Clach Chatail
Standing Stone (Prehistoric)
Site Name Clach Chatail
Classification Standing Stone (Prehistoric)
Canmore ID 24011
Site Number NN49NE 1
NGR NN 4709 9571
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/24011
- Council Highland
- Parish Laggan
- Former Region Highland
- Former District Badenoch And Strathspey
- Former County Inverness-shire
NN49NE 1 4709 9571.
(NN 4709 9571) Uamh Clach Chathail (NR) (Standing Stone)
OS 6"map, Inverness-shire, 2nd ed., (1903)
This stone, broken in two pieces, is traditionally said to mark the grave of an Irishman called Cathelus, who ran off with Cluny MacPherson's daughter and was murdered on this spot about 200 years ago (ONB 1870).
Although there is no recorded cave associated with the stone (Uamh=cave) there is one traditionally associated with Cathelus in Creag Chathalain at NN 496 946 (Ordnance Survey Name Book [ONB] 1870).
Name Book 1870.
Clach Chathail is comparatively unweathered granite block, 0.8m high, of roughly square section tapering towards the top. Beside the base there is another recumbent block of granite of approximately the same dimensions as the standing stone. According to MacAskill (Mr MacAskill, Melgarve, Laggan, by Newtonmore, Inverness-shire), the body was later removed from this spot and buried in sanctified ground.
Visited by OS (R D) 24 April 1964.
Field Visit (29 April 2014)
This upright granite stone is situated on the edge of a patch of wet ground between the River Spey 135m to the S and General Wade’s Military Road 160m to the N. It measures 0.45m by 0.35m at the base, tapering towards the top and stands to 0.7m in height. A second stone at least 0.9m long lies beside it. 3m to the E there are two rounded granite boulders. A rectangular trench has been dug between the two stones and the two boulders, the edges of which are still sharply defined. There are traces of rig in the drier ground to the N and W.
Visited by RCAHMS (ECB), 29 April 2014
