Clach An Righ
Stone Circle (Neolithic) - (Bronze Age)
Site Name Clach An Righ
Classification Stone Circle (Neolithic) - (Bronze Age)
Alternative Name(s) Dailharraild
Canmore ID 5540
Site Number NC63NE 11
NGR NC 6793 3903
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/5540
- Council Highland
- Parish Farr
- Former Region Highland
- Former District Sutherland
- Former County Sutherland
NC63NE 11 6793 3903.
(NC 6793 3903) Clach an Righ (NR)
OS 6" map, (1963)
The remains of a stone circle 22ft in diameter, with a low central cairn, 11ft in diameter. Only two of the stones remain upright, standing almost north and south of each other at right angles to the line of the circumference. The north stone measures 6ft high, 2ft 9ins broad at base tapering to 1ft 2ins at the top and about 8ins thick. The south stone is 8ft high, 3ft 6ins broad at base tapering to 10ins at the top and 8ins to 10ins thick. Three fallen stones, ranging from 6ft 6ins to 9ft, lie on the west circumference and another 5ft 4ins ling, lies on edge, touching the east side of the southern upright stone. The head of another stone protrudes through the turf between the two upright stones. The names 'Clach an Righ' - 'King's Stone' or 'King Harrald's Pillars' came from the tradition that the stones were raised to commemorate a victory in this area of King William the Lion's army led by Reginald of the Isles over a Norse army led by Harald Madadson, Earl of Caithness, in 1196 or 1198. Field clearance heaps in the area (eg NC63NE 12) are said to be the burial mounds of the dead who included Harald from whom Dalharrold is said to be named.
RCAHMS 1911, visited 1909; J M Joass 1865; J MacKay 1891; J Gray 1909;
M O MacDougall 1953; Visited by OS (E G C) 7 May 1961.
Clach an Righ (name verified), the remains of a stone circle as described by RCAHMS, now preserved within a clearing in a forest. The axis of the upright stones is radial to the circle. The central, heather-covered cairn is 0.3m high and an estimated 5.5m in diameter and practically touches the upright stones. The "field clearance heaps" can no longer be identified having been ploughed and planted with trees.
Visited by OS (J M) 15 March 1977.
Field Visit (20 July 2012 - 30 August 2012)
A desk-based assessment and walkover survey were carried out 20 July – 30 August 2012 on 29 sites in the North Highland Forest District. The work was undertaken in order to update existing monument management plans with new detailed site descriptions, condition reports, fixed point photography and plans (RCAHMS Level 4) of 25 scheduled monuments and one unscheduled monument. Three additional scheduled monuments were surveyed in greater detail, (RCAHMS Level 1). Recommendations were also made for the conservation management of the sites. The sites visited and surveyed were:
NH 728 784 (SAM 4760) Provost’s Well homestead and enclosure
NC 688 348 (SAM 2513) Noc na h’Iolaire hut circles and clearance cairns
NC 557 027 (SAM 1784) Ruim Baile Fuir stone circle, cairns, hut circles and enclosure
NC 679 390 (SAM 1779) Lach an Righ stone circle
NC 600 149 (SAM 5401) Loch Beag na Fuaralachd prehistoric settlement
NC 623 139 (SAM 5084) Achadh nan Eun shieling
NC 597 149 (SAM 5081) Loch Beag na Fuaralachd cairn and shielings
ND 212 372 (SAM 573) Rumster Broch
NH 786 942 (SAM 5484) Glen Cottage long cairn
ND 205 374 (SAM 550) Golsary Broch
NC 602 146 (SAM 5159) Loch Beag na Fuaralachd shielings
NH 730 798 (SAM 4752) Carn Liath long cairn
NH 731 786 (SAM 4743) Provost’s Well hut circles and field system
NC 689 392 (SAM 2517) Meall a Choire Bhuidhe hut circles
NH 772 926 (SAM 5573) Proncy hut circle
NC 696 334 (SAM 2519) Cnoc Airigh an Leathaid hut circles
NH 681 942 (SAM 4505) Creagan Reamhan farmstead, kiln and fields
NH 728 767 (SAM 2916) Scotsburn Wood cairn
NH 747 780 (SAM 3129) Lamington Park cairn
NH 734 834 (SAM 4763) Redburn Cottage long cairn
NH 396 628 (SAM 2720) Little Garve Bridge
NC 604 124 (SAM 5161) Meall Meadhonach sheepfold
NC 608 112 (SAM 4560) Meall Meadhonach hut circles, field system and shielings
NC 687 370 (SAM 2514) Cnoc na Gamnha hut circles, burnt mound and clearance cairns
NC 619 124 (SAM 5093) Meall Meadhonach settlement and shielings
NH 782 944 (SAM 1885) Skelbo Wood Broch
NC 591 103 (SAM 1829) Altbreck Broch
NC 592 102 (SAM 5563) Altbreck homestead
NC 571 067 Ferry Wood Broch
Funder: Forestry Commission Scotland
Steven Birch, West Coast Archaeological Services
Lynn Fraser, Ross and Cromarty Archaeological Services
Mary Peteranna, 2012
