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<< Our Photo Pages >> Kintraw (Kilmartin) - Standing Stone (Menhir) in Scotland in Argyll

Submitted by Andy B on Monday, 27 January 2014  Page Views: 18163

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Kintraw (Kilmartin) Alternative Name: Kintraw Cairns; Danish King's Grave
Country: Scotland County: Argyll Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Nearest Town: Lochgilphead  Nearest Village: Kilmartin
Map Ref: NM83050497  Landranger Map Number: 55
Latitude: 56.187782N  Longitude: 5.497836W
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
4 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
4 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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Anne T visited on 18th Jul 2018 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 5 Access: 4 Kintraw Standing Stones and Cairns: This standing stone, when we spotted it on the evening of 17th July looked magnificent, but we couldn’t find anywhere to park; approaching this stone from the direction of Ardfern, there was a gateway to the field to pull into, which gave us just room to pull off this busy, fast road. What a complex site. And what beautiful weather we had to enjoy it.The standing stone first catches your eye, but then the large cairn, with its huge pile of stones, grabs the attention, and then to the north east, with a smaller one by your feet almost next to the gate. Walking closer, we became aware of a ring cairn (?) just to the south east of the standing stone., at first view this looked like a ‘court’ cairn, made up of a ring of small upright stones – all with views over Loch Craignish from this perch on the hillside. Brilliant. There were also traces of another, flattened cairn, to the north of the ring cairn-standing stone-larger cairn alignment. To the east-south-east of the larger cairn was what looked like an old stone farm building, which I didn’t photograph as I thought this was modern. According to the OS map which I’m looking at now, it is noted as a ‘fort’. This is my new ‘favourite spot’. Can I come back soon, please?

Shugster69 visited on 27th Jul 2013 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 4 Access: 4 Lovely site with aterrific view

custer visited on 15th Sep 2012 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 5 Fantastic standing stone, looking out over the water a gem

coin Bladup h_fenton tom_bullock nicoladidsbury NickyD have visited here

Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 3.67 Ambience: 4.33 Access: 4.33

Kintraw (Kilmartin)
Kintraw (Kilmartin) submitted by h_fenton : Kintraw Standing stone and cairns. 22 September 2012 (Vote or comment on this photo)
Standing Stone in Argyll. A 13 foot high stone standing 18 feet SW of the largest of four cairns.

A drawing by Edward Lhuyd from 1699 shows the cairns and standing stone and depicts a large ring of small stones to the north west of the cairns, with four of the stones aligned to the south. The ring of stones can still be seen and two large boulders in the foundations of a ruined building and a gateway in a wall might be the remains of the four stone alignment.

Stone alignments are directed to the col between Beinn Shiantaidh and Beinn a'Chaolais in Jura where, in Professor Thom's words, "the Sun would have twinkled momentarily at the winter solstice about 1750 BC". Further stone alignments at this site indicate Dubh Bheinn where the moon set at minor standstill.

For more details see below and also Kintraw hill platform and The Watch Stone (Kintraw) in the Nearby sites list. This stone and associated cairns are recorded as Canmore ID 22824, which describes this Bronze Age complex of standing stone and three, possibly four cairns. An interesting note in the Canmore notes say "the standing stone is sais to have been erected to a Norse prince (Argyll County Council 1914) and is known as the Danish King's Grave."

Note: Dr Euan MacKie - archaeologist who worked with Alexander Thom - responds to Douglas Scott’s paper 'The Midwinter sunset alignment at Kintraw'
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Kintraw (Kilmartin)
Kintraw (Kilmartin) submitted by h_fenton : Kintraw standing stone and cairns, looking down Loch Craignish 22 September 2012 (1 comment - Vote or comment on this photo)

Kintraw (Kilmartin)
Kintraw (Kilmartin) submitted by Bladup : Kintraw standing stone. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Kintraw (Kilmartin)
Kintraw (Kilmartin) submitted by nicoladidsbury : Kintraw (Kilmartin) - standing stone and burial mound. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Kintraw (Kilmartin)
Kintraw (Kilmartin) submitted by nicoladidsbury : A 4m high standing stone. This standing stone had been leaning, and finally fell over after a severe winter 1979. An excavation of the socket of the fallen stone was carried out. This showed that one metre of the total length of 5.25 metres had been set into the socket and jammed with several packing stones. Further intersting information is available at Stones of Wonder http://www.stonesofw... (5 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

Kintraw (Kilmartin)
Kintraw (Kilmartin) submitted by Shugster69 : Taken at 1808hrs 27/7/13 (1 comment)

Kintraw (Kilmartin)
Kintraw (Kilmartin) submitted by Bladup : Kintraw standing stone.

Kintraw (Kilmartin)
Kintraw (Kilmartin) submitted by custer : Fantastic standing stone great views over the water. Obviously been a very important place.

Kintraw (Kilmartin)
Kintraw (Kilmartin) submitted by crannog : Such an astounding view or vantage point. (3 comments)

Kintraw (Kilmartin)
Kintraw (Kilmartin) submitted by crannog : Kintraw standing stone with the circle kist.

Kintraw (Kilmartin)
Kintraw (Kilmartin) submitted by Martin_Cann : Standing stone "just outside Oban", with a burial chamber along side. Ed - I think this is Kintraw, which is not very near Oban!

Kintraw (Kilmartin)
Kintraw (Kilmartin) submitted by nicoladidsbury : Kintraw Standing stone - an incredible stone, an incredible site ... (3 comments)

Kintraw (Kilmartin)
Kintraw (Kilmartin) submitted by coin : A very tall standing stone

Kintraw (Kilmartin)
Kintraw (Kilmartin) submitted by h_fenton : Kintraw Standing stone and cairns. 22 September 2012

Kintraw (Kilmartin)
Kintraw (Kilmartin) submitted by Bladup : Kintraw standing stone (Kilmartin).

Kintraw (Kilmartin)
Kintraw (Kilmartin) submitted by malolo : Kintraw (1 comment)

Kintraw (Kilmartin)
Kintraw (Kilmartin) submitted by malolo

Kintraw (Kilmartin)
Kintraw (Kilmartin) submitted by custer : A gem.

Kintraw (Kilmartin)
Kintraw (Kilmartin) submitted by crannog : Kintraw standing stone and chambered cairn. Ocht! this is a wonderful wee site, beautifully situated. With so much going on... at least 3 kists, one a circle evidence of a possible settlement. Oh and a dun not to far away. ( just a shame that the stone is not in its origional place)

Kintraw (Kilmartin)
Kintraw (Kilmartin) 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.

Kintraw (Kilmartin)
Kintraw (Kilmartin) submitted by Anne T : Standing just in front of the small 'ring cairn' in front of the standing stone, looking down all three elements (cairn, standing stone, large cairn). There are other cairns and features in the same field, and I can't wait to find the site plan and notes from RCAHMS to understand this place better.

Kintraw (Kilmartin)
Kintraw (Kilmartin) submitted by Anne T : Standing half way up the northern slope of the large cairn, looking over the standing stone to Loch Craignish below.

Kintraw (Kilmartin)
Kintraw (Kilmartin) submitted by Anne T : First view of the large cairn and the standing stone, coming through the gate in the field. As we entered this field, we quickly became aware this was a complex site, with another cairn near the gate, and others to the far side of the site. I've just downloaded the RCAHMS Vol 6 catalogue for Argyll to get the site plan, and understand this better. A brilliant spot, and one I really want to come ...

Kintraw (Kilmartin)
Kintraw (Kilmartin) submitted by Anne T : Standing almost on top of the large cairn, 'A', looking over the A816 towards Kilmartin.

Kintraw (Kilmartin)
Kintraw (Kilmartin) submitted by Anne T : Walking around the large cairn, 'A', there are some larger stones which stick up at intervals just above ground level. Are these parts of the collapsed chambers or possibly parts of cists? Or they may be part of the kerb-stones mentioned in Canmore, onto which stones have collapsed over time, or through robbing.

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Stone Pages Tour by Arosio and Meozzi

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Kilmartin House Trust by Kilmartin House
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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 156m NE 47° Kintraw hill platform* Cairn (NM83170507)
 192m NE 48° The Watch Stone (Kintraw)* Standing Stone (Menhir) (NM83200509)
 226m SE 136° Kintraw (Argyll) Stone Fort or Dun (NM832048)
 651m E 93° Dun Na Ban-Oige* Stone Fort or Dun (NM837049)
 970m S 180° Bealoch Mor Stone Circle (NM8304)
 1.3km SSW 202° Lochan Druim An Rathaid Cairn (NM825038)
 1.4km SE 130° Salachary* Stone Row / Alignment (NM8405604024)
 1.4km NNW 329° Barbreck Well* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (NM824062)
 1.4km N 0° Barbreck* Standing Stones (NM83130639)
 1.6km W 269° Eilean Carnaich* Cairn (NM81450501)
 2.0km N 8° Dunan Aula* Cist (NM83420697)
 2.3km W 268° Beinn An Duin* Stone Fort or Dun (NM80790499)
 2.4km SSW 197° Ormaig* Rock Art (NM82220267)
 2.5km WSW 256° Clach An T-Sagairt* Chambered Tomb (NM80630451)
 2.5km ENE 65° Tur A' Bhodaich Stone Fort or Dun (NM854059)
 2.7km ESE 116° Dun Chonallaich* Stone Fort or Dun (NM85440365)
 2.8km NNE 18° Sluggan Standing Stone* Standing Stone (Menhir) (NM8404207571)
 2.8km SE 136° Dun Na Nighinn Stone Fort or Dun (NM84910282)
 2.8km NNE 15° Sluggan Cairn* Cairn (NM83940768)
 3.3km E 90° Dun Dubh Stone Fort or Dun (NM864048)
 3.5km SE 134° Creag A Chapuill* Stone Fort or Dun (NM855024)
 3.6km SSE 160° Carn Ban (Carnasserie)* Cairn (NM8411101503)
 3.9km SSE 157° Carnasserie Farm* Rock Art (NM84390125)
 4.0km SW 221° Eilean Righ 1 Stone Fort or Dun (NM803021)
 4.0km ESE 112° Ford Stone (Kilmartin)* Standing Stone (Menhir) (NM8668103317)
View more nearby sites and additional images

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STILE by Clive Ruggles

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"Kintraw (Kilmartin)" | Login/Create an Account | 5 News and Comments
  
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Re: Kintraw (Kilmartin) by DavidHoyle on Wednesday, 01 February 2023
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Both Thom and Mackie seem to be spot on with this site. The following is an animation of the midwinter sunset around 1750BC.
https://wwwstandingstonesorg.blob.core.windows.net/gifs/kintraw-kilmartin_nm83050497_223.gif
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Dr Euan MacKie responds to Douglas Scott’s Midwinter sunset alignment at Kintraw by Andy B on Monday, 27 January 2014
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Dr Euan MacKie writes: Megalithic Portal readers may be interested in a new on-line article (in 'Past Horizons') about the Kintraw standing stone site in Argyllshire. I took the opportunity of answering Douglas Scott’s 2011 paper “Astronomical observations at Kintraw in Argyll” to set out in detail the archaeological evidence from Kintraw which decisively supports Alexander Thom's interpretation of that standing stone as a long, accurate midwinter sunset alignment. I still hope and believe that this evidence will one day be the key to the acceptance of a new view of British Neolithic society, based on Thom's work, by British archaeology.
Best wishes, Euan MacKie

http://www.pasthorizonspr.com/index.php/archives/01/2014/midwinter-sunset-alignment-kintraw-argyll (Archive Link)

Summary

Scott maintains that Alexander Thom’s interpretation of the Kintraw standing stone, Argyll, as marking an accurate midwinter sunset is a myth, but the evidence he cites is not strictly relevant. A higher observation point than that at the standing stone – such as the nearby prehistoric burial cairns – is needed to see the midwinter notch on Jura over a nearby ridge. However features of the cairns at the site are not relevant because they do not affect the existence or otherwise of the long alignment. Other evidence which is relevant is not discussed, and is reviewed here. An alternative higher observation point was found by Thom on the steep hill slope NE of the stone and excavations here in 1970/71 found a level rubble pavement behind two massive low boulders forming a notch to stand in. The declination of the mountain notch on Jura as seen from this platform is exactly right for midwinter sunset at about 1800 BC.

Petrofabric analysis confirmed that the rubble pavement is almost certainly man-made. Another boulder in an almost identical position 48m upstream failed to produce a pavement behind it, which it should have done if the stone layer was of natural origin. Final confirmation that the hill platform is the primary viewing point is provided by a small standing stone about 1m high even further up the steep hill slope behind the platform. Kintraw is thus an extremely important site because the excavations on the hill slope were in effect an independent archaeological test of Thom’s long alignment hypothesis – so far the only one ever carried out. The test vindicates Thom’s ideas decisively.
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Re: Astronomical observations at Kintraw in Argyll by Andy B on Thursday, 21 July 2011
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Douglas Scott has an ebook and DVD video available here
http://www.megalithic.co.uk/shop/douglas_scott_watchers_of_the_dawn.htm
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Astronomical observations at Kintraw in Argyll by Andy B on Thursday, 21 July 2011
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On a hillside overlooking Loch Craignish, Kintraw in Argyll, Scotland, is a large standing stone with a burial cairn on either side. A drawing by Edward Lhuyd from 1699 shows the cairns and standing stone and depicts a large ring of small stones to the north west of the cairns, with four of the stones aligned to the south. The ring of stones can still be seen and two large boulders in the foundations of a ruined building and a gateway in a wall might be the remains of the four stone alignment.

More at Past Horizons
http://www.pasthorizonspr.com/index.php/archives/07/2011/astronomical-observations-at-kintraw-in-argyll (Archive Link)
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Re: Kintraw (Kilmartin) by coldrum on Sunday, 04 April 2010
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