Groat's Loch
Cairn (Period Unassigned), Pictish Symbol Stone (Pictish)
Site Name Groat's Loch
Classification Cairn (Period Unassigned), Pictish Symbol Stone (Pictish)
Alternative Name(s) Broughwhin; Watenan
Canmore ID 9065
Site Number ND34SW 57
NGR ND 31171 40763
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/9065
- Council Highland
- Parish Wick
- Former Region Highland
- Former District Caithness
- Former County Caithness
Watenan, Groat's Loch, Caithness, Pictish symbol stone
Measurements: H0.98m, W 0.98m, D 0.52m-0.61m
Stone type: flagstone
Place of discovery: ND 3117 40763
Present location: Caithness Horizons, Thurso.
Evidence for discovery: the stone was found in two pieces in 1977 in close proximity to a platform cairn of Pictish type. The larger fragment lay beside the cairn and the smaller fragment lay on top of it.
Present condition: broken and incomplete, but the carving is in good condition.
Description
These two fragments form the lower portion of a symbol stone bearing the lower part of a carefully incised crescent and V-rod symbol. The interior of the crescent has been decorated, probably with a pelta design.
Date range: seventh to eighth century.
References: Ashmore 1981; Gourlay 1984; Blackie & Macaulay 1998: no 6; Fraser 2008: no 105.
Compiled by A Ritchie 2016
Watenan, Caithness, Pictish symbol stone
Measurements: H0.98m, W 0.98m, D 0.52m-0.61m
Stone type: flagstone
Place of discovery: ND 3117 40763
Present location: Caithness Horizons, Thurso.
Evidence for discovery: the stone was found in two pieces in 1977 in close proximity to a platform cairn of Pictish type. The larger fragment lay beside the cairn and the smaller fragment lay on top of it.
Present condition: broken and incomplete, but the carving is in good condition.
Description
These two fragments form the lower portion of a symbol stone bearing the lower part of a carefully incised crescent and V-rod symbol. The interior of the crescent has been decorated, probably with a pelta design.
Date: seventh century.
Primary references: Gourlay 1984; Ashmore 1981; Fraser 2008, no 105; Blackie & Macaulay 1998, no 6.
Desk-based information compiled by A Ritchie 2016
Artefact Recovery (6 December 1978)
ND34SW 57 31171 40763.
A Class I Pictish symbol stone has been found at approximately ND 3118 4075 by Mr D S Sutherland, 7 Castle Gardens, Dingwall. The stone is sculptured with part of a crescent and V-rod symbol. It is hoped that it will be moved to Thurso Museum after investigation.
Information contained in letter and plan from Dr J Close-Brooks, National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland (NMAS) to OS, 6 December 1978.
Reference (1981)
Fragments of a Class I symbol stone were found in 1978. Subsequent fieldwork revealed that the largest fragment lay beside a low, round cairn and a small fragment lay on top of it. The cairn measured 3 by 3.3 m over a neat horizontally-laid kerb. In size it was similar to the round mounds at Garbeg (NH53SW 15) and Lundin Links (NO 4003); in its method of construction to those at Ackergill (ND35SW 12) and Keiss (ND06SW 5). The surrounding ground was covered by a skin of peat 0.2 to 0.3m thick, and no cists or other cairns were visible. It is likely that no other cairns are present.
P Ashmore 1981.
Reference (1997)
Class I symbol stone bearing part of a crescent and V-rod.
A.Mack 1997 p.128
Field Visit (24 May 2004)
This cairn is situated on the leading edge of an E-facing terrace in heather moorland about 220m W of the S end of Groat's Loch. Circular on plan, it measures about 3.4m in diameter over a low retaining wall of thin coursed slabs, some 0.3m in height, and a rubble core up to 0.5m in height. The Pictish symbol stone associated with the cairn is now on display at the Northlands Viking Centre, Auchengill.
(YARROWS04 017)
Visited by RCAHMS (JRS) 24 May 2004
