Transactions. 33 



Notes on the Druid Circles in the Neighbourhood 

 OF Inverness. By Dr Gilchrist. 



Having during the summer been in the neighbourhood of 

 Inverness, noted amongst other antiquities for its Druidical 

 Circles — having had two or three days to spare, and stimul- 

 ated by a paper previously contributed to the society by Dr 

 Dickson, on certain markings found on the Druidical stones 

 on the banks of the Cluden, I paid a visit to as many of them 

 as were within reach, and now give you the results. 



First, I visited a Druidical Circle on the top of the ridge, 

 between the well-known hill of Dunane and Craig Phadrich, 

 3 miles south-west of Inverness. 



Having probably contributed to the erection of two or 

 three successive generations of cottages in the neighbour- 

 hood, I found it in comparative ruin and disorder ; three con- 

 centric circles were, however, still traceable. 



Second, visited another about 3 miles south of Inverness, 

 on the east side of the road along the right bank of the Ness. 

 Here the dilapidation was nearly as great as that of No. 1, 

 the three concentric circles were, however, much more ob- 

 vious, and easily traced, and besides there was a passage, dis- 

 tinctly visible, leading from the outer to the inner. 



Third, visited a third at Leys, about 4 miles south-east of 

 Inverness. 



Found this very much in the same condition as the last 

 described, with three distinct concentric circles and passage. 

 It is, however, on a much more extensive scale than either 

 of the two previously mentioned, many of the blocks are im- 

 mense boulders of granite, and one, a sandstone conglomer- 

 ate, locally called the sacrificial stone, is 18 feet in circum- 

 ference, and 8 feet high above ground. 



Fourth, my fourth visit was made to Clava, which appears 

 to have been the sacra sacrorum of the Dniids. 



The spot is situated about a mile east of the field of Cul- 

 loden, in a much secluded pastoral valley running north and 

 south, bounded immediately on the west and cast bv n ridg« 

 of hills. 



