20 PROCEEDINGS' OF THE SOCIETY, DECEMBER 11, 1922.

II. - R NEA , KINCARDINE , RAEDYKES T A S CIRCLE E STON SHIRE. BY JAMES RITCHIE, F.E.I.S., CORRESPONDING MEMBER.

Raedykes is well known for its Roman Camp, a full description of which, with accompanying plans, is given by Dr George Macdonald in vol. 1. of the Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of . The first map illustrating that paper is a rough sketch of the country round Raedykes as it appeared about 1784, and on it the site of a stone circle is marked, a short distance beyond the north-west corner of the camp. The second map is an improved edition of the first one, and on it also the circle marked and is named " Druid Temple " (fig. 1). It shows a single circle apparently formed of two concentric rings of standing stones, with no other circles in the neighbourhood. But this is not e Th . site e th n o s ring-cairn r o s circle r fou y reall e ar e ther r fo , correct original map-maker, who was chiefly concerned with the Roman Camp, apparently did not consider the circles of sufficient interest to trouble about marking them in detail, and was content simply to indicate the site. The circles are situated near each other, on the flat ground forming the top of the Saddle Hill, within a quarter of a mile of the farm-house of West Raedykes (fig. 2), and about 4 miles from Stonehaven. To reach them the visitor should proceed along the way to Banchory known as the Slug Road, leading north-west from the town past the policies of , till he reaches the third milestone. Fifty yards beyond the milestone a branch road strikes up the brae to the north. Fully 100 yards up the brae the road divides into two branches, the one on the right hand leading direct to the farm of Broomhill on the east side of the Roman Camp. If the visitor wishes to inspect the circles before visiting the camp, he should proceed along the Broomhill road for nearly a quarter of a mile, till he reaches the first branch turning off to the left. This is a rough farm road which passes a little to the south of the farm buildings on the hillside, and then along the west side of the camp till it ends at the farm of West Raedykes. Then a short walk through the heather, up the slope behind the farm-steading, brings the circles into view. The four circles are situated within a short distance of each other, e mor e littl e curv t sligh a m for d woul s centre r thei g joinin e lin a t tha o s than a hundred yards in length. They are nearly equal in size, and each consists of a ring-shaped cairn with a hollow centre, the interior depres- sion and the exterior circumference being bounded by a setting of Fig. 1, Map of the'Raedykes District, from the BibliotJieca TopograpJiica Britannica, No. xxxvi. R 11, 1922. DECEMBE , SOCIETY E TH F O S 22 PROCEEDING f o s stone e loos r smalle e th t suppor o t t uprigh t se earthfas , stones t which the cairns are composed.- Only two of these ring-cairns, the most

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, stones g standin y b d surrounde e ar , southerly t mos e th d an y northerl and each is furnished with a circle of upright stones placed at a distance t recumben e Th circumferencr . oute e cairn th e fea d th wf o f feeeo beyon t o importants , stone s i 'a , featur e Aberdeenshirth circle n i e f o e typ e T RAEDYKESA S R STONEHAVENNEA CIRCLE , E 3 2 STON . e thos o t r simila s stone r pilla g outlyin o n e ar e ther d an , absent y entirel found in Cornwall and Devon and also at a few of the circles, such as those at Balquhain and Druidstown. For the sake of distinguishing the circles from each other, they are r visito a y b d approache e b d woul y the h whic n i r orde e th n i d numbere e th m fro s i t tha , Raedykes t Wes f o g farm-steadin e th m fro g proceedin south-east. No. 1.—This is the southern circle nearest to the farm of West Rae- a y b d surrounde n ring-cair l centra a f o s consist t I . 3) d an 2 . (figs s dyke a caire s th nha f o e centr e th n i w hollo e Th . stones g standin f o e circl diameter of between 9 and 10 feet, and is bounded by upright earthfast t abou s measure n cair e th f o g rin e Th . height n i t fee 2 g averagin s stone h whic , circumference r oute e th o t w hollo l centra e th m fro s acros t fee 2 1 is formed of a ring of upright stones similar to those at its inner circum- ference. The cairn is very imperfect, many of its stones having been - some w no s i h whic r sheepfol, by r circula nea da d buil o t y awa n take what dilapidated and apparently disused. About 18 feet of the outer stone setting on the south side of the cairn is in fairly good condition, r rathe e centr e th n i s stone e thre g havin d an , high t t 2fee ^ abou g bein larger than the others. The cairn was originally surrounded by a , it m fro t fee 2 1 t abou f o e distanc a t a g d stoneplace s standin f o e circl f o y man t bu , feet 0 6 y approximatel e circl e th f o r diamete e th g makin these stones have now disappeared. Only eight are at present standing, four of these on the east side being neighbouring stones in their original positions. As they are placed about 10 feet from each other, measured from centre to centre of each stone, this would indicate that the circle . pillars t uprigh n ninetee r o n eightee e consistee som f complet do n whe o t 3 m fro y onl g bein , size l smal f o e ar , however , stones g standin e Thes a y b d connecte n bee e hav o t e tim e on t a m see y the d an , height n i t fee 4 r simila a f o s Trace . remain l stil h whic f o s portion , stones l smal f o e dyk dyke, connecting the upright standing stones, were found during the ex- the of Proceedings e th n i d describe e Circl d Woo l Garro e th t a s cavation e th e cas r eithe n i if l doubtfu y ver s i t i t bu , 199 . p . xxxix . vol Society, connecting dyke formed part of the original structure. Just outside the g lyin e ston f o s block o tw r o e on e ar g stonee ther s standin f o e circl d secon a f o s remain e th e b y ma e Thes . heather e th g amon e prostrat circle of standing stones which has now disappeared, but which seems , probable e mor s seem s a , . 1)or , (fig p ma s Barclay' n o d indicate e b o t they may be simply stones which have been displaced from the existing circle or cairn. No. 2.—This ring-cairn is situated 25 yards north-west of No. 1, the circle e circumferenc r oute d an w hollo l centra s It . 3) d an 2 . (figs d describe t jus . 1922 , 11 R DECEMBE , SOCIETY E TH F O S PROCEEDING 4 2

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Fig. 3. Plans of individual Stone Circles at Raedykes. STONE CIRCLES AT RAEDYKES, NEAR STONEHAVEN. 25 have been bound in by low walls of earthfast stones standing on edge, t tha o s , removed n bee e hav r o d displace e becom e hav e thes f o y man t bu e her n give e thos d an , measurements t exac e giv o t e impossibl t almos s i t i r diamete a s ha n cair e th f o w hollo l centra e Th . approximate y onl e ar of 8 or 9 feet, and, as the ring itself is about 10 feet in breadth, the e loos f o p hea e Th . feet 0 3 o t 5 2 m fro s i e structur e whol e th f o r diamete f o t heigh a o t s rise , composed s i n cair e th f o s mas e th h whic f o s stone about 3 feet above the level of the surrounding soil. No circle of standing stones now surrounds the cairn, and there is no trace of any . existed g havin r eve e circl h suc . 3) d an 2 . (figs n ring-cair r anothe s i 2 . No f o t . 3.—Tenorth-wes s No nyard o s e quit t no t bu , described y alread t tha o t e appearanc n i r simila s i t I large. The central hollow has a diameter of 8 feet, while the ring itself n cair e th f o r diamete l tota e th g makin , feebreadth 7 r n i to 6 t abou y onl s i e th e abov t fee 3 f o t heigh a o t s rise o als t I . feet 0 2 littla r t eove jus surrounding surface. The material of which the cairn is composed is e ar s a , whins d an s gras e coars f o h growt k thic a y b n hidde y completel also the boundary stones, so that this cairn appears less clearly defined than any of the others. The cairn is not now surrounded by any circle of standing stones, and there are no signs of any such circle ever having . it o t d attache n bee No. 4.—This, the most northerly circle, stands about 50 yards to the north of that last described (figs. 2 and 3). It is a ring-cairn surrounded by a circle of upright standing stones, and thus it resembles the circle first described more closely than it does the others. The stones, however, are e th n bee e hav t mus , condition l origina s it n i n whe , circle e th d an , larger most striking one of the group, though it did not differ from the others n i t fee 8 s i n cair e th f o w hollo l centra e Th . extent t grea y an o t e siz n i diameter, and is enclosed by a ring of upright stones about 2 feet high set close together so as to form both a boundary and a support for the , breadth n i t fee 2 1 s i n cair e th f o g rin e Th . cairn e th f o s stone e loos and rises to a height of fully 3 feet above the level surface of the surrounding moor. The outer boundary of the cairn consists of a stone a f o s stone r pilla l severa s contain o als t i t bu , high t fee 2 t abou g settin much greater size, considerably larger than those found in the stone setting of any of the other cairns. Six of these stones remain in an upright position, but the largest two are on the south-west side (fig. 4). n i s inche 2 t fee 3 , height n i s inche 6 t fee 5 s measure e on t talles e Th s i e sid h sout e th n o r neighbou s It . thickness n i t foo 1 d an , breadth 3 feet 10 inches high, 4 feet broad, and 1 foot 2 inches thick at the middle of the stone, tapering off to a narrow edge at each side. The distance n Whe . feet 7 s i s stone g neighbourin o tw e thes f o s centre e th n betwee 26 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, DECEMBER 11, 1922.

the structure was complete the ring-cairn was surrounded by a circle of r oute s it d beyon s fee7 inche f 6 to e distanc a t a d place , stones g standin circuma d an , - yards 6 1 f o r diamete a g havin e circl a g formin d an , ring ference of about 50 yards. Only three of these standing stones now r thei e besid t fla e li , over n falle g havin , positionn i others n o tw ;remai original sites, and fragments of several others lie scattered near. The e th r nea , side t south-wes e s oi th n g standin l stil s stone e th f o t talles two large stones of the outer stone setting already described. It is 4 feet 6 inches in height, 1 foot 6 inches in breadth, and 1 foot in f o c ar n norther e th n o e li s stone r pilla n falle o tw e Th . thickness

Fig. 4. -Raedykes northern Stone Circle showing inner Stone Setting and Standing Stones . north-east m •fro the circle. The larger of the two, the west one, is 6 feet long, and its s wa h whic e bas e th f o n portio e th r fo g Allowin . feet 5 s i r neighbou originally embedded in the soil, these stones when erect would closely resemble, both in height and general appearance, that still standing y the d an , stones g neighbourin e ar e thes e Sinc . south-west e th n o t erec are 9 feet apart, the circle when complete may have consisted of sixteen f o e duplicat a t almos e appearanc n i n bee e hav d an s stone n seventee r o . 1 . No e circl n souther e th From their nearness to each other as well as from their similarity in size and construction, these circles form a remarkable group of ancient t i s case o tw n i t bu , all m the o t n commo s i n ring-cair e Th . monuments is surrounded by a circle of standing stones. Ring-cairns surrounded STONE CIRCLES AT RAEDYKES, NEAR STONEHAVEN. 27 hy circles of standing stones occur at Rees o' Clune, Durris, and Whitehill, Monymusk, but each of these has also a recumbent stone, a feature which is absent at Raedykes. A large proportion of the stones e hav s Raedyke r nea e circl n souther e th t a n ring-cair e th d forme h whic been removed to make a sheepfold. Had this process been continued till all the loose stones of the cairn had disappeared, the remaining

Fig. 5. Ogam-inscribed Stone at Auquhollie. earthfast blocks, which at present form the inner and outer boundaries of the ring-cairn, would have presented exactly the appearance of those s Thi . circles e Aberdeenshir e mann i th t f yo exis h whic s setting e ston e th e b y ma s setting e ston e thes s case y man n i t tha a ide e th s suggest , circles e th f o r interio e th d occupie e onc h whic , ring-cairns f o s remain e sol , purposes n utilitaria r fo d remove n bee e sinc long g havin s loose th estone such as road making arid dyke building. - numer h wit r ove d dotte s i s circle e th f o h nort e th o t d moorlan e Th ous small mounds which have all the appearance of tumuli, but no 28 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, DECEMBER 11, 1922.

systematic examination of any of them appears to have been made. The s urn l severa h thoug d an , examination d escape e hav o t m see o als s circle have been found in the neighbourhood of the Roman Camp, none so far e wer s stone e whil s discoveren circle bee e g th t a d havin s a d recorde e ar s stone g standin s numerou e Th . cairns r interio e th m fro d remove g bein which have disappeared have in all likelihood been used for building . farm-steading g neighbourin e th t a s purpose t abou d an , side t wes e th n o l hil e th f o t foo e th t a d groun w lo e th n O a mile from the circles, another object of antiquarian interest is to be seen. It is a tall, upright pillar standing at the side of the road near the . 5) e . Auquhollian th s (fig e know e eSton henc d an , Auquhollie f o m far It is 8 feet 6 inches high, 2 feet wide, and 1 foot 6 inches thick at the base, s centre t interes f chie s It . top e th t a s inche 2 t foo 1 o t y slightl g taperin edge e th , side n souther s it n o d incise s i h whic n inscriptio m Oga e th n i of the stone being used instead of a stem line, in a manner similar to m Oga r Insche nea Th , . Stone n Newto n well-know e th n o n show t tha strokes, especially those at the beginning and end of the inscription, are somewhat indistinct satisfactora s thadifficulo i t s , t i ge t o t t y reading Early Christian Early n i d describe s i e Ston e Auquholli e Th . lettering e th f o Monuments, pp. 203-4. y m d recor , F.S.A.Scot. o t M.A. h , wis I , Simpson s Dougla . W r M o T great indebtedness for the valuable plans of the circles, specially prepared . paper s thi y hiaccompan y b mo t