Alternative Names Callanish 1; Cnoc An Tursa; Standing Stones Of Callanish; Calanais
Site type CHAMBERED CAIRN, STONE CIRCLE, STONE ROW
Canmore ID 4156
Site Number NB23SW 1
NGR NB 21300 33017
Council WESTERN ISLES
Parish UIG
Former Region WESTERN ISLES ISLANDS AREA
Former District WESTERN ISLES
Former County ROSS AND CROMARTY

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Recording Your Heritage Online

Standing Stones, c.3,000 bc A ring of gneiss slabs surrounding a central monolith, with an avenue running north and single rows extending south, east and west. Erected on land that had already been cultivated, this remarkable ritualistic monument, older than Stonehenge, was originally just one row running southwards. Some 1,000 years later a crypt or chambered cairn was added in the centre. This was despoiled some 500 years later and then transformed into a house, an indication of the mixed uses to which the site has been put over the millennia. The long process by which it became enveloped in a blanket of peat began around 800 bc. The full extent of this awesome henge was not revealed again until 1857/8, when Sir James Matheson removed 1.5 m of bog. Callanish is the focus of an important group of stones and circles, part of the immensely rich prehistoric heritage of the Hebridean archipelago, which falls outwith the remit of this book.

Calanais Visitors' Centre, Michael Leybourne, Western Isles Council Technical Services Consultancy, 1995 Low-lying, kidney-shaped gallery carefully sited in the fall of the land, fusing new form and function with elements of the local vernacular. A curving timber clerestory offers sweeping views over the mountain fields and drowned valleys of this primeval landscape.


Taken from "Western Seaboard: An Illustrated Architectural Guide", by Mary Miers, 2008. Published by the Rutland Press http://www.rias.org.uk

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Archaeological Notes

NB23SW 1 21300 33017

Standing Stones of Callanish [NR]
Chambered Cairn [NR}
OS 1:10,000 map, 1974.

For miscellaneous finds in area (now in the Royal Museum of Scotland [RMS]) see NB23SW 23 (formerly recorded with NB23SW 1).

The Object Name Book (OS) decribes the stone circle thus: ' A circle of stones with one stone in the centre, two rows parallel to each other extending Northwards from the circle; one to the coast and one to the South. They are about forty in number. The inhabitants say that the numbers of these stones cannot be counted. They are the supposed remains of a druidical place of worship. They all stand on end at the distance of five and six yards from each other and are in a rough natural state as taken from the shore, it is stated that some of them are so large that it is inconceivable how they could have been brought to the place.
Name Book 1853

A megalithic setting with an obviously secondary (A S Henshall 1972) chambered cairn, and another cairn which is not necessarily part of the megalithic scheme.
The setting is basically a circle, with arms radiating approximately towards the cardinal points, the row to the north being double, forming an avenue, which is, however, closed by the arc of the circle. A single stone standing opposite the inmost of the southern alignment suggests that this may also have been double. Outside the SW arc of the circle is an outlier perhaps the rudiment or remains of a second circle (RCAHMS 1928). The stones are of unwrought Lewis gneiss, varying in thickness from 5 1/4" to 20", packed at base with small stones. The tallest, 15'7" high, stands in the centre of the circle; the others range down to 3'6". Matheson (J Matheson 1862) who had the site cleared of 5' of peat in the mid-19th century, mentions 'a rough causewayed pavement in which the circle stones are embedded'. (possibly the base packing)
The chambered cairn is set eccentrically within the circle, incorporating the central pillar within the line of its kerb on the west and two of the stones of the circle on the east. Cairn material still remains to a depth of 2' but the double chamber has been deroofed - probably in antiquity, since Matheson (J Matheson 1862) appears to have found it in much the same state as it is today. On the south side the cairn appears to be joined to a slightly raised causeway which runs down the south alignment.
The second cairn which impinges on the NE arc of the circle has been an oval of 18' by 14'; it is reduced to ground-level and the outline can just be traced. The site, unique in Scotland, lies on a hillock called 'Cnoc an Tursa' - 'Hill of Sorrow'. The stones are locally said to have been quarried from the nearly vertical face of the west side of the ridge Druim nan Eum. (NB 228 338)
J Matheson 1862; RCAHMS 1928; A S Henshall 1972.

As described and planned. Known locally as the 'Standing Stones of Callanish'.
Surveyed at 1/2500
Visited by OS (R L) 25 June 1969.

Notes and Activities

1853	FIELD VISIT

Notes The Object Name Book (OS) decribes the stone circle thus: ' A circle of stones with one stone in the centre, two rows parallel to each other extending Northwards from the circle; one to the coast and one to the South. They are about forty in number. The inhabitants say that the numbers of these stones cannot be counted. They are the supposed remains of a druidical place of worship. They all stand on end at the distance of five and six yards from each other and are in a rough natural state as taken from the shore, it is stated that some of them are so large that it is inconceivable how they could have been brought to the place.
Name Book 1853


Further details

25 June 1969

FIELD VISIT

Notes As described and planned. Known locally as the 'Standing Stones of Callanish'.
Surveyed at 1/2500
Visited by OS (R L) 25 June 1969.

Further details

Books and References

Armit, I (1996) The archaeology of Skye and the Western Isles, Edinburgh
Page(s): 24, 81, 103, 216, 235 Held at RCAHMS E.2.1.ARM

Armit, I (1998i) Scotland's hidden history, Stroud, Gloucestershire
Page(s): 59-62 Fig. 35 Held at RCAHMS E.2.1.ARM

Ashmore, P (1984a) 'Callanish', in Breeze, D J Studies in Scottish antiquity presented to Stewart Cruden, Edinburgh
Page(s): 1-31 Held at RCAHMS F.2.1.BRE

Ashmore, P (2002b) '4D archaeology', Antiquity, vol.76, 293
Page(s): 785

Ashmore, P (2002) Calanais the standing stones: the official souvenir guide, Edinburgh
Held at RCAHMS E.7.11.ASH.P

Ashmore, P (2002a) Calanais: the standing stones, Edinburgh
Held at RCAHMS E.7.11.ASH.P

Ashmore, P J (1981b) 'Callanish (Uig p) chambered cairn, agricultural, settlement remains', Discovery Excav Scot
Page(s): 49-50

Burgess, C (1999) 'Promontory enclosures on the Isle of Lewis, the Western Isles, Scotland', in Frodsham, P, Topping, P and Cowley, D 'We were always chasing time.' Papers presented to Keith Blood, Northern Archaeol (Spec Edition), vol.17/18
Page(s): 93 Held at RCAHMS E.2.1.BLO

Burl, A (1996) ''Calanais' meets the olde tea-shoppe', Brit Archaeol, vol.17 September
Page(s): 14

Burl, H A W (1982) 'Pi in the sky', in Heggie, D C Archaeoastronomy in the Old World, Cambridge
Page(s): 144-5, 188

Burl, {H} A {W} (1976a) The stone circles of the British Isles, London and New Haven
Page(s): 15, 34, 62, 148-55, 156, 207, 330, 358 Held at RCAHMS E.7.BUR

Burl, {H} A {W} (1979a) Rings of stone: the prehistoric stone circles of Britain and Ireland, London
Page(s): 11, 31, 39, 70, 71, 86, 98-107 Held at RCAHMS E.7.BUR

Cunliffe, B W (2001) Facing the ocean: the Atlantic and its peoples 8000 BC - AD 1500, Oxford
Page(s): 186 Held at RCAHMS E.2.CUN

Curtis, G R (1979) 'Some geometery associated with the standing stones of Callanish', Hebridean Natur, vol.3
Page(s): 31, 38

Darvill, T (1996) Prehistoric Britain from the air: a study of space, time and society, Cambridge
Page(s): 200-203 Fig 114 Held at RCAHMS E.2.1.DAR

Feachem, R (1963b) A guide to prehistoric Scotland, London
Page(s): 49 Held at RCAHMS E.2.FEA

Fojut, Pringle and Walker, N, D and B (2003) The ancient monuments of the Western Isles, Historic Scotland Visitors' Guide Edinburgh
Page(s): 13-15 Held at RCAHMS D.20.HIS.P

Hadingham, E (1975) Circles and standing stones, London
Page(s): 65, 69, 101-6, 118, 139, 182, 186, 188, 190, 197, 208, 231 Held at RCAHMS E.7.HAD

Heggie, D C (1981) Megalithic science: ancient mathematics and astronomy in north-west Europe, London
Page(s): 7, 75, 83, 133-4, 159, 162, 195, 209-12 Held at RCAHMS E.7.HEG

Henshall, A S (1972a) The chambered tombs of Scotland, , vol.2 Edinburgh
Page(s): 461-2, LWS 3 Held at RCAHMS E.7.1.HEN

Hingley, R (1999) 'The creation of later prehistoric landscapes and the context of the reuse of Neolithic and earlier Bronze Age monuments in Britain and Ireland', in Bevan, B Northern exposure: interpretative devolution and the Iron Ages in Britain, Leicester archaeology monographs no.4 Leicester
Page(s): 236, 239 Held at RCAHMS E.9.BEV

MacCulloch, J (1879) A Description of the Western Islands of Scotland, (Three Volumes)
Page(s): Vol. 3, 49

MacKie, E W (1975a) Scotland: an archaeological guide: from the earliest times to the twelfth century, London
Page(s): 168-70 Held at RCAHMS E.2.MAC

Matheson, J (1862) 'Notice of the Stone Circle of Callernish in the Lewis, and of a chamber under the circle recently excavated', Proc Soc Antiq Scot, vol.3
Page(s): 110-12

Miers, M (2008) The Western Seaboard: an illustrated architectural guide, Edinburgh

Ordnance Survey (Name Book) Object Name Books of the Ordnance Survey (6 inch and 1/2500 scale)
Page(s): Book No.63, 41 Held at RCAHMS Ref

Ponting Callanish Guide Book,

Ponting and Ponting, G and M (1977b) The standing stones of Callanish, {s.l.} (Stornoway)
Page(s): 1-25 Held at RCAHMS E.7.11.PON.P

Ponting and Ponting, G and M (1984a) The stones around Callanish: a guide to the minor megalithic sites of the Callanish area, Callanish, Isle of Lewis
Page(s): (gives extensive bibliography) Held at RCAHMS E.7.11.PON

Ponting and Ponting, M R and G H (1982) 'Decoding the Callanish Complex - progress report', in Heggie, D C Archaeoastronomy in the Old World, Cambridge
Page(s): 191-203

Ponting, G (2002) Callanish and other megalithic sites in the Outer Hebrides, Presteigne, Wales
Held at RCAHMS E.7.11.PON

Ponting, Ponting and Curtis, M, G and G R (1977) 'Isle of Lewis, Callanish - stone circle and related structures; Callanish I: the standing stones of Callanish, buried stone 33A; Braesclete, Callanish XI:Airigh na Beinne Bige, possible stones, holes, etc.; Callanish XVIA: Cliacabhadh, standing stone; Callanish XIX:Buaile Chruaidh, possible standing stone', Discovery Excav Scot
Page(s): 32

RCAHMS (1928) The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments and Constructions of Scotland. Ninth report with inventory of monuments and constructions in the Outer Hebrides, Skye and the Small Isles, Edinburgh
Page(s): 24-7, No. 89 plan figs. 68-70, illusts figs. 60-4 Held at RCAHMS A.1.1.INV(9)

Ritchie and Harman, J N G and M (1985) Exploring Scotland's heritage: Argyll and the Western Isles, Exploring Scotland's heritage series Edinburgh
Page(s): 11, 12, 30, 129-30, 141-3, 160 No. 76 Held at RCAHMS A.1.4.HER

Ritchie and Harman, [J N] G and M (1996) Argyll and the Western Isles, Exploring Scotland's Heritage series, ed. by Anne Ritchie Edinburgh
Page(s): 15-16, 20, 59, 137, 138-9, 150 Held at RCAHMS A.1.4.HER

Sebire, H (2009) 'The Lukis family of Guernsey and antiquarian pursuits in Scotland', Proc Soc Antiq Scot, vol.139
Page(s): 1-31

Shepherd, I A G (1986a) Exploring Scotland's heritage: Grampian, Exploring Scotland's heritage series Edinburgh
Page(s): 141-3, no. 76 Held at RCAHMS A.1.4.HER

Somerville, B (1912a) 'Astronomical indications in the Megalithic Monument at Callanish', J Brit Astron Ass, vol.23
Page(s): 24-37, No. I

Thom and Thom, A and A S (1978a) 'A reconsideration of the lunar sites in Britain', J Hist Astron, vol.9
Page(s): 3, 5, 24, 172-3

Thom, A (1967a) Megalithic sites in Britain, Oxford
Page(s): 40, 68, 95, 99, 119, 123-9, 138 Held at RCAHMS E.7.THO

University of Glasgow, Department of Geography (1978) Callanish: a map of the standing stones and circles at Callanish, Isle of Lewis, with a detailed plan of each site, {Glasgow}
Held at RCAHMS E.7.11.CAL.P

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