Nether Largie Standing Stones
Nether Largie Standing Stones

In a farm field just south of Kilmartin village is a grouping of 5 large standing stones. The stones are arranged to form a letter X, and are located along the line of the famous linear cemetery of burial cairns that run down the floor of the glen. The stones are between the southernmost cairn of the three Nether Largie cairns and the Ri Cruin cairn at the southern tip of the linear cemetery.

There are obvious cupmarks on several of the stones, but it is the central stone that is most heavily decorated with carvings, with very clear cup and ringmarks. This central stone is almost 3 metres high (about 9 feet) and is surrounded by a number of smaller stones like satellites orbiting a planet. There are other, isolated standing stones nearby; one about 100 metres northwest, another 300 metres to the west.

The arrangement of stones creates more questions than it answers. Is it meant to be an X, or cross? The arrangement is sometimes called a stone row, though in this case, each row is only two stones long, so I would question that interpretation, but of course, there may have been other stones which have not survived.

Visiting

The easiest way to reach the stones is from the signed car park at Lady Glassary Wood, just off the A819. Due to the location near the car park the stones are sometimes known as the Lady Glassary Standing Stones.

From there a path leads across the B8025 into the field, heading for Templewood stone circle and the Nether Largie group of cairns. The stones are obvious ahead of you in the field. Good footwear is advisable, and do watch where you step, as sheep are usually in the field.

The central stone
The central stone
Cup marks on the central stone
Cup marks, central stone
Part of the 'stone row'
Part of a 'stone row'?

More Photos

About Nether Largie Standing Stones
Address: Kilmartin, Argyll and Bute, Scotland
Attraction Type: Prehistoric Site
Location: Access by footpath from Lady Glassary Wood car park, on the B8025, off the A819 just south of Kilmartin village. Open access site.
Location map
OS: NR828976
Photo Credit: David Ross and Britain Express


HERITAGE

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NEARBY HISTORIC ATTRACTIONS

Heritage Rated from 1- 5 (low to exceptional) on historic interest

Temple Wood Stone Circles - 0.2 miles (Prehistoric Site) Heritage Rating

Ri Cruin Cairn - 0.4 miles (Prehistoric Site) Heritage Rating

Nether Largie Cairns - 0.4 miles (Prehistoric Site) Heritage Rating

Baluachraig Cup and Ring Marks - 0.5 miles (Prehistoric Site) Heritage Rating

Dunchraigaig Cairn - 0.6 miles (Prehistoric Site) Heritage Rating

Ballygowan Cup and Ring Marks - 0.7 miles (Prehistoric Site) Heritage Rating

Glebe Cairn - 0.8 miles (Prehistoric Site) Heritage Rating

Ballymeanoch Stone Row - 0.8 miles (Prehistoric Site) Heritage Rating



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