Stones

Gaelic, Norse, Brittonic? A look into the history 
and origins of place names in and around our area

Clach A’ Charra, a standing stone 10 ft high on the road to Dornoch opposite Ospisdale House, is believed to be of prehistoric date. According to tradition, a Danish chief was shot by the laird of Ospisdale and interred here. The name might mean ‘Stone of the cairn’, or ‘Stone of stone’ (from a’ charrad). Another source links it with a charaid, or ‘Friend’s stone’.

One mile from Spinningdale we find Clach Shleamhuinn, ‘the slippery stone’, west from Allt na Fhuarain on the road to Bonar Bridge.

A large stone on the Dornoch Firth shore, just south of Coille Baile na Creige wood is named Clach Dhubh, ‘black stone’.

In Ardgay village, Clach Eiteag, a large quartz stone linked to the market Feill Eiteachan, was once built into the wall of the Balnagown Hotel.

In Edderton, above Raanich, there is Clach Meadhon Latha, the ‘mid-day stone’. However, there are two stones some distance apart, and the sun shines on them both at noon, so it’s not easy to tell which one of the two is the real mid-day stone!