The Henderson Stone of Glencoe

The Henderson Stone, also known as Clach Eanruig in Scottish Gaelic, is a granite boulder in a field in the Glencoe (Carnoch) area of Scotland. This stone holds a significant place in the history of Scotland and is surrounded by a rich oral tradition and legend.

The legend of the Henderson Stone is tied to the tragic event of the Glencoe Massacre in 1692. According to tradition, a Campbell soldier who was billeted with the Clan MacDonald of Glencoe for ten days knew of the orders to kill the MacDonalds the next morning. In an attempt to warn his host of the impending massacre, the soldier is said to have spoken to the Henderson Stone in the presence of a local MacDonald. The exact words of the warning are said to have varied in different versions of the story, but the message was clear: “Great stone of the glen! Great is your right to be here. But if you knew what will happen this night you would be up and away.” The local who heard the warning was able to escape, but unfortunately was unable to warn many others.

The stories of the warnings at Henderson Stone have been analyzed by historian John Prebble in his book, “Glencoe: the story of the massacre.” Prebble notes that the Highland Campbells of Argyll’s Regiment considered the inviolability of hospitality to be as sacred as any other clan, and murder under trust was considered a great sin. He suggests that the legends of the warnings recorded by the Glencoe people for over 150 years were a testament to the fact that some of the Argyll men were revolted by the orders they were given and tried to warn the people within the oath of obedience they had taken.

The site of the Henderson Stone has been marked by a commemorative sign since at least 1870 and is sometimes the site of commemorative events. The story of the Henderson Stone and its connection to the Glencoe Massacre serves as a reminder of the complex and tragic events that shaped Scotland’s history and the importance of preserving oral traditions and legends.