Ancient Stones
A Guide to Standing Stones & Stone Circles in the South of Scotland.


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015 Coot Stone, Holylee, Walkerburn.

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Description
The Coot Stone is a large wedge-shaped rock, with large natural "cup" marks on the upper surface, located a few metres from the south bank of the River Tweed opposite Holylee to the east of Walkerburn. The stone is actually in the river bed and is named on O.S. Explorer Sheet 337.

Directions
The stone is accessible from both sides of the River Tweed. On the north side, opposite Holylee, a field gate gives access to the river. On the south side, where a closer look is to be had, take a minor road that follows the south side of the River Tweed from Walkerburn. When opposite Holylee, at the entrance to Elibank & Traquair Forest, follow a rough track down towards the river.

Parking
On the north side, a small lay-by can be found a few hundred metres west of the entrance drive to Holylee House on the A72. On the south side, there is parking at the entrance to Elibank & Traquair Forest but take care not to block access to the forest. Avoid parking if timber operations are in progress.

Folklore
No folklore to date but how the Coot Stone came to be named as such might be worth some speculation. My theory is that an early surveyor asked a local about the stone and if it had a name. The local, being a canny Scot with a wry sense of humour, saw that a Coot, a type of waterfowl, was perched on the stone and suggested "The Coot Stone". Just might not be so far fetched?

Fieldnotes
The stone itself certainly has little to offer, simply being a large boulder situated a few metres away from the south bank of the River Tweed. Having found no further information on the stone, one can only surmise its original purpose. My best bet is a marker stone to indicate a crossing point and Outdoor Leisure sheet 44 indicates a Holy Well across the river on the west side of Holylee, so perhaps, there might be some connection. One final thought is that the Coot Stone is a boundary marker, although placing it in the river does seems somewhat strange.

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Quick Info
Type: Named Stone
Nearest Town: Innerleithen
Nearest Village: Walkerburn
O.S.
Landranger Sheet 73
O.S. Explorer Sheet 337
Grid Reference: NT 3914 3737
GPS Reference: COTSTN

Symbols Key | Stone Types

Other Sites Nearby
078 Basin Stone, Thornylee, Walkerburn.
079 Cloven Stone, Holylee, Walkerburn.

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