| 003 Siller Stane, Eildon Hills, Melrose. |
Prev |
Next |
Description
The Siller or Sillar Stane is a large glacial erratic boulder some 5.00m or so
north-west of the footpath running between Eildon Mid Hill and Eildon Hill North, on the
south side of the Eildon Hills. The stone is almost hidden completely by bracken
in summer and easily missed but can
be seen from the platform to the south of Eildon Hill North.
Interestingly, there is a distinct lack of lichen on the
stone although other stones in the area have heavy natural growths. Why this is so is not
known. The Sillar stone also stands beside the route of The St. Cuthbert's Way, a long
distance footpath running from Melrose to Lindisfarne which may be
significant. St. Cuthbert was a Celtic monk and missionary bishop,
around AD664.
Note: The author has not been able to
determine if the stone shown above is actually the Siller Stone.
However, there are no other significant stones in the vicinity.
Directions
Various walks are available in and around the Eildon
Hills starting from Melrose and a leaflet is available from the tourist information
office. The stone can be found on the east side of the footpath between Eildon North Hill and
Eildon Mid Hill, just before you enter to woodland to the south.
Parking
In Melrose or by roadside at Bowden Reservoir. There is also parking
along the old main road to St. Boswells to the south east of Melrose.
Follow the signs for Eildontree Stone.
Folklore
Siller or sillar also means silver, a well known
element in witchcraft and the stone does have a kind of glow to it, particularly at night
under bright moonlight. A connection, perhaps?
Fieldnotes
The Siller Stane or Silver Stone sits in one of the most
exciting of settings, the Eildon Hills which was known as
Trimontium in Roman times. The stone is obvious if you look
out for it but seems out of place as there are no similar
stones in the area. I'm not sure if the stone is a glacial
erratic or native to the hills but I'll find out one day.
The Siller Stane is shown on old Ordnance Survey maps dating
back as far as 1863. Make sure you climb Eildon Hill North with its hill fort,
Roman signal station and amazing view all round. There's an
info cairn on Eildon Mid Hill as well as the remains of a
burial cairn.
|
