Scheduled Maintenance
Please be advised that this website will undergo scheduled maintenance on the following dates: •
Tuesday 3rd December 11:00-15:00
During these times, some services may be temporarily unavailable. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
Crinan Moss
Standing Stone(S) (Prehistoric)
Site Name Crinan Moss
Classification Standing Stone(S) (Prehistoric)
Canmore ID 39607
Site Number NR89SW 5
NGR NR 80843 94108
NGR Description Centre
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/39607
- Council Argyll And Bute
- Parish Kilmartin
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Argyll And Bute
- Former County Argyll
NR89SW 5 8083 9409
NR 808 941. A NW-SE alignment of small standing stones occurs on a low ridge of drier ground in Crinan Moss (Moine Mhor) between the Islandadd - Kilmartin road and the Old Crinan ferry road.
At the NW end is a pair of stones 7'9" apart facing NW-SE, one measuring 2' x 1'3" x 7", the other 3' x 1'3" x 5". At a distance of about 56' to the SE is another pair of stones 6' apart, also facing NW-SE, one measuring 11" x 1'4" x 6", the other, which is prostrate, being 4' x 7". Between the two pairs are several small stones, half-buried under the turf or just visible, and hollows probably marking the sites of moved stones, some of which may be the tall slabs used as gateposts along the Crinan road.
A cairn (NR89SW 6) lies 150' E of the SE end of the alignment.
Sources: M Campbell 1961; M Campbell and M Sandeman 1964.
NR 8083 9409. The stones are generally as described by Miss Campbell (1961; 1964). About 20m to the SE another small earthfast stone is visible. It is possible that the three stones to the NW are the remains of the kerb of a cairn.
Surveyed at 1:10,000.
Visited by OS (DWR) 30 April 1973.
At NR 8083 9410 is a setting of four upright stones, ranging in height from 0.2m to 1.0m. About 20.0m to the SE is a single earthfast stone 0.4m by 0.2m and 0.2m high. There is no trace of either the second, prostrate, stone or of the sites of other stones as noted by Miss Campbell.
Surveyed at 1/10,000.
Visited by OS (BS) 29 March 1977.
Field Visit (April 1984)
In moorland about 1.6km NNE of Islandadd Bridge and 80m WNW of the small cairn (NR89SW 6), there is a series of upright stones, several of which protrude through the peat (Campbell and Sandeman 1964). Three appear to form part of what may have been a rectangular setting of stones, with one corner missing, and there are two outlying stones. The stones are lettered on the plan and measure as follows:
(A) Aligned NE and SW, this stone is 0.6m high and l.lm in girth at peat level; it has straight sides and an irregularly rounded top.
(B) This is a well-set slab, aligned NE and SW and standing to a height of 1 m; it measures 0.4m by 0.2m at peat level.
(C) This slab protrudes from the peat to a height of 0.55m and is 0.25m by 0.15m at peat level; it is a pointed, firmly set stone.
(D) This stone is not necessarily in position and protrudes only 0.15m above the peat.
(E) There is a single earthfast stone about [20] m ESE of the possible four-poster setting; it protrudes 0.2m and measures 0.4m by up to 1.8m.
RCAHMS 1988, visited April 1984.
Measured Survey (28 April 1984)
RCAHMS surveyed Crinan Moss standing stones on 28 April 1984 with plane-table and alidade producing a plan at a scale of 1:100. The plan of the standing stones was redrawn in ink and published at a scale of 1:250 (RCAHMS 1988a, 132).
Field Visit (28 February 2019)
The location, classification and period of this site have been reviewed.
