Long Tom (Cairnryan)

The Long Tom is a 1.75 m high menhir (standing stone) on Milldown Hill, 110 m northwest of Glen Burn in Cairnryan near Stranraer in Dumfries and Galloway , about 400 meters from the border of Ayrshire in Scotland .

The dimensions at the base of the stone at the top are 0.7 × 0.7 m

Alexander Thom (1894–1985) states that the stone was important for moon observation. This is denied by Clive LN Ruggles (born 1952).

Nearby are the Joug Stone and the Taxing Stone .

literature

• Richard Feachem: Guide to prehistoric Scotland. 2nd edition. Batsford, London 1977, ISBN 0-7134-3264-0 .
• RCAHMS - The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland: The archaeological sites and monuments of East Rhins, Wigtown District, Dumfries and Galloway Region (= The archaeological sites and monuments of Scotland series. No. 26). Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland, Edinburgh 1987.
• Clive LN Ruggles: Prehistoric Astronomy: How far Dit it go? In: New Scientist. Vol. 90, No. 1258, 1981, pp. 750-753.

Web links

• Entry on Long Tom  in Canmore, Historic Environment Scotland's database
• Description Engl. and picture
• Description Engl. and picture

Coordinates: 55 ° 0 ′ 14.5 "  N , 5 ° 0 ′ 4.2"  W.