Ancient Lothian: Historic Edinburgh and South-East Scotland

¤ the boar stane
holy hunting stone
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The Boar Stane is located on the top of a ridge in farmland on the South side of the A89, just West of Armadale before reaching Blackridge. This is a large, flat natural boulder measuring some five by four yards which has become associated with the boar in local lore.

Boar Stane, Looking West Boar Stane, Looking East
Boar Stane, Looking West & East

Local tradition claims that it is also related to the name of the nearby Barbauchlaw Burn. The story goes that a local weaver killed a wild boar here with his sword, using his bauchle (Scots for "shoe") as a kind of shield.

Boar Stane, Looking North Boar Stane, Looking South
Boar Stane, Looking North & South

However, according to John Garth Wilkinson, the placename elements are derived from Gaelic barr ("hill") and bachlach ("crozier"), on the basis that the lands once belonged to Holyrood Abbey in Edinburgh (West Lothian Placenames, p.20).

It is also possible, of course, that the stone (if not the local burn) derives its name from some medieval association as a landmark connected with boar hunting.

Hand-Made in West Lothian, Scotland