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Standing Stone, Black Rig, Ettrick. |
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Description
The standing stone on Black Rig stands about 700m south east of
Clearburn Cottage, near the summit of Black Rig and on a slope
facing the north east. Although now fallen, when erect it stood
0.90m high and is of rhomboidal section, its other dimensions
being 0.60 x 0.30m. Its major axis was aligned from NNW. to SSE.
There is no sign of the packing stones described in RCAHMS
records although the slight mound is still visible on location.
The suggestion that it served as a landmark to a nearby drove
road does seem possible.
Directions
From Hawick, take the A7 south, then right onto the B711 for
Roberton. Continue past Alemoor Reservoir and stop opposite
Clearburn Loch. Black Rig is directly south of this feature.
Parking
On grass verge by roadside.
Fieldnotes
The purpose of this small standing stone, which would not have
been very noticeable when erect is unclear. There are numerous
linear earthworks in the area though much of it is wasted and
over grown and is likely to have been an old land boundary. In
1480, the ranger of Yarrow got 2000 spades and forks. These may
have been used for making ditches and banks to form the bounds
of the stedes in Ettrick Forest, (a Royal hunting forest),
bounds which still seem to be shown on the O.S. maps. It is
unclear if the present stone is the original.
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