field close to the road, at the south-western extremity of Millcraig farm. The cist and coins are in Ardross Castle (Ordnance Survey Name Book [ONB] 1874).

In the entrance hall of Ardross Castle is a hollow stone with the following inscription:- 'This stone, containing coins was found while trenching at Coilbeag, Millcraig on the estate of Ardross in the autumn of 1852'.

The coins are mostly Spanish (ISSFC 1888).

Name Book 1874; ISSFC 1888.

The find-spot of these coins lies in an arable field and is entirely featureless. Two of the coins found, are in the possession of Miss J Ross (Millbank, Evanton) whose grandfather farmed Millcraig at the time of discovery. These coins are large silver Austrian coins, one bears the date 1620. The stone in which the coins were found was a single stone in which a small cavity had been hollowed out and the cavity was covered by a stone lid. This stone was bought by a dealer from Dingwall at an auction at Ardross Castle in the middle 30's (Information from Miss J Ross).

Nothing is known of the present whereabouts of the stone or of any other coins found in it.

Visited by OS (W D J) 11 May 1963.