View source for Ballochroy

{{Short description|Megalithic site in Kintyre, Scotland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}

{{Infobox ancient site
| name = Ballymeanoch
| alternate_name =
| image = Ballochroy,Standing Stones Group.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Ballochroy [[standing stones]]
| mapframe = yes
| mapframe-wikidata = yes
| coordinates = {{coord|55.71195|-5.61396|source:wikidata|display=inline,title}}
| location = [[Kintyre]], [[Argyll and Bute]]
| type =
| part_of =
| diameter =
| height =
| material = [[Stone]]
| built =
| epochs =
| management =
| public_access = Yes
| website =
| embedded = {{Infobox designation list
| embed = yes
| designation1 = Scheduled Monument
| designation1_offname = Ballochroy, three standing stones & cist
| designation1_type = Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cist; standing stone
| designation1_date = 30 October 1936
| designation1_number = {{Historic Environment Scotland|num=SM175|short=yes}}
}}
}}

'''Ballochroy''' is a [[megalith]]ic site in [[Kintyre]] on the [[Argyll]] peninsula in [[Scotland]].<ref name="Cope1998">{{cite book|first=Julian|last= Cope|authorlink=Julian Cope|title=[[The Modern Antiquarian: A Pre-millennial Odyssey Through Megalithic Britain]] : Including a Gazetteer to Over 300 Prehistoric Sites|year=1998|page=349|publisher=Thorsons Pub|isbn=978-0-7225-3599-8}}</ref> It consists of three vertical [[rock (geology)|stone]]s, side by side, aligned with various land features {{convert|7|-|19|mi|km|abbr=out|0}} away.

[[Alexander Thom]], known for his work on [[Stonehenge]], maintained that the great length between the stones and the features of distant landscape lent precision to pinpointing the [[midsummer]] and [[winter solstice|winter soltices]] for ancient observers, indicating that the monument was used as an astronomic calendar.

These three stones are considered the most spectacular set of megalithic monuments that cluster around South Argyll. The three mica schist stones were measured at {{convert|3.5|,|3.0|and|2.0|m|ftin|abbr=on|disp=flip}} in height. The last, smallest stone may have been broken off at the top. The line of stones is oriented north-east to south-west.

The flat face of the central stone (at right angles to the alignment) indicates the mountain of [[Cora Bheinn]], on the [[Jura, Scotland|island of Jura]], which is {{convert|30|km|mi|disp=flip|abbr=out|0}} away. The shortest stone also faces across the alignment, and points to [[Beinn a' Chaolais]], the southernmost of the three [[Paps of Jura]]. The sunset would have given a warning of the approach of the solstice.
[[File:Ballochroy, Menhir with Jura in the background.jpg|thumb|Ballochroy, Menhir with [[Jura, Scotland|Jura]] in the background]]
As with many megalithic sites, the current theories concerning the exact use of the stones at Ballochroy are somewhat controversial.

==See also==
*[[List of archaeoastronomical sites sorted by country]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*{{oscoor gbx|NR727522}}
*{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=SM175 |desc=Ballochroy,three standing stones & cist 400m NE of}}

{{European Standing Stones|state=collapsed}}
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{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Archaeoastronomy]]
[[Category:Archaeological sites in Argyll and Bute]]
[[Category:Standing stones in Scotland]]
[[Category:Kintyre]]
[[Category:Scheduled monuments in Argyll and Bute]]