Site Type STANDING STONE
Canmore ID 40618
Site Number NS15NE 15
NGR NS 1761 5641
Council NORTH AYRSHIRE
Parish CUMBRAE
Former Region STRATHCLYDE
Former District CUNNINGHAME
Former County BUTESHIRE
Datum OSGB36 - NGR

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Archaeological Notes

NS15NE 15 1761 5641.

(NS 1761 5641) Standing Stone (NR)
OS 25" map (1896)

The stone stands about 6ft high and 14 inches broad. It is supposed to be a memorial to some of the Norwegians who fell at the Battle of Largs in 1263.
Name Book 1855

This stone is known as the Gouklan Stone. There are eight large boulders nearby, and two other pillars are reported to have been closely associated with it. A circle of pits dug around the stone revealed nothing.
W Lytteil 1886; J K Hewison 1893

The stone is as described in the Ordnance Survey Name Book (ONB). It was pulled down some years ago by vandals but has since been re-erected and set in concrete. The north face of the stone has been smoothed and a list of initials inscribed. Nothing was seen of the boulders noted by Lytteil and the name Gouklan is not known locally where the stone is referred to as the 'Druids stone'.
Visited by OS (JTT) 6 November 1964

Hewison, J K (1893-5) The Isle of Bute in the Olden Time, 2v Edinburgh
Page(s): Vol.1, 282 Held at RCAHMS D.11.3.HEW

Lytteil, W (1886) Guide book to the Cumbraes,
Page(s): 106

Ordnance Survey (Name Book) Object Name Books of the Ordnance Survey (6 inch and 1/2500 scale)
Page(s): Book No.79, 76 Held at RCAHMS Ref