Barevan Stone

The 105kg (231 lb) Barevan Stone is granite and oval in shape, similar to both the Inver stone and the Dalwhinnie stone. However, it is slightly biased on one side with a distinctive ‘scar’ on its face.

Challenge

Like other traditional Scottish lifting stones, the five stages of lift are used here:

1. Break the ground (put wind beneath the stone)
2. Bring the stone to waist height
3. Bring the stone to the chest
4. Bring the stone to the shoulder
5. Press the stone overhead

Please move the stone away from the stone sarcophagus to protect both the stone and the sarcophagus. The stone must not touch the sarcophagus to help preserve both the stone and the sarcophagus. There is plenty of green space next to the stone.

History

The stone sits in the ruins of the ancient St. Barevan Church next to a stone sarcophagus. The unusual and interesting setting makes this stone relatively popular among lifters.

Services at the church ended over 400 years ago, while the church itself dates back to the 14th century. The earliest reference to the stone is from the late 1800s where it was described as a ‘test of strength in the older days’, suggesting people lifted the stone sometime in the 1700s.

Before being used as a test of strength, the stone may have had a much different purpose. The lone stone sarcophagus is in an otherwise empty part of the church yard and features a distinct space to fit a person’s head. It appears the static stone sarcophagus wouldn’t have been used for the dead. Instead, the purpose of the sarcophagus seems to be as a form of punishment. Perpetrators would be made to lie in the sarcophagus and enclosed by a large stone slab, leaving their head exposed. Church goers would spit on the face of the perpetrator when they walked past.

Escaping the sarcophagus would still have been possible even with a stone slab sealing the body, which is where the Barevan Stone comes in to play. It’s suggested that the stone would be placed on top of the stone slab to make it near impossible to escape. This form of punishment suggests that the stone could date back as far as the mid 1500s.

Unsurprisingly, the stone is no longer used to enclose people into the sarcophagus for punishment. People once again use the stone for lifting.

Location

The Barevan Stone is at the foot of a stone sarcophagus in the ancient church yard ruins.

The ruins are a scheduled monument and protected by law¹. It is a criminal offence to damage any part of the site.

The precise location is on the liftingstones.org map.

In media

Featured in Stoneland.

Featured in Our Lives: Stone Strong.

References

Stonelifting: An Ancient Test of Strength Revived - Martin Jancsics and Dr. Bill Crawford