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<< Our Photo Pages >> Achmore - Stone Circle in Scotland in Isle of Lewis

Submitted by pab on Tuesday, 29 March 2022  Page Views: 23556

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Achmore Alternative Name: Acha Mor
Country: Scotland
NOTE: This site is 0.576 km away from the location you searched for.
County: Isle of Lewis Type: Stone Circle
Nearest Town: Stornoway  Nearest Village: Achamore
Map Ref: NB31742926  Landranger Map Number: 8
Latitude: 58.170405N  Longitude: 6.56376W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
 3 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
 3 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
 3 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
 5

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I have visited· I would like to visit

markj99 visited on 2nd Jul 2011 - their rating: Cond: 2 Amb: 4 Access: 3 Achmore Stone Circle resembles more a work in progress than a complete stone circle. It takes a leap of imagination to construct a megalithic site from multiple fallen stones.

PAB visited on 6th May 2011 - their rating: Cond: 2 Amb: 3 Access: 5

BolshieBoris visited on 1st Jul 2004 - their rating: Cond: 2 Amb: 3 Access: 4

SandyG tom_bullock have visited here

Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 2 Ambience: 3.33 Access: 4

Achmore
Achmore submitted by pab : Achmore Stone Circle. Looking towards the east, across the top of the plan. (Vote or comment on this photo)
Gerald Ponting writes: The discovery of the Achmore Stone Circle was, in a sense, a spin-off from the 1981 Callanish dig by the forerunner of Historic Scotland. Two local crofters arrived at the site to see what was going on and got talking to us - Margaret - now Curtis - and I. We were well-known at the time as 'the local amateur archaeologists' and were working with the professional team at Callanish.

The crofters told us that, in the village of Achmore, about 6 miles away, another crofter reckoned that he was gradually uncovering a stone circle as he cut his peat bank (for fuel) each year. The previous tenant had thought this, back in the 1930s, but no-one had taken any notice of him.

So we went across to have a look. There was one broken, erect stone, about a metre high, and several other suspiciously megalithic-looking stones lying around on the lower level from which peat had been removed. These were investigated and eight prone slabs were identified, each with probable former packing stones around one end.

We measured and plotted the stones and found that they lay on an arc. We extended the arc into a circle, about half of which was on the higher level where peat had not yet been cut.

In the absence of modern geophys, we probed this arc with a graduated metal rod and located six areas where there appeared to be stone below the surface. This area being in open moorland, we only needed the approval of the Achmore Grazings Committee before making keyhole excavations in the peat. Four more megaliths were found, between half and one metre below the surface, also some groups of packing stones. All nineteen features lay quite clearly on a true circle, diameter 41 metres.

We self-published a full report on this in December of the same year. bigger task.)

Professional archaeologists taken to see the site had no difficulty in recognising this as a stone circle. In due course (over 3 years later, after I had left Lewis) the site was scheduled as an Ancient Monument, and it is included in Burl's 2nd edition. As far as I know, no further studies have been carried out and it is still there, little known about, in the peaty moorland.

Note: RIP Margaret Curtis, Callanish researcher extraordinaire. She passed away at the hospital in Stornoway last Saturday. We commemorate her by highlighting one of her many discoveries, this previously unrecorded stone circle. You would be very welcome to post tributes and memories here
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Achmore
Achmore submitted by pab : Achmore Stone Circle. This is a detail from a stone on the eastern flank of the site. Sometimes the close look is as wonderful as the over-view! (5 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

Achmore
Achmore submitted by Andy B : Bruce Adams wrote: "This was the first circie I visited on the way to Callanish. Known in the 1930s but fully investigated in the 1980s this is a large circle 41m in diameter with 33 stones, only two of which remain upright. From here the hills of the Cailleach no Mointeach or Sleeping Beauty resemble a pregnant woman and it seems possible the circle was sited here for this reason." Bruce A... (Vote or comment on this photo)

Achmore
Achmore submitted by Andy B (Vote or comment on this photo)

Achmore
Achmore submitted by SandyG : The northern arc of the stone circle. In the foreground are packing stones denoting the position of a fifth stone. View from the west. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Achmore
Achmore submitted by SandyG : The northern arc of the stone circle with two recumbent stones in the middle and two leaning stones. View from the east. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Achmore
Achmore submitted by pab : Stone in ESE segment of circle. Date of visit: 6 May 2011

Achmore
Achmore submitted by pab : SSW segment of circle, showing the large fallen slab with 5ft marker for scale. Date of visit: 6 May 2011

Achmore
Achmore submitted by pab : Stone on Eastern edge of circle. Date of visit: 6 May 2011

Achmore
Achmore submitted by pab : Eastern segment stone. Date of visit: 6 May 2011

Achmore
Achmore submitted by pab : Stone in NNW segment. Date of visit: 6 May 2011

Achmore
Achmore submitted by pab : The interpretation panel comments on there being only one stone which leans inwards...here it is! The stone can be seen inside the wall of cut peat, and prior to excavation only the tip would have been visible on the ground. Date of visit: 6 May 2011

Achmore
Achmore submitted by pab : Recumbent stone in the NNE segment (half past one!), trying to show the stone's texture as well as its position looking across the top of the circle.

Achmore
Achmore submitted by pab : Achmore Stone Circle. This image is of the WNW segment of the circle - I have left part of the radio mast visible on the far left to aid location, as this can be seen too on the OS map on the Portal's site page. The 'bleached' upright is on the left of the photo.

Achmore
Achmore submitted by pab : Achmore Stone Circle. This stone was on the eastern flank of the area. As we had only a short time to explore the site, it was difficult to know from the plan (and the ground conditions!), whether this is one of the stones defined by G Ponting. It seemed rather a splendid specimen however, so I have captured it as relevant to the site unless someone manages to do a more thorough visit. ...

Achmore
Achmore submitted by pab : View across two recumbent stones, 5ft marker for scale.

Achmore
Achmore submitted by pab : Achmore Stone Circle. One of 2 stones remaining upright, this one showing the effects of bleaching from the peat in which it had been hidden for centuries. This stone is in the WNW segment of the circle shown in the plan, about 9.30 for those who prefer to think in terms of clock-faces! This circle has been described as one of the largest-diameter circles in Scotland (Ponting), and was...

Achmore
Achmore submitted by pab : Achmore Stone Circle Site in Isle of Lewis Scotland To help in the identification of the images I will be posting from our May 2011, this photo of the information panel at the site may be helpful - it is quite difficult to read all text on the one initially taken by Tom Bullock in 2004.

Achmore
Achmore submitted by Kammer : Looking from the uncut peat down into the area of the circle where the peat has been cleared. Taken 1st August 2004. Grid reference: NB317292

Achmore
Achmore submitted by Tom_Bullock : Photo used by kind permission of Tom Bullock. More details of this location are to be found on his Stone Circles and Rows CD-ROM

Achmore
Achmore submitted by Tom_Bullock

Achmore
Achmore submitted by Tom_Bullock

Achmore
Achmore submitted by Tom_Bullock

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 6.6km ENE 75° Druim Dubh* Stone Circle (NB382305)
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Callanish, Gerald Ponting

Callanish, Gerald Ponting

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"Achmore" | Login/Create an Account | 4 News and Comments
  
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Re: Achmore by SumDoood on Monday, 26 September 2016
(User Info | Send a Message)
Marvellous location, not easy to photograph due to flat surroundings. A few shots from a drone would be good to see.
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Achmore by ghostlly on Friday, 23 September 2011
(User Info | Send a Message)
Nice find.
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Achmore by Anonymous on Monday, 26 July 2004
Condition:2
Ambience:3
Access:5

This site is now signposted and has a bence in place overlooking the site along with an information slab providing the visitor an orientation of the layout of the stones. Unfortunately, it apppears that there has been some movement in the area as there are now no erect stones!
Easy site to find with a parking space for one car. The walk up to the site is, as you would expect for peat.....moist.
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Achmore by Anonymous on Monday, 15 September 2003
The discovery of the Achmore Stone Circle was, in a a sense, an spin-off
from the 1981 Callanish I dig by the forerunner of Historic Scotland. Two
local crofters arrived at the site to see what was going on and got talking
to us (Margaret - now Curtis - and I. We were well-known at the time as
'the
local amateur archaeologists' and were working with the professional team at
Callanish).

The crofters told us that, in the village of Achmore,
about 6 miles away, another crofter reckoned that he was gradually
uncovering a stone circle as he cut his peat bank (for fuel) each year. The
previous tenant had thought this, back in the 1930s, but no-one had taken
any notice of him.

So we went across to have a look. There was one broken, erect stone, about a
metre high, and several other suspiciously megalithic-looking stones lying
around on the lower level from which peat had been removed. These were
investigated and eight prone slabs were identified, each with probable
former packing stones around one end.

We measured and plotted the stones and found that they lay on an arc. We
extended the arc into a circle, about half of which was on the higher level
where peat had not yet been cut.

In the absence of modern geophys, we probed this arc with a graduated metal
rod and located six areas where there appeared to be stone below the
surface. This area being in open moorland, we only needed the approval of
the Achmore Grazings Committee before making keyhole excavations in the
peat. Four more megaliths were found, between half and one metre below the
surface, also some groups of packing stones. All nineteen features lay quite
clearly on a true circle, diameter 41 metres.

We self-published a full report on this in December of the same year. (It is
worth noting that the 1980-81 seasons of excavation at the main Callanish
site have not yet achieved publication ... this is, of course, a vastly
bigger task.)

Professional archaeologists taken to see the site had no difficulty in
recognising this as a stone circle. In due course (over 3 years later, after
I had left Lewis) the site was scheduled as an Ancient Monument, and it is
included in Burl's 2nd edition. As far as I know, no further studies have
been carried out and it is still there, unlabelled and unsignposted, in the
peaty moorland.
Gerald
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Gerald Ponting
Writer, Publisher, Lecturer, Photographer, Tourist Guide

Hampshire, England
e-mail : gponting@clara.net
URL : http://home.clara.net/gponting
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