Tolland House
Rock Carving (Period Unknown)
Site Name Tolland House
Classification Rock Carving (Period Unknown)
Alternative Name(s) Tollard House; Toward
Canmore ID 40705
Site Number NS16NW 11
NGR NS 1341 6791
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/40705
- Council Argyll And Bute
- Parish Dunoon And Kilmun
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Argyll And Bute
- Former County Argyll
NS16NW 11 1341 6791.
NS 134 679. There are some scribings on the roof of a rock shelter in the grounds of Tollard House. No-one has been able to date them.
(Undated) information from Miss E B Rennie, Netherby, Kirn, Dunoon.
NS 1341 6791. On the back wall of a shallow cave, and at 1.0m above ground level, is a triangular rock face 1.5m long and with a basal height of 0.7m. On this are a number of markings, the most prominent of which is a series of 'herringbones' with vertical lines varying rrom 5cms to 10 cms in length. There is also one deeply incised shield-like figure, 0.3m high by 0.15m in average width,and about six natural cup-shaped depressions which are similar to many others nearby. The origin of these markings is not clear.
Visited by OS (BS) 14 December 1976
Situated at 12m OD, at the foot of the cliff lying SE of the lawn is a sandstone rock shelter facing S, about 9m long by 3m high and 3m deep. On both sides of its innermost centre angle and on an upper 'lip' above the entrance are: over 200 incised vertical parallel lines about 13cm long, up to 1cm deep, mostly in groups of about 30 - 6 rows on the E inner side, 1 on the W and 1 on the 'lip' (of those at Traprain Law). Some are much weathered - there may be more. In the soft stone, flaking off, one can imagine a 'fish', an 'axe', and at least 12 'cups', all of which may be natural.
R W B Morris 1981
Field Visit (January 1989)
On the sandstone walls of a small rock shelter 60m SE of Tollard House there are two areas of regularly-spaced incised linear markings of uncertain date and significance. They cannot be paralleled among the extensive repertoire of prehistoric rock-art in Mid Argyll and Cowal, but the suggestion that they are a form of ogham cannot be accepted.
RCAHSM 1992, visited January 1989
