Students of anthropology, comparative religion, folklore and other academic arenas, have long been aware that many mountains, hills, rock outcrops, rivers and other features on the Earth have been imbued with particular sanctity – i.e., are sacred. Some are deemed as the abodes of spirits (good and bad), gods and other transpersonal qualities. Most mountaineers and travellers will talk of similar living qualities in Nature’s various forms. So it is that we also find sites scattering the British Isles which have 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 which we see on modern OS-maps dedicated to such mythical characters as the Devil, Robin Hood, fairies, Thor, Grim and other deities. The myths, histories and other folklore of these sites is here included. Although these sites 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!
SACRED ROCKS & HILLS: Bibliography & References
- A’ Chailleach, Braemore, Ross & Cromarty
- Alcomden Stones, Stanbury Moor, West Yorkshire
- Almscliffe Crags, North Rigton, North Yorkshire
- 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
- Ben Ledi, Callander, Stirlingshire
- 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
- Bride Stones, Todmorden - see Great Bride Stones
- Brimham Rocks, Hartwith, North Yorkshire
- 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
- Clach mo-Luchaig, Fortingall, Perthshire
- Clach na Glaistig, Iona, Argyll
- Clach na h-ealea, Clachan, Lismore, Argyll
- Cnoc a’ Chiuil, Weem, Aberfeldy, Perthshire
- Cock Crowing Stone, Hollow Meadows, Sheffield, South Yorkshire
- Cow and Calf Rocks, Ilkley, West Yorkshire
- Creag na Cailleach, Killin, Perthshire
- Devil’s Blue Stane, Crail, Fife
- Devil’s Stone, Addlebrough, Bainbridge, North Yorkshire
- 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
- 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
- Great Bride Stones, Todmorden, West Yorkshire
- Great Dove Stones, Saddleworth Moor – Lancashire
- The Great Stone, Downham, Lancashire
- Great Stone of Fourstones, Lowgill, North 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
- 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
- Maiden Castle, Glendevon, Perthshire
- Man Stone, Whitworth, Lancashire
- Meall an t-Sithe, Loch a’ Bhroain, Braemore, Ross & Cromarty
- 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
- Pendle Hill, Lancashire
- Ponden Kirk, Stanbury Moor, West Yorkshire
- Pots and Pans Stone, Greenfield, Oldham, Lancashire
- Queen of the Fairies Chair, Lowgill, Lancashire
- 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 Stone, Meltham Moor, West Yorkshire
- Rocking Stone, Rishworth Moor, West Yorkshire
- St. Austin’s Stone, High Hunsley, East Yorkshire
- St. Canna’s Stone, Llangan, Carmarthenshire
- Samson Stone, Kilmahog, Callander, Stirlingshire
- Serpent Wood, Clackmannan, Clackmannanshire
- Sharp Haw, Flasby, North Yorkshire
- Simon’s Seat, Skyreholme, North Yorkshire
- Sleepy Lowe Rocking Stone, Warley Moor, West Yorkshire
- Smoo Cave, Durness, Sutherland
- Thor’s Stone, Thurstaston, Cheshire
- 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 Stone, Crossford, Dunfermline, Fife
- Wizard’s Stone, Dollar, Clackmannanshire
- Wolf Stones, Oakworth Moor, West Yorkshire
- Worm Rock, Fatfield, Durham
© Paul Bennett, The Northern Antiquarian
