SCULPTURED SYMBOL STON9 27 T RAYNEA E .

IV. DESCRIPTION OF SCULPTURED SYMBOL STONE AT RAYNE AND SMALL CROSS AT CULSALMOND, . BY JAMES RITCHIE, F.E.I.S., CORK. MEM. S.A. SCOT.

SCULPTURED SYMBOL STON NEWTOT EA LEWESKP NO , RAYNE. The parish of Rayne lies fully twenty miles north-west of , and can be reached from either Inveramsay or stations on the main line of the Great North of Railway, or from Wartle station on the Macduff branch. From an antiquarian point of view it is rather an interesting parish. Lowrin Fair (i.e. Lawrence Fair), much frequente olden di n times stild f considerablan ,o l e importances ,i held annually in August at the village of . To it people gathered from far and near, and much business was transacted, not only sale f horseth o e n than d i cattle i f mant an so t bu ,y other kindf o s merchandise. It is recorded that on one occasion, Leslie, the laird of , an estate in the neighbouring parish, bought up all the wine to be had at the Fair, in anticipation of an approaching royal visit. Of frequene th t disputes whic hcommemorates i e Fair arose th t on , a e n di Tullidaffs Cairn, which marks the spot where Leslie of Wardes slew e lair th f Tullidaffdo . The old market cross (fig. 1) stands in the centre of the village, and in its shaft are embedded one or two fragments of iron, all that remain of the jougs, an old Scottish instrument of punishment, which, it may be presumed, was in frequent use during the time of the Fair. In the same village, too, there lived John Montgomery 168n i o 6 erecte,wh e dth fine Market Cross which still forms so prominent an object in the Castlegate of Aberdeen. Near the Parish Church lies the Bowman's Stone (fig. 2), where in olden times the men used to assemble to practise shooting with the bow, so that they might be ready to defend their homes when occasion required. John Barbour, Archdeaco f Aberdeenno e authod Th an , f o r Bruce, parsos wa f Rayne fourteentno th f eo towardd en h e centuryth s , e "Bishop' th ansite f dth o e s Palace s stili " l pointed out,e closth o et public school at Old Rayne. Abou quartea t mila f Rayne villagro d easth Ol f f eo te o stande th s well-known stone circle, still called "The Standing Stone f Rayne,o s " standinf w o stonee no d th thouge f 2n o gar s . e (figw Her3) th h fe . n eo May 1349 e King'th , s Justiciar, William, Ear f Ross o s presenl wa , t a t 280 PROCEEDING E SOCIETYTH F O S , APRI , 191610 L . a court held for the settling of a dispute between William of St Michaee Bishoth d f Aberdeen.o pan l numbeA f yearo r s ago, when

[J. R. photo. Fig. 1. Ancient Market Cross at Old Rayne.

excavations were carried out within the area of this circle, pieces of burnt bones, urns, and charcoal were found. thin i ss i districtt I , then, which already contain mano s y objectf o s interes antiquarye th o t , tha sculpturee th t d Symboe b lo t Ston w eno described has been recently found. Fully half a mile to the east of the SCULPTURED SYMBOL STONE AT RAYNE. 281

" Standing Stones of Rayne " lies the farm of Newton of Lewesk, where the stone was discovered. In the autumn of 1914, after the hay had been secured jusd an ,t befor e corth e n croreads pr cuttingwa yfo Jamer ,M s Gordon, the farmer at Newton, took the opportunity to remove a block of stone from one of his fields, because it lay in the way of the plough when the land was being cultivated. The block lay embedded in the

[J. R. photo. Fig. 2. The Bowman's Stone, near Parish Church, Rayne.

soil about 300 yards south-west of the farm-steading, and only a few yards distant fro drystone mth e dyke which form westere sth n boundary fielde frod oth f s sit an e m,"Standinit e th g Stones visible e "ar th n ei distance. Whe e ston d beeth n ha en raised r GordoM , n fortunately happene notico dt e some curious e markundeth n ro s surface whicd hha been hiddee soilth . n ni Intereste e discoveryth n di carefulle h , - re y move farm-steadinge e stonth dth o et , wher t coulei examinee db t da leisure, and thus secured its preservation. In so acting Mr Gordon has earned the gratitude of all who are interested in our ancient Scottish Symbol Stones. 282 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, APRIL 10, 1916. Underneat stone quantita hth y ela f blacyo k earth sufficien filo t tl ordinarn a y pail t thougbu , r GordohM n examine t dwiti h care he could detect no fragments of bones or any other objects in it. When I visited the spot, several months afterwards, the soil had been so much trodden underfoo cattle th y eb tpasturin fiele th d n gthai furthes tit r examination was rendered impossible. The facts that the stone was lying on its facethad an ,quantita t f blacyo k soiy underneatla l , suggeshit e th t inference that addition i , s originait o nt l purpos Symboa s a e l Stone, it had been utilised at a later date as a grave cover.

[J. B. photo. Standine FigTh . .3 g Stone Kaynef so . The stone itself (fig. 4) is a block of reddish-coloured granite, similar whao t s founi t Bennachien o d quitd an , e commo districte th n t ni I . measure fees 2 inche 0 1 t s long foo1 , inche4 t s broadabous i d inchet7 an , s thick. Centurie f ploughino s g have' score s backdit , broke s edgesnit , and damaged portions of the symbols towards the outside of its face, e wholeth but n o ,, those portions which remain have been fairly well preserve protectioe th e soiy db whicn th i l f e sculptureno hth d surface y buried la e symbolTh . se threinscribear n numbert i ei n o d , viz. the Mirror Case, the Double Crescent, and a Rectangle with rod attached, of which no previous example has been found on any of the Scottish sculptured stones. The Mirror Case is of not infrequent occurrence. Including the present example founs i t ,i d twelve e sculpturetimeth n o s d stonesd ,an SCULPTURED SYMBOL STONE AT RAYNE. 283 cave th e walt Covese etwica th f o ln o e Elgin i a r Morayshireno n I . addition a rather doubtful instance occurs in a cave at East Wemyss n Fifei . e exampleSeveth f o n e founar s n Aberdeenshirei d . There exists also a modified form of what appears to be the same symbol, in which a square-shaped indentation e lowesoccurth n o se t th par f o t figure. Four instances of this for knowne mar t non ,bu thes f eo e occu Aberdeenshiren i r cire -Th . culae e rfigurth th hean f o eo d Newto Lewesf no k stone measures 6 inches in diameter, and is orna- mented by three rude arcs over- lapping each other withie th n circle in a manner different from any other known example carved on stone. Forms, somewhat simi- larly arranged, but much more elaborate in character, with the ends of the rude arcs turned into spirals, are, however, found in the Boo e somf n Kellsi kth o f d eo an , illuminated Gospels. stone opposite Ath tf th e o d een the Double Crescent Symbol is in- cisedformenarros o i t tw I .f wdo crescents placed back to back, a portio f eacno h convex side being omitted near the point of junction, and the vacant space thus left being ornamented by two small semi-circles, placed upright, with [J. B. photo. their convex sides turned towards Fig . Newto.4 Lewesf no k Sculptured Stone, now at Logie Elphinstone. centre figuree th ornath n f A eo . - ment forme a semi-circl f do e supporte curvey db d lines d havinan , ga small hollow dot in the centre, projects from the middle of each concave e figureth sid anothed f eo an , r curved line connect divergine th s g limbs crescente oth f t eacsa h whole sideTh .e figure, when complete, measured 7 inches in length, but the points of the crescents have been broken off ende on . t a This Double Crescent Symbo f raro s ei l occurrence, only previouo tw s example t beini f stono se g th f thesknownn o e o e s ei On . 284 PROCEEDING E SOCIETYTH F O S , APRI , 1916L10 .

e Castlehilfoune Nationath th t da n i f Kintorew o l Museuno d an , f mo Antiquitie e stonEdinburghn si th e othen o th fro s i d rm an , Ulbster, which now stands within the grounds of Thurso Castle. In each of these cases the ornamentation of the figure differs from that at Newton of Lewesk. e centrstone th th carvef n s ei I eo thire dth d symbol t consistI . f o s a rectangular figure, with a small square in the centre, and having a rod touching it obliquely on the two longest sides. Each of these sides measures 7J inches in length. One of the remaining sides is slightly longer than the other, and measures 6£ inches in length, the shorter one bein \ inc ga h less smal.e sidee th Eac th f l s o f squarhcentre o th n ei is 1£ inch long. The rod which is attached to the rectangle extends for a distance of 6 inches beyond it on one side, and for a slightly less distance on the other, but as the latter portion is broken off at the end its full length cannot be ascertained. The shorter portion of the rod is_ crosse t righda t angle lina y inchee2 b s s long therd an , e appearse b o t a portio secona f no d cros e brokes th lin t a e n e stone edgth s A f o e. already remarked, thistriked sro e rectanglsth e obliquely thougd an , h both portions of it are in the same straight line, it does not pass through Z-shaped an - V figuree de th th rod s wito a , se d symbo hth whico lt h they attachede ar . No other figure precisely similar to this one has previously been discovered rectangulaA . r symbol occurs twelve e Scottistimeth n so h sculpture instanco dn stories t n liki i e presen t s eth i bu , e th t onen I . example from Grantown, now in the National Museum, there is a small spiral attached to each of two of the opposite corners, but it is quite unlik line eth e attache Newtoe th o dt f Lewes no k rectangle. There ear also nine examples of the notched rectangle having a Z-shaped rod passing throug l likt nonLewese al bu eth t f thes , ea o h it e kear symbol. The nearest approac sculpturee th t occursi n o o ht t dno , stonesn o t bu , the walls of the caves at Covesea in Elgin, and East Wemyss in Fife. Covesee Owale th n th f lo a Cave ther rectangla s ei e abou inche6 t1 s long inche0 1 d s an broad, enclosin ginchesmallea 0 1 e s on r lon nearld gan y •5 inches broad, but it has no rod attached to it. In the caves along the shor t Easea t Wemys rectangle sth e occurs severa singla l timesn i ed an , instance it takes the form of a square with a smaller one inside. In no case, however, does ther thesf attached o ero y eappeaa cavan e o b dt e o rt figures, all of which are very roughly formed. These thre e figureeth symbol l al s whice ar s h appeae Newtoth n o r n of Lewesk stone, but there are faint traces of one or two other lines on its surface. It is impossible to tell with certainty, however, whether these lines have been parts of additional symbols, or are merely accidental SCULPTURED SYMBOL STON5 28 T RAYNEA E . scratche stonee theface th s f A th yeo . n occuso r nea edgess rit t seem,i s probable that they have been plougcausee poine th th f y to d hb scraping along its surface during agricultural operations. Mr Gordon pointe t anothedou r large flat stone lying half burien di same th e fiel whicn di symboe hth l ston founds carvino ewa N . g appeared os exposenit hope d th surface en i tha t tbu , something migh foune b t d hiddee onth n sid attempn t proveI ea e b . mads o dup t wa tlif o et t i t too heavy for us to turn completely over, but we managed to raise it sufficientl o enablt y s undeit e r surface examined b r dis o ou t -e o T . appointment, however, no trace of carving was discovered on it. I am much indebte Alexr M .o d t Smith , M.A. Schoolhousee Th , , Raynee th r fo , troubl tooe eh helpin n ki locato gt positioe eth f thino s stone after vague rumours of its discovery had reached me. Colonel George Milne whosn o , e estat e Newtoeth f Lewesno k stone was found, has recently removed it from the farm where it was dis- r s betteplacecoveredfo ha , d it dr an preservation, , besid e threth e e sculptured stones which already grounde stanth n di s nea mansions hi r - house of Logie Elphinstone, about a mile from Pitcaple Station on the Great Nort f Scotlanho d Railway.

SMALL CROSS AT CA.IRNHILL QUARRY, CULSALMOND. About a mile to the east of the Parish Church of Culsalmond, on the nort hmaie th sid nf e o road, lies Cairnhill Quarry stonee th , s from which e chieflar y use r repairindfo e districte roadeastere th gth th t n si A n. side of the gateway leading from the road into the quarry stands a large block of stone (fig. 5). It is of diorite, 5 feet in height, with a breadth, at the widest part, of 3 feet 2 inches, and a thickness of about 1 foot 9 inches. On the western face of this stone there is incised a small plain cross, lineformeo tw s f crossino d g each othe t righa r t angles nea centree rth . The shaft of the cross is 7 inches long, and the arms, from end to end, measure 6 inches. The stone formerly lay, face downwards, almost in its present position, but as it interfered somewhat with the traffic out and in to the quarry, it was raised up a number of years ago, and was gatewaye side th f th e o t a .d en n o t se While we were making inquiries about the s^one, one of the men working in the quarry mentioned that he had heard there was a deer carved on the back of it, though he himself had never seen the figure. Unfortunately this part of the stone could not be properly examined at the time, as the wall forming the boundary of the turnpike was built up mattee th t t latea rest a rse n o o r,t dayt againsBu , anothe . it t r visit was made to the place, and a workman procured to take down and 286 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, APRIL 10, 1916. rebuil e portio wale dth th le f stone nwhico th d .h hi Afte e surfacth r e beed ha n washe removo dt e soieth l which clun, searcit mads o gt hwa e carvinge fo othey traceth o r deen a an t f r o ro figur, bu founds ewa .

[J. R. photo. Fig . Standin.5 g Stone with Small Incised Cross t Cairnhila , l Quarry, Culsalmond.

This block of stone has somewhat the appearance of a standing stone removed from a circle. It is evident that a large stone circle, now destroyed, mus formen ti r times have stood somewher thin ei s neighbour- hood r severafo , l large block similaa f o s r character have been utilised as gateposts near Freefield House, abou southe milth a t circl A o et . e SMALL CROSS AT CULSALMOND. 287 formerly stood near Tocherford, another at the Kirk of Culsalmond, and two others near l thesAl .e have been destroyed t seemi t bu s, unlikely that the heavy blocks of which they were composed would have been remove y greaan to dt distanc e from their Abbee sitesTh f . yo Lindores held extensive possession thin si s neighbourhoody ma t i d an , have bee nt upo tha pu crose ns th tthi swa s ston maro et boundare kth y of the ecclesiastical lands. An old road to Aberdeen passed close to the stone, but is not now in use at this point.

MONDAY, 8th May 1916. THE HON. JOHN ABERCROMBY, LL.D., President, e Chairinth . A ballot having been taken e followinth , s dulwa gy electea d Fellow:— JOHN WHITE, 18 Arthur Street, Pilrig, Leith. The following Donations were announced and thanks voted to the Donors:— y WILLIA(1B ) M FOBSYTH, F.R.C.S.E., F.S.A. Scot. Communion Tokee Soutth f nho Free Church, Elgin, 1854. y DAVI(2B ) D MACRITCHIE, F.S.A. Scot. Seven fragment f earlo s y Staine d Paintean d d Glass from York Minster, obtained prior to the year 1850. (3) By THOMAS JOHNSON WESTROPP, M.A., the Author. Prehistoric Remains (Fort d Dolmensan s s Southn Burre)i it d -nan western Border, Co. Clare. Part XII.: North-Western Part. Reprint from the Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, vol. xlv., Par . Pamphlett4 . (4) By FE. C. C. HANSEN, M.D., Professor of Anatomy in the University of Copenhagen, the Author. Outlines of the Geography and History of Greenland. Copenhagen, 1915. Folio. De J^ldste Kongegrave og Bispegrave i Roskilde Domkirke. Copen- hagen, 1914. Folio.