Students of anthropology, comparative religion, folklore & other academic fields, have long been aware that many mountains, hills, rock outcrops, rivers and other features on the Earth, were imbued by tribal groups with particular sanctity – i.e., are sacred. Some are deemed as the abodes of spirits (good and bad), gods & other transpersonal qualities. Most mountaineers and travellers will talk of these living qualities upon Nature’s body; and although these places aren’t generally thought of as important in the lives of our pre-christian ancestors, such places were primal: imbued with similar animistic qualities found at standing stones, megalithic rings and other human constructions—although we can be damn sure that the spirit-qualities (the genius loci) of Nature’s creations possessed much greater power than anything created by humans. Whilst people may try emulating the feats of the gods around them, Nature is always the governor when it comes to such things! …So it is that we find sites across Scotland and its southern lowlands with great myths underscoring them. Examples that immediately spring to mind are Pendle Hill (Lancs), Schiehallion (Perthshire), Beinn na Cailleach (Perthshire), Simon’s Seat (N.Yorks), and many rock outcrops that we see on modern OS-maps dedicated to such mythical characters as the Devil, Robin Hood, fairies, Thor, Grim and other deities. In this index are the myths, histories & folklore of such places.
SACRED ROCKS & HILLS: Bibliography & References
- A’ Chailleach, Braemore, Ross & Cromarty
- Alcomden Stones, Stanbury Moor, West Yorkshire
- Almscliffe Crags, North Rigton, North Yorkshire
- An Sithean, Lawers, Kenmore, Perthshire
- Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh, Midlothian
- Ashlar Chair, Burley Moor, West Yorkshire
- Basin Stone, Todmorden, West Yorkshire
- Beinn Dearg bad Chailleach, Drumchork, Ross & Cromarty
- Beinn na Cailleach, Ardtalla, Islay, Argyll
- Beinn na Cailleach, Broadford, Skye, Inverness-shire
- Beinn na Cailleach, Kinlochmore, Inverness-shire
- Beinn na Cailleach, Knoydart, Inverness-shire
- Beinn na Cailleach, Kylerhea, Skye, Inverness-shire
- Bell Stane, Queensferry, Midlothian
- Ben Ledi, Callander, Stirlingshire
- Blakey Topping, Allerston, North Yorkshire
- Blue Stane, St. Andrews, Fife
- The Bodach and Cailleach, Ardminish, Gigha, Argyll
- Boggart’s Chair, Elland, West Yorkshire
- Boggart Stone, Midgley, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire
- Boggart Stones, Heptonstall Moor, West Yorkshire
- Boggart Stones, Saddleworth Moor, Lancashire
- Boggart Stones, Widdop Moor, West Yorkshire
- Bogle Bush, Collace, Perthshire
- Bride Stones, Todmorden – see Great Bride Stones
- Brimham Rocks, Hartwith, North Yorkshire
- Broad Oak, Hatfield Broad Oak, Essex
- Brow Grains Rocking Stone, Meltham Moor, West Yorkshire
- Bull Stone, Crook of Devon, Kinross-shire
- Busky Dike Druidical Altar, Fewston, North Yorkshire
- Carlie Craig, Blairlogie, Stirlingshire
- Carlinghow Hill, Batley, West Yorkshire
- Carlin Stone, Balfron, Stirlingshire
- Clach an Eolas, St. Kilda, Outer Hebrides
- Clach mo-Luchaig, Fortingall, Perthshire
- Clach na Ba, St Fillans, Comrie, Perthshire
- Clach na Glaistig, Iona, Argyll
- Clach na Gruagach, Balnahard, Colonsay
- Clach na Gruagach, Barra, Outer Hebrides
- Clach na Gruagach, Bennan, Mull
- Clach na Gruagach, St. Kilda, Outer Hebrides
- Clach na Gruagach, Tiree, Argyll
- Clach na Gruagach, Trodda, Skye
- Clach na Foinne, Glen Lochay, Perthshire
- Clach na h-ealea, Clachan, Lismore, Argyll
- Clochoderick Stone, Kilbarchan, Renfrewshire
- Cnoc a’ Chiuil, Weem, Aberfeldy, Perthshire
- Cock Crowing Stone, Hollow Meadows, Sheffield, South Yorkshire
- Cow and Calf Rocks, Ilkley, West Yorkshire
- Creag an t-Sithean, St. Fillans, Comrie, Perthshire
- Creag na Cailleach, Killin, Perthshire
- Deil’s Cradle, Dollar, Clackmannanshire
- De’il’s Stane, Waltonhill, Craigrothie, Fife
- Devil’s Blue Stane, Crail, Fife
- Devil’s Stone, Addlebrough, Bainbridge, North Yorkshire
- Devil’s Stone, Winceby, Lincolnshire
- Dove Law Stones, Cragg Vale, West Yorkshire
- Dove Stones, Widdop Moor, West Yorkshire
- Dragon’s Wood, Alderbury, Shropshire
- Druid’s Altar, Bingley, West Yorkshire
- Druid’s Stone, Bungay, Suffolk
- Eagle Stone, Todmorden, West Yorkshire
- Echo Stone, Mugdock, Stirlingshire
- Elbolton Hill, Thorpe, Burnsall, North Yorkshire
- Fairy Dell, Denton, North Yorkshire
- Fairy Crags, Shap, Westmorland
- Fairy Holes, Whitewell, Lancashire
- Fairy Loch, Arrochar, Argyll
- Fairy Stone, Clunbury, Shropshire
- Fairy Stone, Fourstones, Northumberland
- Fairy Stones, Wharram Percy, East Yorkshire
- Fairy’s Chest, Embsay Moor, North Yorkshire
- Giant’s Leap & Rock, Abernyte, Perthshire
- Giant’s Stones, Arnbathie, Perthshire
- Glen Cailleach, Fortingall, Perthshire
- Goose Oaks, St. Fillans, Comrie, Perthshire
- Great Bride Stones, Todmorden, West Yorkshire
- Great Dove Stones, Saddleworth Moor, Lancashire
- The Great Stone, Downham, Lancashire
- Great Stone of Fourstones, Lowgill, North Yorkshire
- Gray Stone, Burley, Leeds, West Yorkshire
- Hitching Stone, Keighley Moor, West Yorkshire
- Hood Hill Stone, Kilburn, North Yorkshire
- Jenny Twigg and her Daughter Dibb, Lofthouse, North Yorkshire
- Kelpie’s Stane, Corgarff, Aberdeenshire
- The Kirk, Steeton, West Yorkshire
- Kirk Stones, Morton Moor, West Yorkshire
- Leac na Gruagaich, Kinlochleven, Inverness-shire
- Loch Carlin, Gruinard, Ross & Cromarty
- Loch Derculich, Dull, Perthshire
- Loch Glassy, Weem, Aberfeldy, Perthshire
- Loch Nell, Argyll
- Lochan Uaine, Arrochar, Argyll – see Fairy Loch, Arrochar
- Lon na Cailleach, Fortingall, Perthshire
- Maen Sigl, Llandudno, Caernarvonshire
- Maiden Castle, Glendevon, Perthshire
- Maiden’s Oak, Abernethy, Perthshire
- Man Stone, Whitworth, Lancashire
- Meall an t-Sithe, Loch a’ Bhroain, Braemore, Ross & Cromarty
- Mullach-Geal Stone, St Kilda – Legendary Stone
- Nursery Knot, Appletreewick Moor, North Yorkshire
- Old Man at Mow, Mow Cop, Cheshire
- The Old Man of Storr, Skye, Inverness-shire
- The Old Woman, Cornholme, West Yorkshire
- Old Wife Ridge, Heyshaw Moor, Dacre, North Yorkshire
- Ossian’s Stone, Sma’ Glen, Fowlis Wester, Perthshire
- Pendle Hill, Lancashire
- Ponden Kirk, Stanbury Moor, West Yorkshire
- Pots and Pans Stone, Greenfield, Oldham, Lancashire
- Queen of the Fairies Chair, Lowgill, Lancashire
- Ringstone, Torrisdale Bay, Farr, Sutherland
- Robin Hood’s Bed, Blackstone Edge, Littleborough, Lancashire
- Robin Hood’s House, Baildon, Shipley, West Yorkshire
- Robin Hood’s House, Berry Brow, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire
- Robin Hood’s Pennystone, Midgley Moor, West Yorkshire
- Robin Hood’s Seat, Baildon, Shipley, West Yorkshire
- Robin Hood’s Stone, Riddlesden, Keighley, West Yorkshire
- Rocking Stone, Bordley, North Yorkshire
- Rocking Stone, Golcar, West Yorkshire
- Rocking Stones, Kirriemuir, Angus
- Rocking Stone, Meltham Moor, West Yorkshire
- Rocking Stone, Rishworth Moor, West Yorkshire
- Rocking Stone, Warley Moor, Halifax, West Yorkshire
- St. Austin’s Stone, High Hunsley, East Yorkshire
- St. Canna’s Stone, Llangan, Carmarthenshire
- St. Fillan’s Chair, Dundurn, Comrie, Perthshire
- St. Fillan’s Chair, Killin, Stirlingshire
- St Giles’ Stone, Mosstowie, Elgin, Moray
- St. Palladius’ Footprint, Camusvrachan, Glen Lyon, Perthshire
- Samson’s Stone, Crieff, Perthshire
- Samson Stone, Kilmahog, Stirlingshire
- Samson Stone, Waltonhill, Fife
- Serpent Wood, Clackmannan, Clackmannanshire
- Sharp Haw, Flasby, North Yorkshire
- Simon’s Seat, Skyreholme, North Yorkshire
- Sith Tromaidh, Fortingall, Perthshire
- Sleepy Lowe Rocking Stone, Warley Moor, West Yorkshire
- Smoo Cave, Durness, Sutherland
- Staing Calliche, Fortingall, Perthshire
- Stone of Mannan, Clackmannan, Clackmannanshire
- Thor’s Stone, Thurstaston, Cheshire
- Tom na Gruagach, Torridon, Ross & Cromarty
- Two Eggs, Morton Moor, West Yorkshire
- Two Lads, Withens Moor, Cragg Vale, West Yorkshire
- Uaimh Shianta, Fearnmore, Applecross, Ross & Cromarty
- Wart Stone, Eccleshill, Bradford, West Yorkshire
- Well of the Whooping Cough, Killin, Perthshire
- Weeping Stone, Fladaigh Chuain, Skye, Inverness-shire
- West Nab Rocking Stone, Meltham Moor, West Yorkshire
- Whetstone, Hergest Ridge, Herefordshire
- White Rocks, Luddenden Dean, West Yorkshire
- White Stane of Tam Baird, Tillicoultry, Clackmannanshire
- Whole Stone, Golcar, West Yorkshire
- Whooping Cough Stone, Kenmore, Perthshire
- Whooping Cough Stone, Rannoch, Perthshire
- Whooping Cough Stone, Struan, Perthshire
- Whooping Cough Well, Killin – see Well of the Whooping Cough
- Witch’s Knowe, Craigie, Ayrshire
- Witch’s Stane, Craigie, Ayrshire
- Witch’s Stone, Craigs of Kyle, Coylton, Ayrshire
- Witch’s Stone, Crossford, Dunfermline, Fife
- Wizard’s Stone, Dollar, Clackmannanshire
- Wolf Stones, Oakworth Moor, West Yorkshire
- Worm Rock, Fatfield, Durham