A Highland community which won a fight to keep a historic Pictish stone in the village where it was created has taken over the land where the monument lies.

A tug-of-war developed last year over the recently discovered base of the 8th century Hilton of Cadboll cross slab stone carved by Picts in Easter Ross.

Archaeologists wanted to remove the base for study in Edinburgh, where the rest of the stone is housed in the National Museum of Scotland. However, locals insisted the base should remain in the village and formed an action group to campaign to have the other section of the sculpture returned.

Following a public meeting in the village, Historic Scotland agreed to leave the base in a protected shed near St Mary’s Chapel, where it was discovered and where it will be conserved and made available for interpretation. The Historic Hilton Trust now wants to promote the history of the village and the wider area, as well as maintaining and preserving historical sites or artefacts.

Its work was boosted at the weekend when the Hilton chapel site was handed over to the trust by the owners, Glenmorangie Distillers plc, for the nominal sum of £1.

The deal involved the ancient ceremony of sasine, when a piece of stone and some earth were handed over to the new owners to represent the transfer of the land.

The ceremony dates back to medieval times, but, due to land-reform legislation, it could be one of the last such ceremonies in Scotland.

Douglas Scott, of the trust, said: "The handover of the Hilton chapel site by Glenmorangie plc to the trust will strengthen our claim of ownership of the base and of the upper part of the Hilton Stone which has been in Edinburgh for the last 90 years."

• Story originally published by:
The Scotsman / Edinburgh | John Ross - Apr 1.02

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