Arran, Leacach Bhreac
Four Poster Stone Circle (Bronze Age)(Possible), Stone Setting (Neolithic) - (Bronze Age)
Site Name Arran, Leacach Bhreac
Classification Four Poster Stone Circle (Bronze Age)(Possible), Stone Setting (Neolithic) - (Bronze Age)
Canmore ID 39630
Site Number NR92NW 21
NGR NR 9019 2565
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/39630
- Council North Ayrshire
- Parish Kilmory
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Cunninghame
- Former County Buteshire
NR92NW 21 9019 2565.
NR 9019 2565. A setting of three upright slabs situated on a level shelf of a west-facing hillside. Two are opposite each other, 2.5m apart, while the third is at right angles to them.
No structure can be deduced from their relative position.
There are five other stones (only one of which is slab-like) situated immediately to the south. Neither their purpose nor their relationship to the stone setting can be ascertained.
Surveyed at 1:10 000 and 1:100.
Visited by OS (B S) 13 October 1977; Information from OS (J D) Archaeology Office, 22 May 1977.
Note (28 November 2018)
The location, classification and period of this site have been reviewed.
HES Survey and Recording 28 November 2018
Field Visit (31 October 2019)
Two stone settings, each now comprising three upstanding orthostats, are situated at the leading edge of a W-facing heather-grown terrace 30m E of the B880 public road. The more north-westerly (1-3) is roughly triangular on plan and measures 3m from ENE to WSW by 2m transversely overall. Each lichen-grown othostat is a pink granite slab, standing more or less vertical and set on edge. Those on the ENE (3) and WSW (1) are roughly rectangular, with the latter measuring 0.95m broad by 0.2m thick and 0.67m high, and the former measuring 1.1m broad by 0.43m thick and 0.75m high. However, the third stone, on the SSE (2), is different, being distinguished by having a narrower, more pointed top. It measures 0.66m broad by 0.22m thick and 0.72m high, and it also appears tallest to an observer. The internal faces of all three orthostats are smoother and more regular than their external faces. The area they enclose has been disturbed and is now hollowed to a depth of 0.2m, but there is an indication that smaller stones are present at its edge. A boulder (A) lying prone and largely buried 1m N of the stone on the WNW might be the missing fourth orthostat or simply a small erratic.
Immediately to the SE is a second stone setting comprising at present three boulders (4-6). It is roughly triangular on plan and measures 2.4m from NE to SW by 2.1m transversely overall. Each lichen-grown orthostat is of pink granite and while two of the boulders stand more upright, the S slab leans outwards. The stone on the NNE (6) measures 0.46m broad by 0.52m thick and 0.37m high, whilst that on the W (4) is 0.43m broad, 0.42m thick and 0.43m high. The stone on the S (5) is 0.62m broad, 0.22m thick and 0.7m high. The siting of this is skewed in relation to its neighbours and appears tallest to an observer. The area enclosed by this setting does not appear to have been disturbed, but no traces of stone were detected internally. The boulder (B) lying prone immediately E of the S upright might be the missing fourth orthostat. The stone depicted on the OS sketch plan (NR 92 NW 21) to the SW of the setting was not observed on the date of visit.
Visited by HES, Survey and Recording (ATW, GLB and KLG) 31 October 2019.
Laser Scanning (31 October 2019)
HES scanned two stone settings, each now comprising three upstanding orthostats.
