Borve

View from the north west (Scale 1m).

A possible single stone row measuring 9.7m long, including three large upright orthostats situated on a gentle south west facing slope. The northern stone stands 0.89m high, the central one is 1.54m high and the southern one is 1.52m tall. The row is orientated north west to south east. The doubts regarding identification exist because it is possible that this represents the remnants of a mutilated stone circle and because of its proximity to the road.

Location

Scotland	Isle of Skye	Western Isles	NG 45189 48016
Lat 57.45064   Long -6.2491058

Map showing the location of Borve stone row.

Plan of Borve stone row. Survey by Sandy Gerrard at 1:100. The grey stones are upright and the yellow ones recumbent. The recumbent stones are probably secondary and represent later historic dumping.

Characteristics

Type: Single	Length: 9.7m
No. of stones: 3	Size of stones: Only large
Orientation: 140°	Altitude: 109m
Upper end: –	Lower end: –
Straight (Yes or No)  : No	Sea View: No
Context:  –
Notes: Could be a stone circle. Northern upright stone measures 0.89m high, the central stone is 1.54m high and the southern one is 1.52m high.

Other Information

Public Access:  Yes

Land Status:

Scheduled Ancient Monument: No

Identification

Category: Possible. This monument is described as a stone circle by Canmore, but Burl includes it within his stone alignment gazetteer. The site certainly has the appearance of a stone row, but whether this is the result of partial survival of a stone circle or some other form of structure or because it is a stone row is not known. On balance a stone row interpretation seems possible.

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Typology

This stone row is of Type S2. Information on this form of stone row and other rows of this type is available here.

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Photographs

29th August 2014

View from the east (Scale 1m).

Looking eastward along the row. It is clear from this angle that the row is not perfectly straight (Scale 1m).

View from the north east. The western stone is significantly smaller than the other two (Scale 1m).

View from above and east (Scale 1m).

View from above and north west.

4th August 2017

View from south east.

View from north.

View from north east.

Looking north west along the row.

Access Information

This stone row is situated next to the public highway and parking is available adjacent to it.

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Online Resources 

Megalithic Portal     Modern Antiquarian     Canmore

Other References

Burl, A., 1993, From Carnac to Callanish – The prehistoric rows and avenues of Britain, Ireland and Brittany, Yale University Press, New York and London, pg. 224.

Ruggles, C.L.N., 1999, Astronomy in prehistoric Britain and Ireland, Yale University Press, New Haven and London, 196.

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Timeline

VISITED:- 29th August 2014 and 4th August 2017

FIRST PUBLISHED:- 13th February 2016

LAST UPDATED:- 15th March 2019