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Mid Clyth cross slab is a carved stone monument situated on the rolling moorland of Caithness, 130 metres east of Greenhill. Protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland, it belongs to the tradition of early medieval cross slabs that flourished in northern Scotland from the 6th century onwards. These carved stones served both religious and commemorative purposes, marking significant locations within Christian communities and sometimes indicating burial sites or territorial boundaries.
The monument stands upon bedrock of Middle Old Red Sandstone, formed during the Devonian period and composed of conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone. This local geology shaped both the monument itself and the landscape's broader character, with such stone beds providing suitable material for carving. The exposed moorland setting, typical of inner Caithness, places the cross slab within a landscape of sparse vegetation and open horizons that would have carried considerable significance in early medieval Scotland.
The cross slab remains a tangible record of Caithness's Christian heritage and settlement patterns during the early medieval period. Its presence reflects the widespread adoption of Christianity in northern Scotland and the communities' engagement with religious expression through monumental stone carving, a practice that left enduring marks across the Scottish landscape.
Mid Clyth, cross slab 130m E of Greenhill is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM614. View the official record →
Mid Clyth cross slab is a carved stone monument situated on the rolling moorland of Caithness, 130 metres east of Greenhill. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM614.
Mid Clyth, cross slab 130m E of Greenhill is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic Environment Scotland — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Scotland. The official designation reference is SM614.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Greenhill, broch 60m NE of (0.1 km), Hill o'Many Stanes,stone rows (1.2 km), Bruan, broch 85m SW of Tulloch Lea (2.7 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Mid Clyth, cross slab 130m E of Greenhill's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Mid Clyth, cross slab 130m E of Greenhill stands on Middle Old Red Sandstone (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.