Clach an Trushal: The Tallest Standing Stone in Scotland
At a glance
| Also called | Clach an Truiseil, the Thrushel Stone |
| What | A single huge standing stone |
| Height | About 5.75–5.8 m, the tallest standing stone in Scotland |
| Date | Neolithic, probably around 3000 BC |
| Where | Ballantrushal, west Lewis, about 12 miles north of Stornoway on the A857 |
| In care of | Scheduled monument SM1661 · free, by the road |
Why it matters
In the crofting village of Ballantrushal, on the west side of Lewis, a single great slab rises out of a field between the houses. Clach an Trushal is the tallest standing stone in Scotland, about 5.75 metres above the ground. It is a lone giant now, but archaeologists believe it is the last survivor of a stone circle raised around 5,000 years ago, in the same age as the great complex at Callanish.
The stone
Historic Environment Scotland’s record gives its height as 5.75 metres; other measurements run from about 5.7 to just over 6 metres, depending on where you measure. It is covered in grey lichen. Other stones from the setting are said to have been broken up or built into walls and houses over the centuries, leaving this one standing alone. The name is usually translated as the Stone of Compassion or the Stone of Sorrow; the meaning of truiseil is uncertain.
Legends
Local tradition says it marks the site of the last great battle between the feuding Morrisons of Ness and the MacAulays of Uig, won by the Morrisons. Another story makes it the grave of a Norse prince. Neither fits the stone’s real age by several thousand years, but both show how the islanders explained a monument that was already ancient beyond memory.
Visiting
Ballantrushal is on the A857 about 12 miles north-west of Stornoway, between Barvas and Shader. The stone is beside the road in the village; park considerately and stay on the edge of the croft land. It is free to see at any time.
Around west Lewis
The obvious companion is Callanish, the cross-shaped circle and avenue on the shore of Loch Roag, about half an hour to the south-west, from the same Neolithic world. Out at Uig on the far west coast, Abhainn Dearg is the westernmost distillery in Scotland, and over the hills to the south Isle of Harris Distillery at Tarbert is famous for its gin. Lewis and Harris were held for centuries by the MacLeods. For distilleries across the islands see our Skye and Hebrides whisky trail, and for more stones with a story see our guide to the famous stones of Scotland.
Sources
- Historic Environment Scotland — scheduled monument SM1661, Clach an Truiseil.
- Canmore — Lewis, Ballantrushal, Clach an Truiseil (site 4264).
- Wikipedia — Clach an Trushal.