Monument record 1798 - BEINN A' CHAOLCAIS, NORTH UIST

NF97NW 7 90 77

On the summit of the southern extension of Beinn a' Chaolais, about 3/4 mile SSE of Port nan Long, at an elevation of 100ft OD, are two standing stones and four prostrate stones forming an irregular circle about 60ft in diameter. The two erect stones face the interior and occupy the northern arc of the circle and measure 1ft 11in in height by 3ft 1in in breadth and 2ft 3in in height by 3ft 1in in breadth respectively. Three of the prostrate stones are placed on the W and S arcs and measure 3ft 6in by 16in, 3ft by 3ft and 3ft 9in by 2ft respctively, while another towards the NE is a rounded boulder 1ft 11in across. In front of it towards the interior of the circle is a block of similar size and shape.
Visited 15 August 1914.
RCAHMS 1928.

Listed among sites of 'uncertain status, including misidentified sites....' [cf. NF97NW 4.]
[H] A [W] Burl 1976.

Field Visit (18 September 2010)

RCAHMS Special Survey, Neolithic Monuments in the Uists and Benbecula

The two upright stones described in the Inventory are situated on a roughly level ridge that forms one of several summits of the southern spur of Beinn a’ Chaolcais, probably standing on the northern arc of a small stone circle. Set 5.5m apart, the ENE of the two uprights (NF 90505 78038) measures 0.8m by 0.25m at ground level and rises to a point at a height of 0.65m; its more blocky neighbour to the WSW (NF 90499 78035) measures 0.8m by 0.4m and 0.6m in height. Both stones are aligned ESE and WNW, but while that on the ENE is aligned with the circumference of the circle, the other is set at an angle to it. Several other stones protrude through the short heather round about, one lying midway between them and another immediately WNW of the ENE upright, while a third, a rounded boulder which is described in the Inventory account, lies loose about 3m SE of the ENE upright. In addition to these, however, there are another three prostrate slabs embedded in the turf to the SSW, S and SSE of the two uprights, which together roughly describe the western half of a circle measuring a little over 20m in diameter. The first (NF 90495 78029), on the WSW of the circle, measures 0.9m in length by 0.4m in breadth by 0.2m in thickness; the second (NF 90499 78020), on the S, is 0.8m square and at least 0.15m thick; and the third (NF 90507 78017), on the SE, is 1.05m long by 0.5m broad and at least 0.1m thick.

Visited by RCAHMS (SPH) 18 September 2010

RCAHMS, 1928, The RCAHMCS 9th Report & Inventory: Outer Hebrides, Skye and the Small Isles, 81, no.241 (Bibliographic reference). SWE5587.

{H} A {W} Burl, 1976a, The Stone Circles of the British Isles, 358 (Bibliographic reference). SWE2801.