Pennygate Toll Gate Stones

Pennygate Stones Craignure Toll Gate Mull are a pair of historic standing stones located in the village of Craignure, which originally served a practical rather than prehistoric purpose. Raised in the mid-19th century, specifically around 1853 following the construction of the “Stevenson” pier at the south-east end of Craignure Bay, these stones acted as the functional posts for a physical toll gate. This gate was part of the island’s early infrastructure, designed to manage the flow of people and livestock arriving by sea.

The name “Pennygate” originates from the specific toll of one penny that was extracted from anyone wishing to pass through the gate to access the rest of the island. While they may resemble the ancient Neolithic standing stones found elsewhere on Mull, these are distinctive for their relatively recent utilitarian history. One of the stones still shows visible evidence of its past life, featuring a hole on one side where the gate’s hinges or latching mechanism would have been secured.

Today, the Pennygate Stones are no longer in their original shoreline location but have been moved slightly inland for preservation. They currently stand as a curious historical monument outside the police station in Craignure, near the local doctor’s surgery. Although they lack the ritual mystery of sites like the Lochbuie Stone Circle, they remain a significant reminder of the island’s Victorian maritime heritage and the early economic history of the Ross of Mull and beyond.