Tour
Clatchard Craig
The
name of Clatchard Craig simply meant the Craig of the High
Stone. This was a purely descriptive name as there once
arose at this point a detached pillar of rock standing 90'
high x 25' wide leaning towards the east.
Thomas the Rhymer made a prophecy concerning this pillar
which he said "would stand till it fell on a white horse
that never was born". It was in fact demolished by one charge
of dynamite to make way for the railway, and its steam propelled
engines, so the Rhymer was not far astray in his prophecy.
On the craig itself was an iron age fort, which was probably
Pictish in origin. It consisted of a fort, a concentric
series of ramparts and a large enclosure for cattle.
Before the quarry, which now occupies this site, was opened,
several archeological diggings were made and an ancient
stone ball was found. It was carved with leaves and thought
to have been used in a game, but has since been lost without
trace.
The fort itself is believed to have been destroyed by the
Romans under Martius, Commander of the Thracian Cohorts
under the Emperor Commodus.
