II. E REPORSTONTH N EO T CIRCLE F NORTH-EASTERO S N , CHIEFLY IN AND , WITH MEASURED PLANS AND DRAWINGS, OBTAINED UNDER THE GUNNING FELLOWSHIP. BY FRED. R. COLES, ASSISTANT-KEEPER OF THE MUSEUM.

principae Th l area surveyed durin e autumgth f 190no containes 2i d in the large district lying to the north of , between on the west and on the east. It comprises several parishes; and the geographical e othedistributioth f re o circle th prehistorid f an o sn c remains, taken in contrast with each other, presents interesting points, and may come to offer fresh problems to the archaeologist. Before proceeding, however, to more accurately define the limits of this area, there still exist several remains of more or less importance in the distric south-wese th o t t Kintore—thf o t e district previously reporten do as one so specially rich in megalithic antiquities. For these additional standing stones I am indebted to the observant care of Mr Frank Dey, whose assistanc thin ei s directio nI hav e already partly acknowledged.1 I gladly here make further acknowledgment sufficiene th r ,fo t reason that although most of the sites are recorded on the Ordnance map of half a centur s possibly e assureagowa b t i ,o t f ethei o d r present existence only through his having actually verified them during the last twelve months. Mr Dey has thus rendered signal service towards the better

* Proceedings, xxxv . 230p . . STONE CIRCLES OF NORTH-EASTERN SCOTLAND. 83

•completing of the Eeport for this district, and at the same time saved our investigating party considerable expenditure of time and trouble. The first section of this Eeport, therefore, will deal with the following—

. I ADDITIONAL SITE KINTORN I S B DISTRICT. No. . Nether1 Oorskie.—In aflat, low-lying space, about three hundred yard s e roasoutth df o hgoin g westwards from Waterto f Echo n t (see

,TJATHS STONE

0

SCAL MILEF EO S Fig 1. Map showing additional Sites in the Kintore District. map o stone, , tw stanfig 1) .e s dth e illustratioshow th n i n e nth (fig, 2) . only remaining members of a circle of which no tradition now exists. The unusualle yar y massive block f reddisso h evidentle granitear d an , y the two pillars between which there once reposed a Eecumbent Stone of about 10 feet in length. They stand almost exactly west and east of •each othere WesterlTh . y Pillar stand 2 fee 1 sinche2 t s clear above ground s basait d l an ,girt s ovei h3 feet1 r . Viewed from either north or south, its form is pyramidal. On the edge facing west, at a height of 84 PROCEEDING E SOCIETYTH F O S , JANUAR , 190312 Y .

3 feet 3 inches, is a peculiarly distinct cup-mark, quite circular, 3| inches incn a f hwid fo othed deep e ean Th ease r. th face t d edg remarke san ear - ably smoot d frean he from irregularitie r weatheringso s e EasTh t. Pillar stands 7 feet 2 inches above ground, is very smooth and vertical e soutonth h side e northt rougth t bu ,e I girthbas n .th o h e t a sjus t over 14 feet. It leans towards the east. The Stones stand 10 feet 2 inches apart, and their longer axes are in the same line.

Fig . Remain2 . Circlf so t Netheea r Corskie.

This site is quite inconspicuous, being open to view only towards the S.E., and even there at no great distance. Its height above the level of the sea is about 360 feet. . Back2 . No Fornet, Standing Stone.—The sit f thieo s fine monolith fiela n e dfarm-steadingso th S.Es i f o . 0 fee38 ,t above sea-level, which e northslopeth o t s, commandin n unbrokea g n prospec a N.K". n i t - westerly direction, which culminates in the Mither Tap of Bennachie STONE CIRCLES OF NORTH-EASTERN SCOTLAND. 85

(see fig. SA). The Stone is of grey granite, is remarkably vertically set, standd an fees8 inche6 t s above ground e roughlTh . y rhomboidal base girths 9 feet 6 inches, and its summit can scarcely be much less. No. 3. Wardes, Standing Stone.— This oddly-shaped Stone stands withiscorw fe e na e maiyardth nf o sroa d near Burnside s westit n ,o , and in a somewhat level field. It can boast of neither height nor dignity, beinfee3 inchet 5 t gbu s above ground s bas it irregula n ed a an , r triangle, the sides of which measure 3 feet 7 inches by 2 feet 1 inch and 2 feet respectively s for It e illustrations .i showm th n i n , . figLik3B . e

Fig. Bac3A . k Fornet. Fig. SB. Wardes.

number thesf so e smaller stones shapelesa s i t ,i s bloc bluf ko e whinstone, thickly veined with white quartz. The site is about 320 feet above sea- level. No. 4. Braeneil, Standing Stone.—This site, 500 feet above sea-level, is rather over two miles distant in a westerly direction from the last, and about one hundred yards to the south of an old avenue on the policies of Castle Frasers i difficul t I f access.o t , bot n accoune o hth f o t woody declivitie e neath rf so land s wela , s becausa l publio n e c roads pass at all close to it. The spelling ' Breneil' occurs on an early nineteenth century map. 86 PROCEEDING F THO S E SOCIETY, JANUAR , 190312 Y .

The monolith, is a ponderous mass of whinstone, considerably rounded actioe byth f waterno t standI . s exactl yfee6 t abov smala e l rinf go soil, cleared to a level by the trampling of cattle, out of a fine old pasture- field, sloping northwards fee3 bas e 1 s girtinches3 th tIt s e i t . h d a an , a heigh t i measurefee3 t a 2 f to t 0 fee s1 inches9 t s longesit , t edge- feeo4 f inches8 t , trend compasy sb degree5 s s eas northf to happensd an , - poino t t exactl MitheBennachiee f o th p o yt rTa . (See Jfig) 4. ,

Fig 4. Braeneil. No. 5. Woodend of Cluny, Standing Stone.—This grand monolith we a distancsa t wa e durin ga forme r survey t beinbu , g presse r timefo d , site neas ei Th e centr th a prettr passe . f o eby yt di level tract (some O.Me Th . show Standina s g Ston a poin t a equartea t mila f e o r th eas f o t farm-hous1 e of Scrape-hard, one mile S.W. of 's School. I searched the ground—a small bit of moorland, full of granite boulders—thoroughly, but saw no- stone which could ever have been mistaken for a of the slightest interest to archaeology. Two of the aged inhabitants whom I questioned had never heard of one here. F NORTH-EASTERO S N SCOTLAND. 87

of which is yet mossy land) to the N.W. of the north lodge at , and it is distant from the main road going to about four hundred yards to the north. It stands almost on the bank of the e pointh t Burnta n wherd To e parishean , th e f Clunyso , Kemnayd an , meet. s pointsit Take l al mose , n th ni thi f t o simposin e Stony on an s ei f go that have come under our notice. Its great regularity, the exactness with whic sideo htw s meerigha t a te squarenest th angle d an ,flat d san -

Fig Wooden5. . Clunydof .

ness of its summit, go far towards suggesting the possible use of tools f finfos shapingo it res i gre t I y. whinstone (se littlea , fige5) . rounded on the south corner, close to the ground, and projecting a few inches abov e middle !N~.Eth eth f .o e side, otherwise remarkably smootd an h quite perpendicular. Its basal girth is 13 feet 4 inches, but at the height of 6 feet 3 inches it measures 14 feet 3. It stands 10 feet 8 inches clear above ground. Its longest axis points N.N".W. 30 degrees (M). No. 6. Luath's Stone, Monymusk.—This Standing Stone also should have been observed during the surveys of 1900—the site being within a e finth mile f o Circle t Whitehill.a e e weatheTh 1 r then hindered

Described in Proceedings, xxxv. p. 204, 1 88 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, JANUARY 12, 1903.

us; 'an t i almosd t seeme s thouga d e samth h e inclement conditions had leagued themselves against us on this occasion, since we were storm- stayed for several hours amongst the hospitable folk living at Mains of Whitehouse, so here we obtained careful directions as to the locale of e Stone th e alsW o . heard tha t i went t sometime e namth f o ey b s Macbeth's Stone. The site is amongst the heather and short moorland e uplanth f o dgrassee sheep-pastureon f o s f Whitehouse,so heigha t -a t of 1050 feet above sea-level e monolitth d an , h mus easile b t y seen from

Fig. 6. Luath's Stone.

highee th r hill f Corrennio s e southth o t e, thoug encloses i e t hi th n do north and west by an abrupt brae-face of rock and heather. Luath's Stone (see fig. 6) compares well with the last monolith de- scribed—indeed, they are very similar. Owing to density of lichen- growths e mineralogicas difficul i th e sur b t f i ,o e o t t l e naturth f o e 'Stone t a appearei diorite; e b o ,t d grey , finely-grained d havinan , g numerous narrow vein f whito s e quartz running nearly vertically through it. The setting of the Stone is approximately vertical; the heighW.N.We th t a t . anglfee0 1 inches2 ts ei , from which thera s i e fal l d eastwardNan . f about'1o s 4 inches e bulkiesTh . t portiof no lin a Stone t eth a abous ei fee6 t inche9 t s abov e groundth e , whert i e STONE CIRCLE F NORTH-EASTERO S N SCOTLAND. 89

measures close upon 12 feet; at the base the girth is 9 feet 7 inches. The east face is the broadest, one portion of it measuring 4 feet 3 inches across.1 No. jP.^Conglas, Standing Stone.—This Ston s discoverewa e y m y db •daughter Muriel, as we returned, at dusk, at the close of one of our long drives int Auchterlese oth s district Septemben i , r t severalastA . l points, •on both sides of the river Ury, between Inverurie and Inveramsay, there are solitary monoliths. Mos f theso t n inspectioo e ndevoio o small s s prove d e f b dan o , o dt interest, that the omittee yar d Standine hereTh . g Ston t Conglaea s i s

Fig. 7#. Couglas. Fig. "pv. Congaltou.

an exception. It stands in a field sloping down to the N.E., just opposite the farm-steadings, and on the west of the main road, and its heigh abous i feet 0 a t abov24 se t. e e leveth eth f o l This stone (fig. TA) is a rudely pyramidal mass of syenite, veined with quartz; it is set vertically upon a base considerably less in girth 1 As to the name, Luath, of course, was the name of the hound of Cuchulliu. I do not at present know if there are other Standing Stones associated with it. But the same name occurs in Burns' poem of The Two. Dogs, and it is instructive to note that the Lowland Poet must have known the correct Gaelic pronunciation was Lua', for the name rhymes with " you are." 90 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, JANUARY 12, 1903.

than its middle, the one measuring 8 feet 5 inches, the other 10 feet 7£ inches. It seems to be firmly propped up with many small stones. Its extremely sharp apex is 5 feet 7J inches above ground. A diagonal line nearly bisecting it points N.N.W. by compass directly Circle toth Balquhain,t ea 1 whic abous hi t 1| mile distant.2 . Congalton,8 . No Standing Stone.—This monolit s espiewa h t aa d considerable distancr rightou n ,o e durin e Wella gdrivth o t es of Ythan, as we neared the Kirkton of Eayne. Not, however, being absolutel ysite its certai ,to size otheas nand , r features s investigatioit , Ceciln so t int hande y ,pu oth m fros f so mnwa whose sketc d measurementhan e adjoininth s g illustration (fig. 7s) and description are compiled. crese hila th f lo tn slopingsito e s ei Th northwards, betwee s vergnit e and a fir plantation on the south, distant from Wartle Station about one mile, nearly due west, and almost directly midway between Con- galto d Cushiestown t an nmapmarkey no an s .i n do dike t In I th ..e surrounding the plantation are several great blocks somewhat similar e Standin n forth i d siz mo an et g Stone. These bein t mangno y score yards distant from the stone, suggest the probability of their having once formed portions of a Circle, of which it seems to be the last, surviving member. The composition of this stone is grey granite. It stands erect on a feebas5 inchef 7 tfeeeo 5 inc1 s ti girt n heightsn i hi d han . e eighOth f t sites thu sl indicate noticedal e ar e firsthn x dth o ,esi t Ordnance maps; but the last two are additional, having been put on record during the past year. They are, however, not shown here in a sketch map, for the simple reason that they are too isolated; but their sites may be easily identified by the above descriptions.

Described Proc. xxxv . 231p . .

1 Before quitting this district, I may note, in passing, the big boulder that goes 2 by the name of Girnigoe, or Grenago Stone. It is, I think, an ice-poised boulder of \vhinstone, nearl feey6 t high roughld an , y rhomboida contour;,ann i l d stande th n so commouty of Old Meldrum. In local histories it has a traditional association with a battle between Brace and the Cotnyns. STONE CIKCLE F NOETH-EASTERO S N SCOTLAND. 91

. II SITES INVESTIGATED DUBING SEPTEMBER 1902. The district surveye t thia d s dat s i comprisee d withi a nspac f o e 26 miles in length by 13 miles in breadth, but its boundaries are so irregular that the actual area amounts to only 170 square miles. Its greater dimensions extend from Ellon in the extreme S.E. to Eothiemay in the N.W. It contains two sites lying to the east of the River Ythan. in Ellon, but its most important remains are in the parishes of Eayne,, , Auchterless, Forgue, , part of , and a small

SO\LE OFM1LES Fig. 8. Map of TMstrict surveyed in 1902.

portio f Forglenno . Considerabl ee distric partth f so t posses circleso sn - or remains of circles, but instead there are cairns. For example, to- the south of a line eastwards from Hallgreens (see Map, fig. 8)—a strip- 13 miles long by 3 wide—the only extant remains are five cairns, the Candle Stone of Ellon, and the one stone still marking the site of the Circl e samt Schivase N".Ea th th f e o o .point T . , Hallgreens, through- out 16 square miles we have only the stone at Monkshill (known as the remnant of a circle), one tumulus (near Tifty), and one cairn. Again, e nortwestwardsth f Auchabero ho t d an , s anothei , d stilan rl larger- •92 PEOCEEDING F THO S E SOCIETY, JANUAR , 190312 Y .

space of 36 square miles, in which the only relic now preserved is the •small but interesting Circle at Raich; while, south of the , near Turriff, there are no remains whatever in about 16 square miles. Point f peculiao s r interes naturallyy ma t , therefore, present them- selves in the future when the geographical distribution of the Circle and of the Cairn comes under consideration. e meantimee sufficienb th t n i I o nott t tle ,e t thaonle no tyth paucity of the megalithic remains throughout this extensive district, but the poverty of many of those that do still exist, are due to the closely •cultivated condition of the lands here. I am not sure if, indeed, a vei f superstitiono t havno n ey als influenceoma d some tenantsr fo ; in some instances, presently to be noticed in due course, rather than utilise stonee th circlea f so e farme th , s bee ha rt considerablna e labour to remove them bodily into one amorphous heap, so that, at a little distance acros fieldse sth dara , k object, loomin againsp gu e sky-linth t e lik a ecairn , resolves a neaitsel n ro f approach int n irregulaoa r group of huge stones strewn aroun e immovablth d e recumbent stonet A . more than one farm the naive admission was made that no one had •" liked to build with those stones." But, as on former occasions, we also met with tenants who took a rea rendereo le circlespridwh th d n ei d an , ready assistancee botth n i h matter of measurements and in giving information. The first site * to be recorded for the new district is— No. '9. Candle Stone., Ellon—(fig. 9)—in the extreme S.E. corner of (figp . 8) . Ma e th Eeference has already been made 2 to the fact that four sites in this par f Aberdeenshiro t e bear this nam ' Candle.e ' Wha designatios it t n ma t presenta y t meano s I think,i n , ascertainable thine on gt seembu ; s

largee plane th f Th r o s circles followin showne ar g s hithertoa , a scal n f o o e, 1 20 feet to 1 inch, but some of the smaller circles are shown on the scales of 15 and •$ feet to the inch. 2 Proceedings, xxxvi . 540p . . STONE CIRCLES OF NORTH-EASTERN SCOTLAND. 93-

pretty clear—that is, that the word Candle has nothing in common with the English Candle; there can be no likeness supposed between the- shape, e.g., f thio e sitessth Standin f -o y othey an g an n Stone o f r o r o , hearing the specific epithet, and 'the shape of a candle. The Candle Stone of Ellon is situated 87 yards west of the road between Mains of Drumwhindle and a smithy on the road running southward o Kin-harrachiet s a conspicuou s i t I . s landmar a fai r rfo k t nearlse s i e westy distancth t l I verticallside t al . . bu sn a o e n o y

Fig . Candl9 . e Stone, Ellon.

somewha highese th t leven o e tfield t lth par no spacef , o tt whic bu , h a gentl hers ha ee declivity eastwards s greatesIt . t height, almos- ex t actly central, is 10 feet 2 inches. Its girth at the base is 15 feet 3 inches heigha feet 5 a ;inche4 f t o t t measuresi 5 fee1 sinche 3 t s also ; but at 3 feet above ground swells out very considerably, so as to give a girt f nearlho feet8 y1 . No. 10. Mill of Schivas Wood.— About two miles to the N.W. of the Candle Stone is the site which—once that of a circle—is now marked stone byon e partly utilise dika line f th eo e n whicdi h skirt woode sth - e sout e verth f th landthiso o h y T n e o ,samverg. th f eo e wood, are- •94 PROCEEDING F THO S E SOCIETY, JANUAR , 190312 Y .

alshardle oth y recognisable remain f Cairo s n Fedderat t whicha , , long .ago stona , e founds ciswa t . e Circl th e sit e nortf s ao i eth Th t he e th woodverg th d f an o e, relative position of this one stone to it may be seen by reference to the plan (fig ) mad.10 e fro e Ordnancmth fee1 e mape 14 sitt abovs eTh i . e sea-level. The Circle must have been about 90 feet in diameter. The

Fig. 10. Mill of Schivas Wood.

'Ston rathea s ei r rugged mas f whino s , nearly vertica norts it n ho l side, T3ut irregular elsewhere e basTh e . measure fee3 fee5 sinches2 y t b t , and the greatest height is 3 feet 10 inches. It stands so that its longer .axis trends N.N.E. by compass. e annexeth n I d illustratio a vie f s thini wo s Stone froe easth mt

ford, alread ya fiel noted.n do e sit slopins i eTh 1 g somewhat steeply southwards, at a height of 600 feet above the sea. Though over 6 feet in

Fig . Remain11 . Circlf so e Schivas.

Fig. 12. Tow Stone. height, this Stone s slimi (fig ) , .12 girthing onl feey5 inche4 e t th t sa fee6 "bas inchee 5 topd ts longeth It an e.t a s r axis points norty hb

In the Report for 1901, Proceedings, xxxvi. p. 577. 1 6 9 PROCEEDING SOCIETYE TH F O S , JANUAR , 190312 Y .

compass, and a line bisecting its summit would lie between the Mither Tap of Bennachie and a point 30 degrees N.N.E. The nature of the- ston reddiss ei h granite, roug d channelled situatean hs i t i d d an ,abou t 70 yards below the summit of the gentle eminence into which these fields rise. We could deriv r o guesexplanatioo n e t a s e namth whicy f eb o n h the Stone is known, and by which it is also recorded on the O.M., but with no further descriptive title. No. 12. Grichton and Fedderat Stones.—Under this somewhat bizarre titl e O.Meth . record positione ssummistoneth e o th fiela tw n n f sdo i so t of the hilly ground (near which stands the Tow Stone), and to the north- east of the wooded Hill of Eothmaise, at an altitude of over 800 feet above sea-level. visitee W 1 d thi e afternoos th sit same n ei y th f eda n o oStonnw s examinedwhicTo wa e e th h :—on ee hottes'oth f t dayn o s recor r thidfo s season—and, after undoubtedly reachin e exacgth t field,, searched among its long and luxuriant herbage, but could find no frag- ment of stones prostrate in this heavy growth. On our return to the station at Wartle, we looked in at the farm of Tocherford, where, on inquirin r thesfo g e stones e werw , e favoured wit e followinth h g par- ticulars :—Tha r agefo t s ther d stoo o tallisha e tw d h stonefiele th d n si which we had just searched; that some years ago one of them had. been thrown dow d rollenan d away northwards dow usehile d nth an l d in the dike near the mill, and that the other, which had for some time- previously lain broken and prostrate, was still lying near its original site; it was quite likely very difficult to find, owing to the heavj growth of grass. Deeming it needless to spend further time in search of a mutilated stone not in its original position, any probable further investigation of this site was postponed. Owing, however, to the ex- tremely broken weather, which interfered wite progresth h f ouo s r survey, the opportunity of revisiting this site never came.

. letteringt marke stoneE e yard . 0 no spaca 0 1e Th 30 d n sdar f i eo separatesan , , them showmapas ,the non . They eac stooof hCrichtoS. dother the Nand . and , n Stone is just 300 yards "W. of the march between Fyvie and Rayne. STONE CIRCLE NORTH-EASTERN I S N SCOTLAND7 9 .

No. 12a. Hall greens. — The remnan Circla f o t markes ei d her thn eo e O.M. in a field west of the mill-dam about 220 yards, and, such as it e instancestily th e seen b lma f o , .is e sy Thion referrem s i sn i o t d prefatory remarks n whici , e stone th a hcircl f o se have been removed and huddled together in an ugly heap, so as to be out of the way of ploughing. At this site there are two large stones ; one, lying on its side, measurefee3 inches2 y t b othee 4 fee 6 sth ,y b tr measures about fee4 inche6 t nearlby s fee2 feeinches3 3 yt by t . Various smaller stones lie about close to these. aboue N premiseoe on th t s seeme knoo dt lease r carth wo tn ei abou t this site.

o« If ———¥ Fig. 13. Logie Newton ; general Plan of the three Circles. . NoLogie13 . Newton. — lande O th ns neighf thi it o s sn i far-d man bourhood there were many mor r leso e s interesting e prerelicth f -o s history of this part of the Scottish area. The three Circles now to be noticed claim first attention. They lie at the 700-foot contour, a space below the summit of the Kirk Hill, at a point some 3| furlongs N.W. farm-housee oth f e firsTh t . feature arrestin e observatiogth thesn i e circles is that the stones composing them are almost exclusively of pure brilliantly-white quartz e nexTh t. poin s thai t t each Circls i e quite small, and that in the easterly one (see general plan, fig. 13) the comparatively small space is well-nigh crowded with stones. The three Circles do not lie in one direct line ; but, as shown in the general plan, the third or westerly one is set at an angle to the line which bisects the other two. The length of the space thus occupied by the VOL. xxxvu. 7 98 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, JANUARY 12, 1903.

three circles measures 132 feet by 44 feet. There is a space between the verges of the easterly Circle and the middle Circle of 35 feet, and betwee 2 feet3 e westerle e vergef middl.th o th th n f d e o san e on y The diameters differ slightly. That of• the easterly Circle is 18 feet 6 inchese middlth e westerl f 2 feeth o ,2 e inchesf 9 to yd an abou, 1 2 t feet. In each case the Standing Stones are set upon a fairly well-defined ridge, but this ridge in the westerly Circle loses its form in the general swellin gcairn-like oth f mounw elo d constitutin .centre.s git 1

. FigLogi14 . e Newto n; Eas t Circle.

& M4 f When examining ^ac^h Circle more in detail (see fig. 14), the plan will afford help in distinguishing the blocks of quartz from those of whin- stone. Thu t wilsi totae seee th f twenty-threb l o lf n o that ou t e stones how comprising this Circle, seventeen are of quartz. The remainder, of whinstones, occupy such a position and shape as to suggest the proba- 1 Besides the three Circles, the O.M. shows, with the usual symbol for an antiquity, the site of what is called Longman!s Grave, at a point about 335 yards to the west of wese th t groupCircle speakinn th O n eCruikshanr i . M o gt assures thisf ko wa I , d ther merels ewa biggisya h stone, prostrat difficuld ean findo t t ,boundare closth n eo y between the parishes of Auchterless and Forgue. STONE CIRCLES IN NORTH-EASTERN SCOTLAND. 99'

"bility that they may be the covering-stones of interments. None of the stones in 'the circle is in the least conspicuous for height, the two highest (at the east and west areas respectively) being barely 4 feet abov grounde eth . (Se e sectionseth , fig. 17.) The chief point of difference between the easterly Circle and the middle on , thaeis t nea lattecentre e rth th f reo there lie massivea s , somewhat

12 is rr

Fig. 15. Logie Newton ; Middle Circle.

oblong block of quartz, in lieu of the flat and thinnish whinstone slab formee cresth e th f o t rt a (see fig. 15)e positioTh . f thio n s Stons ei such that its longer axis trends due north by compass. Around it there .arelevee eth n other Stones shown f whico , h f quartzeigho e vero ar t tw ,y f whinstoneo larg) o smalF tw t e (a ld block an , s lying prostrate (outlined in plan) on the S.E. arc. One of these is broken. 0 10 PROCEEDING E SOCIETYTH F O S , JANUAR , 190312 Y .

-r-T

Fig. 16. Logie Newton ; West Circle.

— -————nn^ s+s ^-~. •WEST c IRC LI: 3210 3 6 9 III"—————+ Fig. 17. Logie Newton ; Sections oi Circles. STONE CIRCLE N NORTH-EASTERI S N SCOTLAND. 101

Of the condition of the westerly Circle little need be said, as few large stones now remain on its verge, and its interior has the appearance of being little disturbed. Near its S.E. arc (see fig. 16) is an irregular cavity, which I presume to be the site of one of the greater stones, e e whichelde r th on Cruickshank'possibl M n re i ,th f o y s occupancy farme "removes oth f wa e , th n i df thes o p frou e et mon circle se d an s •field on the west of the house, to mark at that spot the discovery of an urn containing human bones." Ther e stonth e e stille standsth d an ,

. Upper-thirFig18 . d; remain Circlef so . e Ordnancth n o recort i e mapf o d , being Standing Ston n plaii e n lettering, is thus satisfactorily accounted for. The only subject for regret in this connection is the fact that the urn, instead of being preserved, was allowe brokent ge pieceo d t an , s were given awa curiouo yt s friends. No. 14. Vpperthird, near Logie Newton.—This site is one mile E.N.E. distant from the farm-house of Logie Newton. The O.M. marks one stone on the southern circumference of a circle about 80 feet in diameter, but pays heed to no others. The present condition shows two large stones within 4 feet of each other,—a discrepancy not to be accounted for. These huge bulky masses of extremely rugged whinstone (see fig. 17) 1Q ' 2 PROCEEDING E SOCIETYTH F O S , JANUAR , 1903Y12 .

d Wf eacstano an . h. e longe dE th other d e talr th an ,sid l f stono e e trends N.N.W S.S.Ed verticas an .It . l heigh fee6 inches9 s ti t s It . basal girth is 17 feet 8J inches. The lower stone is 4 feet 7 inches in height, its two longer sides measure respectively 7 feet and 6 feet, and its ends 4 feet 6 inches and nearly 4 feet. It is probable, therefore, judgin s shapeit y gb , that this ston s oncewa e erect. Whethe t i conr - stituted the east pillar with its neighbour as Kecumbent Stone is con- jectural. . West15 . Haughs.—No e Ordnanc th e datAt th f o e e Survex si y stones remaine thif do s Circle, which measured abou fee6 diameter7 n ti t . But inquiries at Logie Newton resulted in the information that all these stones were destroyed several years e s sitagoabouTh ewa . t 1J- mile east from the circles on Logie Newton. . Burreldales.16 . No —The sit f whao e t must have been externally mose th on f t eo peculia r circle n Abeideenshiri s s nearlei y due wesf o t scorw e fe farm-house eth a yardt bu sd distane O.Man , th n . tO fro . mit s drawi a circula t i s a n r space, divided into five flat portion fouy b s r ridge sn approachin O traversin . S e d spott i Ngth an t .i becam , e obvious that very recent and very thorough destruction had taken place. All that now remained was a circular space measuring on the ground- level about 130 fee diametern i t , traversed fivnearly b e . stripS y d Ns.an of broken-up stones. These row f stoneso s , varying muc n sizei h , shape d compositioan , n (bu doubo n t l alikal t e usabl road-metal)s ea , were abou fee4 t breadthn i t , fee3 height n i o t2t theid an , r interspaces measure fee4 d1 n i tfro o t m9 width three th , e widest centrae beinth n gi l space. No. 17. Burreldales, Rappla Wood.—I retain this double name in .order to distinguish the last described site from that now to be noticed, whic recordeds hwa x unde e farm-namth r f Burreldaleeo s a lono o s gag 1862. The two sites are not half a mile apart. As above observed, the utterly ruined Circl markedla e fare s closth m wa o et y peculiar specimen, e termus y s almosma e w s definit a td an e regardin e formeth g r statf eo 1 Proceedings, . 434p . . x 429. volp d . an ,.iv STONE CIRCLE N NORTH-EASTERI S N SCOTLAND. 103

this ruinealsw ono d sit s describea e r ChalmersM y b dn ordeI .o t r make his words more vivid, I have ventured upon constructing a dia- grammatic ground plasectiod nan n (see fig. 19).

0 10 20 son

-h

Fig. Diagrammati19 . c Ground Pla Sectiod nan Circlf no t ea Rappla Wood, Burreldales. There was first a low circular platform of stones about 50 feet in diameter. On it stood four (or five) rude blocks of whinstone. Only e planremainsth w on f theseno n e,o o B ,. Withi e circumferencnth e marke thesy b t e dou Standin g Stones stonye th , platform swelle intp du o a low cairn, which had a hollow in its centre. Up to this point the similarity between thi n Whitehilsi e large th e Circl d on r an e l Wood,. 4 10 PEOCEEDING F THEO S - SOCIETY, JANUAK , 190312 Y .

Monymusk, formerly described,1 is very striking.' Mr Charmers does riot -expres sdecidea d opinion abou e holloe centrath th t n wi l portiont i ; was probably very difficult to do so; but at any rate no central setting of cists seems eve havo rt e been found here, lik Monymuse e th tha n i t k -example. Nearly at the west point (F on the plan) lay a great flat slab, nearl y5 fee t squar2 fee d t an thicke . Apparently nothin s foungwa d directly- beneath it, but at H there was a neatly-built cist, containing (if the farmer's observation were correct) three urns; but this seemed very uncertain Chalmersr M s a , seeinn o , fragmente gth latea t a sr date, stated

. FigFragmen20 . Cinerarf o t y Urn foun Rappln di a Wood Circle, Burreldales.

there were not more than enough to compose one urn. To the south of the great 5-foot slab there was found (at G on the plan) a circular pit, dug partly down into the subsoil; it was not protected at the sides built-iy byan n stones a thinnis t bu , h slab covere e s mouthth it d n O . eas platfore t sidth f plane eo th f stonem o irregularln ) n i thera I s s( ewa y shaped cavity, loosely walle n witi d h stones bigger tha e bulth nf o k those that compose Cair e e bodth d platformdth f nan yo thin I s. were found small fragments of flat bronze, which, when pieced together, fitted so as to form part of a blade of the type frequently associated with interments of the Bronze Age in Scotland.2 1 Proceedings, xxxv. p. 204. 2 See" Anderson, Scot, Pagann i Times,— The Bronze, Stoned an . Ages,53 . p STONE CIECLE NORTH-EASTERN I S N SCOTLAND5 10 .

Of the precise variety of urn (or urns) found in the cist, it is un- fortunatel impossiblw yno speao et k with certainty. But, along wite hth bronze fragments, Mr Chalmers sent to the Museum a fragment of a cinerary urn (fig. 20), which, until quite recently, stood alone in the National Collection n accoune o peculiarit, th f s decorationo it t f o y . The rows of somewhat deeply impressed holes on the outer surface of this a cylindricafragmen f o d e formee flaar th en t t ly b dbon e imple- ment possiblr o ,e stal a plant th f o f kyo . Markings identica n styli l e anf do siz e e Museum.eon th occu s n i i e othe t rn I on als1 ur rn i o three founa cis t Duncra n ti d a Hillpresented an , e n 190i dth y 0b Ear f Hopetouno l .

'20 FEET'

Fig. 21. Rappla Wood ; Plan of remains.

Apart froe relicmth s discovered e archaeologicath , l interes f thio t s Circle at Eappla Wood centres in the fact of there being three, •or probably four, different forms of interment within it. All remainthaw no t f theso s e structuree nex th e seeb t n i ny ma s two illustrations (figs. 21 and 22), the first showing a plan of the last remaining Standin a good-sizee plan th d g an n Ston) o B de( slab lying flush with the ground at a point 20 feet to the east, the second drawing being a view of this Standing Stone (fig. 22). My regarding this stone as being truly the one which occupied the N".W. angle of the space e fouth markery b stone t ou d s r Chalmernote M t merel y no db s i ys conjectural. We were fortunate enough, later on in the same day's exploration, to meet with an aged crofter (at Rappla Burn), who, in the course of conversa- tion d assiste,e clearin ha tolth thae e m dn h i dt g awa f thio y s Cairn

1 Catalogue,. 82 E E 106 PROCEEDING E SOCIETYTH F O S , JANUAR , 190312 Y .

Circle, and that the greater space of the Circle lay to the south and remainine easth f to g stone. e ston a Th rough f e o seemee , b larg o t de crystalled syenite, very rugge n contouri d d veinean , d with whitish quartz s fulIt .l height fee5 s ti 8J basas incheit d l san girt fee0 h1 t 10 inches. No. 18. Rappla Burn.—Three-quarters of a mile to the west of the last site there lie five stones, placed by the misguided labour of some bygone tenant int a oshapeles s group neae summie th fieldsrth f o .t

Fig. Rappl22 . a Woo d; Vie remainsf wo . f theso e heree On hug. e whinstone block s muci s h larger thae th n others. Its dimensions are, length about 8 feet, breadth 5 feet, .and thickness 3 feet. It is possibly the now prostrate Eecumbent Stone. e stonTh e nex n poini t .sizf o t e measure fee2 s y taboub 4 5 feety b t 6 inches; two others are about 3 feet by 2; and the fifth is quite a small stone in comparison. They all occupy a space of about 16 feet long by 7 or 8 feet wide, and they are all of whinstone, quartz-veined. Stopping to make inquiries at one of the two or three cottages at Eappla Burn learnee w , duplann a tha n o td fiel Darlen o d y several years STONE CIRCLES IN NORTH-EASTERN SCOTLAND. 107"

ago there were beads dug up, together with some other relics, the precise natur f whiceo informany hm t coul t properldno y describe. Concernin nexe th g t four sites designate e O.Mth s remaina n . do f o s unpleasiny m circles s i t i , g dut o recoryt d that nothin remainsw gno . ats firse —wa Th t . NoHillhead,19 . Forgue,—about 1^ mile S.E. froe churcth m . at h Ythan Wells. The next was at— . NoStonehill,—20 . about 1^ mile N.W f Hillheado . d wesf an ,o t Logie Newton about 2|- miles. Th lase ethi n th i thirt d s Forgudan wooe eth districdn i ats —wa t . Auchaber,—21 . No 600 feet above sea-level a bar, e mile nearle du y north of Stonehill. The Hillhead and Stonehill sites being in open fields absence th , f megalithieo c remains ther s speedilwa e y ascertained. The site in the Wood of Auchaber offered specially attractive difficulties;. these I overcame by forming my search-party of five resolute pedestrians int olinea , which extende de e vergewood, th th righ lefd f o t o s,an tt through which we then paced slowly. The wood being only a narrow though pretty dense strip, we by this means covered its whole extent thoroughly. But the only result obtained was the discovery of one fairly large boulder, which t correspondei s a , d neithe n respeci r f sizo t e or position with the stone drawn on the O.M. 25-inch scale, we left in its solitude, unmeasured, and, but for this brief notice, un- recorded e .mor th This e disappointinswa g sinc e drawinth e thn o ge O.M. indicate dlarga e positioe blocth recumbena n ki f no t stone. Mor es recorded thawa a ncenturt i f Forguo o 1 ag y e that "in sundry places row f lono s g stones 0 fee1 , t o t froabov 6 m e ground, are to be seen, perpendicularly placed ; some in an oblong, others in a circular form; those on the hillhead north of Frendraught are the largest." e Ordnancth f cluo o n t o thi et y d no es an ha s i maps sitI n t o eI . marked even on the 25-inch scale sheet. But on writing to the Parish The Edinburgh Magazine for 1761, pp. 11-13. 1 108 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, JANUARY 12, 1903.

Minister, Rev. James Brebner s informewa I , d tha t e stonesomth f eo s of this Circle are still in situ. . No. 22. Towie, ;Atickterless.—I notice this site next, though not in .geographical sequence, because it is the last mere site in the central portion of this district, and may not inaptly follow the three dis- appointing sites just described. The record on the O.M. bears that here, in a field 500 yards west of Auchterless Station, there r stooo onc y a largd ela e nam th stone d e an Pratt's, Grave s affixei d . letteringE . 0 n i .tt .oi

Fig. -23. North Moukshill; remains of Circle.

On the ground, at the date of our visit, nothing was visible; and in reply to a letter of inquiries sent to Mr Maitland of Pitdulsie, I was informed that, to the best of his recollection, there never were standing stones here, but merely the site of a cairn. No. 23. Monkshill, Standing Stone.—This monolith is on the O.M. remaine voucheth a s circlea f r o s fo d, wit e additionath h l information that a cist was found at it in 1848. The site is 450 feet above sea-level, on a flat field a short distance south of North Monkshill, and close to the north side of the cross-roads •coming from Mains .of Monkshill. It is 2|- miles east of the river STONE CIRCLE NOKTH-EASTERN I S N SCOTLAND. 109'

Ythan. The field being in full standing corn .on the date of my examination s impossiblwa t i , o searct e r tracefo h f otheo s r stones. Thie remaininon s g monolith (se s fineli e ) figy23 . set, tapering from a broadish base 9 feet 4 inches in girth to a height of 6 feet 9 inches. Its longest side of 2 feet 6 inches trends N.N.E. by compass, and this lin f extendei e d would e toucMithe th e summit f th ho r t t Tapno ,bu , of Oxen Craig on Bennachie, which is the real summit of that hill. . Pitglassie.—24 . No n almosIna t straight line westwards mile6 , s across country (see the Map, fig. 8), after twice crossing the much winding Ythan, we reach one more of the distressing amorphous heaps of stones, once—an vero ds that y no lont g ago—the stately members of a circle. This accumulation much resembles that noticed above at Rappla Burn, with this difference, that all the stones have been toppled overd alongsid an e ,Eecumben th f o e t Stone, which bein r tofa go ponderous, rest n whai s s probabli t y .almos s originait t l position. There are twelve great stones in all, occupying a rudely oval space fee7 1 fee0 t 1 whinstonef lonto d broade gan ar l al ; . The Eecumbent Ston ee nortleanth ho t s slightly s outeit , r side is smooth and regular, its upper edge and inner side being partially covered by superincumbent stones s dimensionIt . s are, lengt fee8 h inches3 t , height 4. feet 8 inches, thickness 3 feet 6 inches. A pillar-like stone at the east side of the Eecumbent Stone measures 5 feet 5 inches by 3 fee fee2 e othe inc1 tinches7 th n y stonest b h te f rar o O etw ., ove fee5 r t fee3 lon y t gb broad , thre ovee ear fee 4 r tfee2 lond t gan 6 inches broad, three are over 3 feet long and 2 feet broad; and there are quantities of much smaller boulders of quartz, and various stones- thickly strewn about these. . NoGorrydoi.cn.—25 . This sit s aboui e t equidistan- tun froe th m classifiable e sitCircle t th Towia e d , an epresentl e describedb o t y , at Mains of Hatton. The O.M. draws four stones at this spot; but, as so frequently happens, no differenc s i made e betwee e grounth n d pla f o then - Eecumbent Stone and that of any of the others. 110 PKOCBEDING E SOCIETYTH F O S , JANUAR , 190312 Y .

We reached this Circle by walking from Auchterless Station, and were fortunate in finding the tenant, Mr Alexander Shand, at home, through whose interest in the stones and ready assistance in measuring a good plan was obtained. e originaTh l diamete e Circl th s probabl f o wa er 5 feet7 y ; this swa ascertained partly from statement sr Shan madM y db e regardine th g ••a o

Fig. 24. Gorrydown ; Plan of Circle. precise former positions of the stones, all of which are fallen (see fig. 24). Three smal thinnisd an l h stones directlRecumben e norte th th f o ho yt t Stone were moved inwards by his orders, and attempts had been made at various dates to move the others, which, I take it, had resulted in their falling prostrate e interiorTh . , levea whole s a ls lumpi , y here and there with grass-hidden stonet mana d sy an ; points, durine gth attempted removal of the Standing.Stones, the tenant had noticed that STONE CIRCLES IN NORTH-EASTERN SCOTLAND. Ill

there were quantitie f pebbleso s bedded into soil whic s unlikhwa e th e adjacene th soi f o l t fieldse hadH , . however, never foun y remainan d s indicating interment. All the stones are of bluish whinstone, largely mingled with quartz. Eecumbene Th t Stone group appear o havt s e been erecte fairla n do y well-defined ridge, portion f whico s e stilar h l visible. Owine th o gt herbage and partly bent-down corn, it was impossible to be certain if this ridge was continued throughout the circumference.

Fig. 25. Corrydown ; Eecumbent Stone.

e stone sizee th f Th so s are— fee5 inche3 t . s longA fee2 , inche6 t s wide. 4 5 „„ . 6 2 „. „ „B C . 5 „ 4 „ „ 2 „ 7 „ D . 5 ,, 5 „ „ 2 „ 5 „ remarkabla y equal set. The east pillar lyinw no ,g Eecumbene abou th S.Ee f th o fee. 7 t o t t t Stone, runs into the ground, but measures 6 feet, so far as its length is ascertainable fee3 inche8 s ti t i n breadth;i s e wesTh t . pillar, also prostrate fee8 inche2 s ti , extremn si e lengt aboud han fee4 twidt n i t h ; fulls i t feei 2 y thicknessn i t . The Eecumbent Stone, which trends W.N.W., measures nearly fee 0 extremn 1 i t e length a mea s nha , breadt 2 fee inchesf 6 to h d an , 112 - PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, JANUARY 12, 1903. feet,3 s i 7 inches high, wit inwarn ha d slope s computeIt . d weight is- nearl tonsy4 , Where so much displacement has occurred, it is futile to attempt on paper a reconstruction of the Circle; but the suggestion may. be- hazarded, that if the two diameters AC and BD represent with some approach to exactness the original dimensions of the Circle, there would be space enough probably for four more Standing Stones, which, with the seven at present on the ground, would form a Circle of eleven stones,, that is, including the Kecumbent Stone, and taking no account of the three smal r brokeo l nI subjoi block . Recumbente E vient a th s a f wo . Stone and fallen West Pillar (fig. 25). No. 26. Mains of Hatton, Auchterless.—The land in this region is deeply undulating, and on one of the broadest and most conspicuous of these gently-rising eminences, about a mile to the west of the Howe of Auchterless, stand the remains of this Circle, once doubtless as character- t witthay Aberdeenshireme n an histii t e s werb a c o t e e siteTh .is - fee0 53 t above sea-level. The site is in a field more than a quarter of a mile on the road toward e O.M.s th Inverkeithhy e road n e nortth ,O th f . o n ho d an , e 25-inceveth n no h scale sheet, this Circl s drawi e groua s a nf five po - large stones l similaal , n shapi r d sizewithoud an ean , attempy an t t a t

distinguishing the ground plans of any two stones so widely unlike, e.g.t Eecumbene asth fallee t th Ston nd Easan e t Pillar. Still more remark- able, the 6-inch scale. O.M. shows only three stones, within an almost square bounding line, meant possibly to indicate the stony' enclosur Circlee th f eo . This appears altogether .inexplicable r doesno ; - any elucidation arise out of the rehearsal of a very old story,1 to the effect that onc ea lair d removed sonj f theso e e stones "o fort m pillara r sfo gate t traditiobu ; n goes tha mano s t y accidents occurre n consequencedi - of this sacrilege tha ts oblige hewa o tak t de stone th e s back againd an , beside li thew ey no their neighbours, wite iroth hn staples still fixen di them." ../ . . -'•-'< . : . '• , : See Proceedings, ix. p 158. STONE CIRCLE NORTH-EASTERN I S N SCOTLAND. 113

A glance at the ground plan (fig. 26) at once shows a confused assemblage of stones close to the Recumbent Stone; and being unable to make any interpretation of their positions, I wrote to Mr R. Chapman, who, amongst other avocations, farms the Mains of Hatton, telling him

0 o

o

Fig. 26. Mains of Hatton ; Plan of Circle. o fe contradictorthith sf o stor d yan ye Ordnanc planth n o s e maps, In a few days Mr Chapman obligingly replied as follows :— regar"n I youo dt r inquiry that u telabouy hilllyo stonee e , ma th th t I , n so as far as my knowledge goes, none of the stones have been shifted within the memor f anyonyo s onli et i y livin d withian g; n recent years tha lane s tth d ha been ploughed, through care having always been taken not to disturb the VOL. xxxvu. 8 4 11 PROCEEDING SOCIETYE TH F O S , JANUAR , 190312 Y .

•original position of the stones. The old story you mention relates to the stone wit e iroth hn spikes thougd an ; hI hav e questioned man peopld yol e from time to time, I have never been able to discover anything concerning the actual facts whic spikee th ht sgav Bu embeddee . risit o et lean di d projecting fromt i do indicat beed time ha n that on ei pillause a t gate a a t s r da rfo . e Thith s si .ston mentiou t occupyineyo no s na usuae gth l position. " The story may be a century old or more, and related to a laird of Hatton, who at that time lived at Hatton Manor, the neighbouring farm to ours. " The ploughing has changed the form of the surface of the Circle little or nothing. Sinc erememberI always ha t ,i s been, rather hollocentre th wn ei than otherwise, and never showed the appearance of an outline of a planned work of e stoneth l s al sorty whicd an an ; h have w bee sa e thos u nar t takeyo ei f nof gathere betwee n dsoutstonei e g th bi n he so n sideth . " I hav e several times walked ovee grounth r d after ploughing t havbu , e

never found any flints or indication of other antiquities, nor am I aware of any stone coffin having been immediat e founth n di efarme localityth n 1 o lyin t gbu ; J of a mile to the N.W. from the Circle, several urns have been found from tim time.o et " The above statements to some extent render the plan of this Circle more comprehensible; for by discounting all the six stones of various sizes whic e confusedlli h e Recumben n th fronyi f o t t Stone obtaie w , n this southerly group situated in almost the normal positions, the two pillars being fallenRecumbene Th . t Ston s smali ea Circl r fo l e whose probable diameter was 67 feet. This diameter is gauged by measuring fro Recumbene mth t e stone centr Ston, norte th th it du f eo f t eo eho whic hals hi f conceale grounde th thereforn d i an , mors ei e likele b o yt approximately close to its original position than any of the others. dimensione Th e stoneth these f so sar e :— The fallen stone, at a point some 27 feet to the west of the West Pillar, is 6 feet 2 inches by 4 feet 8 inches, by 1 foot 5 inches in thick- ness ; the first of the next group of three measures 2 feet 8 inches by 2 feet by 1 foot; the middle one, 4 feet by 2 feet 7 inches by 2 feet e groupth f o fee4 , 4 4 inche e e lasinchesfeet2 th on t6 ty d b s an ; inches by 1 foot 7 inches. All these are whinstone blocks. The north stone, half concealed in the ground, is of whitish quartz; its 1 Cliarlcsfleld Callon o , w Proceedings, e HillSe . . 158ix . STONE CIRCLES IN NOKTH-EASTERN SCOTLAND. 115

western edge project foo1 s t above grounds greatesit d an , t breadts hi fee3 inches 6 tstone Th e. nex n orderti , also fallen squarisha s i , , block measurin feeg4 inche5 t n breadts i fee 2 td .ihnan thicknesso tw e Th . fallen stones close togethe S.Ee th e abou ar .n o rfee2 t inche3 t s above ground, and in length 6 feet 6 inches and 5 feet 4 inches. The height (thickness fallee th f no ) East Pilla fee3 inches4 s tri lengts it , feeh6 t 10 inches, and breadth 5 feet 8 inches. The middle of the edge of the Recumbent Stone almost touches it. The extreme length of the Kecumbent Stone is 8 feet, breadth just over 3 feet; and its height differs from 3 feet 5 inches (vertical) on the outside to only 1 foot 6 inches in front; and it is triangular in section. The West Pillar, now

. FigMain27 . Hattof so n; Vie Circlef wo .

prostrate, nearl feey5 t away fro Recumbene mth t Stone, measure fee6 s t b feey3 t 10 inche foo1 inches 8 y tEase sb Th t .Pilla f whinstono s ri e with quartz veins e smalth , l stone f nearldirectlo s i yt n i froni y f o t pure quart Recumbene th z; t Ston Wesd ean t whinf Pillao e .ar r stonee th f thein so i w Witr fe origina o hs l positions cannoe w , t affirm anything regarding their original number ; but taking 70 feet as a mean diameter, there would be room on a circumference of 220 feet, with the spacing suggested by the positions of the north stone and the nearest on s south rinit a r twelvf go fo , e stone alln si . In my view from the N.E. (fig. 27) the present condition of these much disturbed stones may be seen, as well as the comparatively insignificant size of the Recumbent Stone group. e computeTh d weigh f thio t s last mentioned ston oves ei tons4 r . 116 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, JANUARY 12, 1903.

. Harestane,27 . No Feith-hill.—Though stoneo thertw t thia e s ear s site name th , printes O.Me a spoked th an n . de o residenty nth b n i s i s singular. The site is known to be that of a Stone Circle, and it seems likely that, as one of these two stones is prostrate, the upright one is that which obtained the specific epithet of Hare- or Haer-Stane— boundary stone.1 e far f Th n Feith-hiluplano ma n o d s i aboul t 1J miles nearly west froe stonemth t Pitglassiea sa risin n o g d groundan ; 0 fee59 t,

1 01 4 SF3 ! I—I—1—4—I—I—T . FigHarestane28 . s; Feith-hill .

above sea-level, fairly conspicuous fro l sidesmal , there remai e twth no Stones shown in the ground plan (fig. 28) and the view (fig. 29). They lie 4 feet 6 inches apart, on a quite level portion of the field, the prostrate one to the west of the erect one, which was the Recumbent Stone in a Circle of several stones having a diameter of about 60 feet. The Stone now prostrate once stood erect on its broader end, close to

1 Compare Harestanes, an imperfect stone circle in the parish of Kirkurd, Peeblesshire Harestane,d an . r Clefto Stane, S.En o . slop f Sterlino e g Hill, marking- divisioe th n between Peterhea Cruded dan n (Pratt's Buchan, . 60)p . STONE CIRCLES IN NORTH-EASTERN SCOTLAND. 117

Becumbene th t Stone. Several cistse were th are th f eao f takeo t nou Circle, which was very stony. For these particular indebtem a I s o informatiot d nr giveM y nb Morriso farme also th o t wh ,na state d thae circlth t t Pitglassiea s wa e abou fee0 6 diametern ti t . prostratThw eno e stone Wesr o , t Pillar a ponderou s i , s bloc bluf ko e whinstone, rather smooth f suco hford a an ,mn p slope o to f tha s of sit t either side from an approximately central ridge (see dotted line, fig. 27). e sid Of thion no e s ridge ther e fouar e r cup-markse th n ,o wite on h other side. In the original position of the Stone, these cups would be

. HarestaneFig29 . s; Vie w fro Easte mth .

outeos n it e notedwesterr b o r y passingn i , ma n t edgi ,d etha an ; t this grou f marka curiouo p s ha s s resemblanc e constellatioth o t e e th f o n Great Bear—a resemblance which occurs in other instances of grouped cup-marks. The Recumbent Stone, compared with many elsewhere s smalli , , very uneven and unshapely; its full height is 4 feet 2 inches, full length 6 fee inches4 t greatess it , t breadt feeth3 ; weight about 2| tons. JVo. 28. Grafts of Shielburn.—With this site we begin the investiga- tion of a cluster of megalithic remains, five in number, and comprised in an area measuring less than one square mile. They all lie to the N.N.W Hile f th Carlincrai o lf o . g e Map(seth e , fig.\^)s deplori t I .- 118 PROCEEDINGS. OF THE SOCIETY, JANUAEY 12, 1903.

abl havo et reporto et , however e fivth e f , o circletha t t ou s i sonl e yon anythinn i g lik pristins eit e condition. The one stone l remaining at this Crofts of Shielburn is situated in a field 2 miles N.W. of Corrydown Circle, and | of a mile due N. of Greymuir Cairn. Stonee Th , compose f ruggedo d blue whin mingled with white quartz pebbles, appears to have been canted over, as it now rests on an edge (as shown in fig. 30), with a considerable overhang towards the west. s presenIt t height fee4 , inch1 t s lesi , s tha s greatesnit t breadtf o h

Fig. 30. Crofts of Shielburn ; remains of Circle.

nearla bulk s i feet5 yt I stone. , girthin e grounth n 2 feego 1 d8 t inches d veran ,y considerably more about midway. From this spot e othethreth f reo neighbouring circles must have been wel n viewi l , especially the two small ones at Backhill of Drachlaw. At a point 240 yards S.E. of this Stone the O.M. records the finding of an urn on a piec f grouneo d bearin e samgth e nam f Crofteo f Shielburno s . No. 29. Backhill of Drachlaw, East 'Circle.—This Circle—the only one apparently untouche rouge th y hdb e agriculturis hanth f do t among l thosal t presena e t passing under review—is noteworth r anothefo y r reasons smalli t I ,. devoi Recumbena f do t Stone t consistsbu , s da o, 1 Two are shown on the O.M. of 1867, standing less than 50 feet apart, N.W. and S.E eacf o . h other. STONE CIRCLE N NORTH-EASTERI S N SCOTLAND.

others of the same variety, of stones very large and massive in propor- tion to the diameter of the enclosed space. In these features it is nearly identical wit e circlth h t Souta e h t Ythsie,unlikno e d th e an 1 still smaller circle, shortl describede b o yt 0 t Kaich a ,44 e sit s i eTh . feet above sea-level. The six stones of this Circle are arranged so that three fill up the north arc and other three fill up the south arc (see fig. 31), leaving a space betwee e extreme th ne arc th sf o mucs h greater tha e inteth n r spaces between the stones. The stone at E being broken and the upper

V

-S- Kg . Backhil31 . Draohlaf o l w ; Pla Easf no t Circle. part^fallen forward, somewhat destroys the symmetry of this arrange- e differenceth mente interspacint th Bu n .i s g will bes e noteb t y b d putting them in tabular form. . (centresB .1 Fro. o t 7mA fee) inche8 t s E to D 17 8 F to A 10 0 C toD 11 6 F toE U 3 B to C 11 0 The stone at E, as already stated, has fallen ; were it rolled over- inwards once only s centrit , e would the jus e feen2 b 1 t t fro centre mth e

Repore th 1901r n i fo t 1 3 , . Proc.,No xxxvi . 524p . . 1 0 12 PROCEEDING E SOCIETYTH F O S , JANUAR , 1903Y12 .

of F, and almost exactly the equivalent of the space between B and C. Thus the symmetry of the Circle would be complete. Another poin e respectivel ar notico t t D s thaei e d stone th an ty C s •due north of A and F, and that the great boulder B, so irregular in wese contourf stondu o tt . se eE s i , It is to be observed also that all the stones are not set with their broadest faces facin e e Circlecentrth th g f o e. This likewiswa s e characteristi Soute th f cho Ythsie example. These stones are all rugged whinstone boulders, variegated with seams and pebbles of white quartz. In one, the largest stone, there is an out- standing ban quartf do z circlin e whinstongth e lik ropea f crystaeo l (see View, fig. 32).

Fig. 32. Backhill of Drachlaw ; View.

The heights and characteristics of the stones are— fee 4 inches0 1 t. whinstonf o ,A e ful quartf o l z pebbles. , , 0 4 „ „ . B seamed with quartz. C . 2 „ 7 ,, „ ,, with quartz pebbles. 0 1 3 „„ . Dsquarish , „ „ „ edgn o e fallen , , 0 ; 1 2 pur„ . e gre E y whinstone. ,, squarish 0 3 „ . whinstonof ; F e with quartz pebbles! interioe Th s absolutelri y leves extremeld smoothwa an l t I .y diffi- cult to find any indication even of a slight mound at the base of the I alleg n ca stonese r anythine stonyNo th .r o reverst o , s g a f stonyo e , conditio e areth af o nbelo e grasswth y surface, havin o efficienn g t probing-tools with which to test it. STONE CIRCLES IN NOKTH-EASTEEN SCOTLAND. 121

Thextremo etw e diameter8 2 e betweeE ar sd e an centre nth B f o s I coul s a dexactlr D learn fa d o feet8 an S y 2 , feeA . inchesf 6 to d an , no tampering with these stones or ploughing within the enclosure had ever been attempted. How differentl s fareha t di y wite nexth h t groue pb musw no t chronicled. . BackMll30 . f DraMaw,No o West Circle.— e O.Mth This s n i .o shown as a Circle of six stones, of about 28 feet in diameter, and from the present tenant, Mr P. Anderson, the following details regarding it were gathere d: Tha t manthesof stonesysix e one year , ago thes n forming a Circle, close to which the farm-steadings came to be built, was removed by a neighbouring farmer who ' required' a block of good stone out of which to make lintels. It was the largest, and no doubt shapeliest e stonese t stooth i th d l dal an , nearlyf soute o , th t ha poinn i t the group. The remaining five stones were subsequently removed from their original positions and placed in the line of two dikes. Here I saw them. In character and size they closely resemble the stones of the East Circle. Nothing seems eve havo rt e been done wit vieha f ascertaininwo g what lay within their enclosure ; they were just shifted out of the way and rendered useful as component parts of the two farm-yard dikes. Let a simila e lone b er gy re hope b ma fat t t i i ed overtake e Easth s t Circle. . Oof,31 r Wolf,. o No Stone.—This Standing Ston s mentionei e y b d Eev. J. B. Pratt,1 who wrote upon various antiquarian topics during his forty-five years' incumbenc t James'S t ya , Cruden. suggeste H e 2th s sa meanin e namth f geo Wolf, Woof e Aberdoniar Oof,th o , s a 8 n pronuncia- o analogietiotw f Elfr o n o o bea.t e s Theron r e thiar es e outTh . parish of Udny, e.g., is by natives called Widny, and the Ferry of Unes, Yoones.4

1 Antiquities of the Suchan District. 2 Between 1825-1869. 3 There is a Wolf Stone in Monymusk also, and Elf Stones in many places. 4 Inverness Sc. Soc. Trans., iv. p. 355. 122 PKOCEEDING E SOCIETYTH F O S , JANUAR , 190312 Y . t howeveBu e Stonr th thi, ebe s stands upo e boundarth n y between the counties of Banff and , at a height of 700 feet above sea- level poina t a , t showe O.M th a mil . n f no o e f nearly wes Croff o t f o t Feith-hill, and over £ a mile N.W. of Lenshie. The uncertainty of its being truly associated with any prehistoric site, or of being itself an ancient standing stone, debarred me from attempting to reach it. Its site also is remote from any of those visited, and would have entailed greater expenditur f timo e e thae stonth n e seemeo t d warrant.

Fig. 33. Cairn Riv ; Plan of Carlin Stone.

. NoCairn32 . Rio.—At this site boundare ,th feewithi w f o tfe ya n between Banff and Aberdeen shires, 300 yards N.E. of the circle at Backhill of Drachlaw, there is shown on the O.M. a dotted ring some 95 feet in diameter, and on its southern arc an enormous stone named Carlin Stone. A hasty view such as one would receive in driving past this Stone on the road to Turriff would, I think, leave the impression that this was merely a boulder of uncommon bulk, stranded here by glacial agency. On closer inspection, although it may still be difficult d oneseltri o f thao f t impression, other point n connectioi s n wits it h position and surroundings arise, points which may involve problems regarding recumbent stone n generali s theso T .e some reference will be made later. We must first be acquainted with the facts of the case. STONE CIRCLES IN NORTH-EASTERN SCOTLAND. 123

Ther here ear e three stone linen si e colossa th , l boulder called Carlin Stone, poised between two others, quite small in comparison. See the ground plan (fig. 33)n additionI . t stonese o f ,consider so ther tw e ear - able size projecting inwards froe Carlimth n Stone nea s wesit r t end, and there is also a fair-sized flat-sunk slab near what I shall call the East Pillar, the thick short stone to the right in the view (fig. 34). The Carlin Stonf vero ys i e rugged whinstone e groun s th girtIt n .s o hdi 22 fee inchest 9 abouta e t heigh th 5 feetbu , t measuref i to t leso sn s than 26 feet 10 inches in girth. Its greatest height is 8 feet 6 inches.

. Cair; Vie 34 Figv Carlif .wo Ri o n Stone.

t standI s pretty nearly vertical basa n eo , varying fro fee4 feem2 n o i tt t breadt fee9 lengthn i d tweighe han Th .s ove i t tons4 1 r . heighte e otheTh th f rso stone : Wes e ar st Pillar fee5 feet2 ,d t an , n lengthi ; East Pillar 4 fee, inches3 2 feet inche3 d t an , s square. earthfaso tw e Th t smaller stonefrone nearle th ar to st feey2 t high. I think this boulder, rugged, unshapely, and most unusual in height though it be, should be accepted as the Kecumbent Stone of the Circle that certainly once existed here s ,presen e it factpartl th f o r s ytfo sur- roundings above stated d partlan , y because, throug e informatioth h n derived from the.tenant of Backhill, the following facts were obtained. 4 12 PROCEEDING E SOCIETYTH F O S , JANUAR , 190312 Y .

There stood, in his father's time, several great stones—none nearly so Carline hugth s ea , however—i a nCircle , within verwhica w s ylo hwa moun e tru r cairncaira th o d t e n ni no sense, n i t onlo s bu ,fee y3 r o t height, spreading ove greaa r t space. At various times, dates unremembered, these blocks of whinstone had been removed, the mound of stones carried away for the dikes, and in or near the spot where they once stood there were found a small axe- hammer, perforated, portions of three bronze armlets, flint chips, and a .button of jet. Mr Anderson did not allege that these objects had been found all actually within the area enclosed by the Standing Stones, but in the ground close by, some of them in that area. e axe-hammeTh a peculia f o s i rr stone, dark brown, unveined, very .smoot d hard s dimensionan hIt . s are, length 4^ inches, breadth 1|- inches, thickness | inch, and the shaft hole is vertical and ^ inch in diameter. The jet button Mr Anderson presented to the Museum, .an I dbrough t awayi t . Externally simila o severat r l e otherth n i s National Collection, this button 'possesse speciae son l featur f intereso e t in being twice bored for the fastening, the second time at right angles to and below the first. e worth kn I already mentioned 1 this Circl f Standino e g Stones i s •described as being about 36 yards in diameter, and the boundary lines •on which the Caerlin-ring Stone, the Harestone at Feith-hill, and the Woof Stone stand, are denned. No. 33. Greymuir Cairn.—It seems clear that in this localised •distric tere th tm ' cairn bees ha ' n employe designato d mount w lo f e do eth •stones, whether flar slightlo t y conical, withi rinna f standingo g stones. This site, which on the O.M. is shown as a .dotted ring, 55 feet in diameter t Greymuira , a secon s i , d instance d befor an surve,e th e r yfo this Report is concluded we shall meet with one or two others. With regar o thit d s monolith—sol ee Circle—littl th reli f o c e e indeeb n dca .said. What facts I am in the position to state were obtained through •conversation with Mr Wright who, over forty years ago, settled here J Pratt's 'Buchan, 3rd ed., p. 6, and App. C. STONE CIRCLES IN NORTH-EASTERN SCOTLAND. 125

and began to cultivate the land on this farm of Newton of Fortrie. A Circl Stonef eo s extende e monolithe nortth th f o do ht , which measures only 3 feet 9 inches in height, 6 feet in greatest length, and 3 feet 6' inche breadthn si s basaIt . l feet5 girt1 s . i h Some th eo t littl y ewa north of it there was found in 1872 a large flat slab of shaly grey- removes wacke.wa laid t I an d1 agains e dikth t e nea wese th r t wall steadingse oth f t measureI . fee3 s inche8 tfee 2 inches8 y t sb id s an , abou inche3 1 t thicknessn si nottimo s e takeN th wa et . na whethe r anything was found below this Stone, which has the appearance of a cist-cover. No. 34. Raich, Forgue.—This site is 3£ miles to the S.W. of Drachlaw, and 3 miles slightly N. of E. from the Harestane at Feith- hill. Though quite smal imperfectd an l , this Circl s interestini e g from its unlikeness to most at present under notice, and the strong likeness it bears to one surveyed in 1901 at Sheithen in ,2 and, in some- aspects e circl, th alst Souta o et o h Ythsie. The interest and kindly proffered help of Mr Legg, tenant at Raich, close lona enable th f gt eo a day' e dm s wor o makkt e surveeth f thiyo s little Circle very thorough informee H . tha e s knowsite dm th tewa n as- Standing Stone meano n Circle sy th b field s t s eneai bu e summi, th r f o t e blue stonesfielde th th Th et f upo o .whin se , l ne whical ar ,a e ar h very distinct and sharply defined mound, stony throughout its area, and now very thickly grass-grown diametere Th . , measure centre th f o dt eo the two standing stones farthest apart, is 18 feet. These two stones are nearly north and south of each other (fig. 35). Close to the edge of the north stone are two earthfast blocks, 19 inches above ground (shaded in plan); the next erect stone on the east has also close beside it a similarly sized earthfast block. These, to my observation, suggested possible re- mains of cists. All the stones drawn in outline are fallen, but there still stand four well-se d erecan te soutt th one n ho s arce mostTh . easterly of these is 4 feet 8 inches above ground, actually higher than the

1 There is a quarry of such stone near Crofts of Shielburn. Proceedings,e Se 2 xxxvi . 525p . . 126 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, JANUARY 12, 1903.

Fig. 35. Kaich ; Plan o( Circle.

Fig. 36. Raich ; View of Circle from the East. STONE CIRCLES IN NORTH-EASTERN SCOTLAND. 127

block on the north, which measures 4 feet 2 inches, but, from difference of position, not merely so prominent, (See the view, fig. 36.) The nex stonefeeo fourte 3 heighn th e i tw t ar d sfee h2 an t5 inches t n I . e sectionath l vie we proportiona th (fig ) .37 l heighte Stoneth d f o san s the height of the mound upon which they stand are shown. e sit f Raico eTh h Circl a littl s i ee abov e 500-feeth e t contour line, and would be fairly conspicuous for some distance northwards down the beautiful Glen Dronach, which is here the boundary between the counties.

5-7"

1 Fig . Raicl37 . ; Sectioi . S n d Nan .

No. 35. Yonder Bognie.—Two miles to the N.W. of the last site, and on the west side of the Burn of Forgue, a tributary of the Deveron, we midse stria th f n f o slightli tpo e ar y undulating ground, strew mann i y directions with whinstone boulders of greatly varying sizes. With some of the largest of these, the men of old constructed here, a spac n f grouno o e d very gently sloping toward e eastth s a Circl, f o e Standing Stones, which , ruinss eveit n ni , is.imposing. (Se e vieweth , fig. 39.) Fro positione m th gran e th f dso Recumbene th f t o Ston d ean other five yet erect, it is possible to estimate with fair accuracy the diameters of the Circle, and the at least probable positions of the five now lying prostrate. At this somewhat remote site, alsopleasans i t i , recoro t t d that willing efficiend an t helaccordes pwa d durin e lond carefugth gan l mensuration give theso t n e stones r Shane descendanM th . s i d f tenanto t o wh s 128 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, JANUARY 12, 1903.

have farmed this ground for upwards of three hundred and ninety years—witnes kirkyare sth d epitaph t Inverkeithnysa . Wha havy ma te bee e originanth r eve o le mediaevath n l conditiof o n aree th a comprising this Circle-enclosur t possiblaffirmo t no w s i .no t eei One feature however, whiche sak th f exaco r e fo , t truth s representei , d

. YondeFig38 . r Bogni e; Pla Circlef no .

in the view, needs a line of explanation. This is the ridge upon which the tall Stone to the east and the Recumbent Stone seem to rest. This bein e onlth g y e portiocircumferencth f o n l raiseal t a de above th e genera lfield e leveth f , o lnaturall y cause questioo t e d m r ShandnM o wh , at once Circle th o par et n f merel o s replietbu , wa yt di - forme ac y b d cumulation f weeds so e appeaW .o hav t r e here, then, Circle-interioa ' r STONE CIRCLES IN NORTH-EASTERN SCOTLAND. 129

perfectly flat and smooth, surrounded by a ring of Standing Stones, of whic lowese hth thas i t nea e nortse t th r e highesh th poin d tan t near Recumbene th t Stone. Takin Stonee gth orden si r froe southmth e observw , e first thae th t East Pillar (see plan, fig. 38) has fallen, and is now in part covered over measured fele witb an t a lengtn e h feet7 r ca gras Th f dfo t hi o . s; Recumbent Stone is the most right-angled and vertical specimen we have met with, taking its great size into account. Its dimensions are—summit, extreme length 9 feet 2 inches, its average breadth at the top 4 feet 5 inches , innee heighth rn o sidt e4 fee inches2 t t S.Ea ; . angle outside . anglW e fee4 e feeinchesth 7 5 t inches t 6 t a t e I girthd th . an ,t a s

Fig. 39. Yonder Bognie ; View of Circle.

bas fee3 inches0 e3 1 ts side it e nearll ,ar s al ands ya , vertical, y thima s gives average b it s na e girthe computeTh . d weight therefor ton0 1 ss ei magneti y cwt5 B 1 . c compas s longesit r axis point degrees5 . sW N.f o Wese Th t Pilla fee5 inches 7 tri heighn si t measure outsidee th n o d5 , feet 1J inches on the inner side ; there is a space 12 inches wide between Recumbene th d an t i t Stone. The Standing Stone next in line, No. I., has a triangular base: its heigh fee4 inchess 6 i t norte half-sunketh a s n hi ;o clost i o et n stone. heighe fee3 Th incheStonf s 3 ti o t . lona e II ss gvertical ha slop t i t e bu , e thirweste th Th d.o t Ston s falleha e n inwards s probablit ; e sits i e marked on the plan with a square cross; its length is 6 feet, so far as measurede b w no abous n a , ca t t truni i hal f so f inte groundoth e Th . VOL. XXXVII. 9 130 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, JANUARY 12, 1903. fourth Stone is 3 feet 8 inches above ground. It almost precisely faces the Kecumbent Stone, from which it is distant 71 feet 6 inches, the true diamete e Circle e th d fiftsixt f an Th ho rh . Stone e awantingar s , but- the seventh lies only a foot or two within what must have been its orgina lfee 5 sit inches 6 i te t ;i s lond abougan fee4 t inche6 t s broad. Between thi e grouns th Ston d do almos an eplantw f to s contiguous Stones on the S.E. arc lies what seems to be a fragment of the eighth s truStoneit et positiobu , n canno definitele b t y laid downe nintTh h. Stone, the larger of the two whose bases are shown close together, stands- fee5 inche8 t s abov grounde eth .

. YondeFig40 . r Bogni e; Sectiona l View.

The spaces between the Stones are— Stone I. to II. . 21 feet 3 II. „ III. . 21 „ 3 III. „ IV. . 21 „ 0 IV. . V. 21 „ 0 V. „ VI. . 14 „ 0 VI. „ VII. . 17 „ 0 VII. „ vin. ; i 17 „ 0 ? . VIII . .IX „ 17 „ 0 IX. „ East Pillar 28 „ 0 'illa Weso t r t Pillar 14 „ 0 Pillar to Stone I. . 17 „ 0 thus yieldin fee4 gcircumferenca inches6 20 t . f o e I have already commented upon the unusual smoothness of the interior Circlee oth fs smoothnes it ,f o tha , is t general n si s freedo it d an ,m frora STONE CIRCLES IN NOETH-EASTEEN SCOTLAND. 131 indicatioy an n whateve moun a e centre f th o r n di . There are, however, several projecting smallish e stonespacth n ei s directl n fronyi f theo t - Eecumbent Stone, som f whiceo h appea earthfase b o t r t integral portions- e Circleoth f d otheran , s possibly stones once forming parta con f o s - centric setting t lon shiftef o theibu ,o g ag t r dou places e largesTh f . o t those which seem earthfast is at S on the plan, while the group at B .calls for notice as suggestive of cists. For their relation in height to- Eecumbene th tsectionae Stonth e ese l view (fig. 40). No. Cairnton.—36 . About 1J miles S.S.W f Yondeo . r Bognie stand the two massive Stones on this farm, all that remains of a Circle shown

Fig. Cairnto41 . n; Pla remainf no Circlef so .

in the next two illustrations (figs. 41, 42). Even these two have not- escaped mutilation s eviden i firse t i th tr n glanco tfo , e that this Eecum- bent Ston sufferes eha fullosa e f th dlso thirmasss it f do . This Circle-sit n exampla s i e f whao ee hav severad w t eha l times to- notic s regarda e s position, namely, tha t i doet t occupno s e flath yt summi hile th lplaces f i hereo t t grounn bu d,o d facing eastwards. Both these blocks of whinstone are rugged and unsymmetric, the Eecumbent Stone having a considerable overhang at the extremity nearest the pillar, and the latter projecting on the south beyond the base-line of its neighbour. 2 13 PROCEEDING SOCIETYE TH F O S , JANUAR , 190312 Y .

The Recumbent Stone, probably about 12 tons in weight, measures n extremi e lengt 9 feeh0 inches 1 t , greates t feet3 breadt t p a , to f o h bas fee2 e0 inches 1 t , highest point outsid 6 feee inches3 t , insid4 e feet 6 inches, and is nearly vertically set. The Pillar measures 8 feet 3r incheoutside fee6 th inche9 d n t so e an s inside.

Fig. Cairntot42 . ; Viei Recumbenf wo t Ston Pillard ean .

No. 37. Kimmonity.—Above Hillhead of Avochie, at a height of over 400 feet, just within the border of , there is a wood-crowned summit, and upon it the O.M. shows the symbol for the site of a Stone Circle which appear havo t s e bee fee0 5 n diameteri t . This s sitewa passed at some distance as I pursued my road towards the much more importan t Rothiemaya e on t d thern o an muc,o t s es foun pu wa h o dt record thae fasth tt fading sunligh f lato t e September barely sufficed. Hence I can say nothing of this site, nor have I been able to learn anything concerning it. STONE CIRCLE NORTH-EASTERN I S N SCOTLAND. 135

•flfo. 38. Rothiemay Home Farm.—This locality marks the extreme- north-western limit to which our investigations were carried. The site- is distant from the last about one mile and a furlong to the N.N.E.,. t bot separatee bu har d fro e circlemth t Yondea s r Bogni Cairntod ean n by a tract of country between 3 and 4 miles wide, and for a far greater e wes e th countre nort spacth tth d ho an t e s absolutel i y y devoid of circles. A few cairns are, or were, to be found. Local circumstances seemed rather combined agains investigatioe th t n e remainoth f f thio s s Circle e fiel n whicTh i ds situate i . t i h d was, during that last wee f Septemberko , dee cornn pi , whic n somi h e parts had grown up to an unprecedented height, and in others was lying uncu heavin t y swathes, wind-dashe rain-rotted—botand d h conditions infinitely perplexin surveyore th o gt . No soua t l abou place th t e seemed caro t e whethe e cors likele furtheb th r wa no yt r injureexamy m y -db ination of the Circle, still less was any assistance offered in the great difficultie s mensurationit f o s thuy M s. somewhat uncertain triangu- lating was, however retury m n Edinburgho no t , , checke unusualln a y db y clear plan drawn on one of the O.M. 25-inch scale sheets; therefore the want of minute accuracy has, I trust, been reduced to a minimum. The site of this once noble specimen of the typical Stone Circle of North-eastern Scotland is in the second field, to the north of the Home Farm steadings s mosit d t an ,northerl y 6 plann ston4 o s i C ,( e ) fig 43 . yards fro mgatewaa y roa e openin Aberchirderth o dt o t n go I havt . eno been abl o leart e n r whawhefo r to nreaso o many'os n s Standinit f g Stones were removed, but at present there are but four, in addition to a grand, very massive Eecumbent Stone, set as usual near the S.W. point. e fouTh r Standing Stone e e circumferencnearlth ar s n o y Circla f eo e •yvhich measured 77 feet 6 inches in diameter, magnetic N". and S. (i.e. 3 fee8 fro t d mmeasurean stonstono t , H) C e d fro e Recumbenmth t Ston a poin o et t wher stonea e probably once stood workinn O . g this out, we obtain spaces for a Circle of twelve stones in all, including the Eecumbent Stone group. Ther , howeveris e remarkable on , e featurn ei arrangemene th f theso t e stones e circumferenc, th tha , is t e Circlth f eo e 134 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, JANUARY 12, 1903. upon which B, C and H are standing runs much within Stone I. and the Recumbent Stone.. In other words, we seem to have here the remnant arrangemenn •oa f t extremely simila o that r t observe greae th n tdi circle

Fig. Rothiema43 . y; Pla Circlef no . •at Auchquhorthies -Devenickn i 1 , wher Eecumbene eth t Stone is not' ' in line' with the great standing stones, but rather with the concentric inner setting of smaller blocks on edge. All the stones are of the blue whin. Proceedings,e 1Se vol. xxxiv . 145p . . STONE CIRCLES IN NORTH-EASTERN SCOTLAND, 135

Takin Stonee gth thein si r order from righ lefto t t , their heights are— Ston fee6 inchese3 t . H , pointed witd an h, broa d' shelf ' facing inwards. 9 5 „„ . ratheI „ r pointed. 0 6 „, , . witB ,h, rounded top. „ C . 6 „ 2 „ with flat top.

^i%^^g5

. Rothiema44 Fig. y; Vie Circlf wo e fro e Northmth .

^^^^^^^^^-^-^ ^A^/%^^1 ^-'^1^>

. Rothiema45 Fig. y; Vie w fro Weste mth . Recumbene Th t Stone measure e grounth n o sd 13 fee inche6 t y sb 4 feet in greatest breadth. Its fullest length about the middle is 14 feet 4 inches. In height it varies, being so irregular on portions of its top; at the east extremity, it is 4 feet 8 inches; its outer edge is 5 feet 7 inches at the east, and 5 feet 3 inches at the west. On its inner side its height varies from 3 feet 8 inches to 4 feet 9 inches. It is vertically 136 PROCEEDINGS OP THE SOCIETY, JANUARY 12, 1903.

faced setan ,s N.E degree5 . JST.Ef o compass) y . s(b E . . (See figs, 45.)44 . ' It may be about 12 tons in weight. Os verticanit l inner a largfac s i ee grou f cup-marko p s (fig. 46),. beginnin a poin t ga fee7 t inche5 t s distant fro eastere mth n edged an , occupying nearly all the rest of the lower space close up to the western edge. These cup-mark e twentar s n numberyi vard an n siz,yi e from

RECITMBENT STONE

. RothiemaFig46 . y; Plan Cup-markf so Recumbenn so t Stone.

1J inche n diametei s o thos t rwhicinche3 w fe e n ar hdiameteri s . bese smoothesd th Than t n eo cup e tar sportio stonee th f no ; thee yar all of nearly a uniform depth of f of an inch. e Stonth f eo alsp to o ) showe (fig46 Th . s cup-marks,—four small ones in a curve near the outer edge, two larger near the middle, and one e innelarg e closth on eo rt e l edgethesAl .e cup-mark e showar s n ni the two illustrations included in fig. 4^, accurately to scale, and in exact relation to each other as groups. (/. (y STONE CIRCLE NORTH-EASTERN I S N SCOTLAND. 137

The cup-marks here were observe e firs I thinth ( d t r timekfo . in ) August 1883 by Mr A. Ramsay, President of the Banffshire Field Club,, at a joint meeting between the Inverness Scientific Society and that club, held at Banff on that date. No. 39. Wliitehill Wood, Forglen.—At this hill-summit we reach the- most northerl t dealy ye sit s te a wit thesn hi e surveys s positioit , n being, e nortoth n he riveth ban f ro kDeveron , here flowing througa h beautifu richly.wooded an l d landscape a poin t a , t slightl e nortth o hyt of west from Turriff railway statio a furlongmile3 n d a direc an sn i , t line between it and the middle of , from which the Circle is distant 3| miles. These distances, however, do but feebly express the actual amount of walking involved in reaching this remote and unknown site, to which both the winding of the paths and the undula- tions of the ground contributed—to the loss of time certainly, but also- strenuoue th o t s pleasur f overcomineo g obstacle a stri f n countri po s y thickly wooded, traversed by unexpected streams, and unusually full of steep abrupt declivitiese beew nd unprovideHa . d wit a hcompas s it mucs doubtee i b o ht d whether this Circle could have been includen i d farme th f so whery an made t ew a Reporte e th on inquir o n , y knowing. of the existence of a Whitehill Wood in this neighbourhood. Even whe e denselth n y wooded summi s gainedwa t , there being no- landmarks from which to take bearings, much time was spent amid the interwoven pine branche d fernan s y undergrowth, unti t a lasl t one great stone, unmistakably grey amid the wealth of bracken, became visible e piecew e Circl,n th do the o ea ns seconda third d d an an ,, together into a ring of seven stones. So luxuriant and dense was the growt f thesho e specimen f Pteriso s aquilina1 thae wholth t e interior e cleareb o Circle t o th fd eha wit r knive f ou htho eo s tw befor y an e stones coul seee db n simultaneously. above th r e Fo cogent reasons s beeha n t i ,impossibl appeno t e y an d vie Whitehilf wo l Wood Circl e; for , apart fro brackene mth thickle th , y majorite Th y were ove fee5 r inche6 t heightn si somd an , e whic measurede w h , 1 exceede feetd7 . 138 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, JANUARY 12, 1903.

planted firs so encroached upon the stones as to render any drawing of groua thee question s th ma pf o I quithave t . ou e , however, made :sectional views from our measurements (fig. 48). This Circle is shown, even on the 1-inch O.M., as a dotted ring, and 25-ince onth h shee groua s a tf eigh po nearla t stonesn i yt circulase , r

form, onea e summie hillth rth ,f N.E e o £a milt th f Carnousio o .t e e House. Some 115 yards due south of it the O.M. also shows an indistinctly circular spot called Cairn Ennit. thi o shale T sw l presently

•--/ '+D

Fig. 47. Whitehill Wood, Forglen ; Plan of Circle.

Twothe D on stone and erect (B s easnow onl the , arc tful yare on l plan, fig. 47). The spaces between the stones, centre to centre, are— From A to C . . 12 feet 8 inches. „ C to e . . 7 „ 10 „ 0 9 „„ . „ « . to/ 0 ,„7 1 . . B o t / „ » 5 Bto2 „„ 1 . D. „ D to g . . 15 „ 3 „ » 9 to A . . 14 „ 9 „ yielding a circumference of just 89 feet. STONE CIRCLES IN NORTH-EASTERN SCOTLAND. 139

If the small stone e is to be included as an integral member of the Circle, it is out of symmetry with the others. The stone next it on th plane e th north ,n i thoug / , t looki h s (thus shown) also smalls i , reall a ylarg e stone s loweit , r extremity running inte groundth o . Wer t e raiseverticai th o dt l froe outsidemth s basit , e would resn o t •a point (close to the M of the compass-mark, just equidistant from C and B). As so many of these stones are fallen, it is mere speculation o suggest t their original positions e averagTh .t ese diametee b y ma r down as 29 feet.

Fig. 48. Whitchill Wood, Forglen ; Sections.

The dimensions and characteristics of the stones are as follow :— A, fallen fee6 , inche3 t fee4 inches6 tx s , centrally-ridged. , , whin 6 , ,, quartz-veined 4 x 6 „C , , 5 . „ e, ,, 4 ,, 0 ,, x 1 „ 10 „ very quartzitic, lumpy. /, „ total length unascertainable, breadth 2 feet 8 inches, 18 inches above ground at the north end. B, 4 feet in height, 7 feet 10 inches long, 3 feet 3 inches broad; whins tone. fee4 Dheightn ,i t fee5 , t long fee3 , inche8 t s broad. g, fallen fee6 , inche2 tfee 2 inche7 tx s s ; whinstone. As would be expected, in such a damp situation the stones are thickly overgrow s possiblnwa wit t i ehs a lichen r fa mosses d o s an t bu , gueso t t theisa r mineral composition from exposed fragments, thee yar .as above stated. The central area is very uneven and lumpy, but whether s referablthi s wa sbeinit o t ge stony n additioi o beint n g crammed e o leisur witgrean e th root th hd f o t t o esha ferns e w , 140 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, JANUARY 12, 1903.

examine s heava , y showers cam , preventinon e g more tha a npassing 1 glance at Cairn Ennit as we retraced our steps down to the Turriff road. In describing Cairn Rio and its Carlin Stone, reference was made

face th t o that t seemeti dfeatura f thieo s distric mounw calo lo t t f a ld o 1 small stones surrounded by great stones or boulders a cairn. This Cairn Ennit further illustrates this peculiarity. s preciseit Wha s wa -t original form cannot now be guessed at, but in our hasty exit from the dripping woods we saw at least that several good-sized blocks of quartzitic whinstone were lying on the circumference of a circle some southerfeethe 90 t or on wide n 80 arc—relativeland , mucin y h the- same position as the Carlin Stone to Cairn Eiv—an enormous boulder,, which we roughly measured, and found to be nearly 8 feet in height. and about 11 feet in length.

CONCLUSION. groupinn I g these various megalithic remains int orden oa f classio r - ficatio whicy b n e comparehb they yma d with those that have been, previously investigated, I shall begin by placing together—(1) those- sites which are bereft of all remnant of a group or of a single Standing Stone: such are Hillhead of Forgue, Stonehill, Auchaber Wood, Towie, West Haughs, Burreldales, Kimmonity. (2) Sites occupied by a Monolith :: Wardes, Back Fornet, Braeneil, Woodend of Cluny, Luath Stone, Tow Stone, Candle Stone, Conglas, Congalton, Woof Stone, and 1ST. MonkshilL ) Sites(3 , onc f Circles eo f whicStone o o t tw hr bu , o s onlremaie yon . n: Mil f Schivao l s Wood, Hallgreens, Crichto d Fedderaan n t Stones, Upperthird, Croft f Shielburno s , Eapplawood, Greymuir Cairn. (4)- Sites havin d Stongha e Circles possessin a gRecumben t Stone: Nether Corskie, Rapplaburn, Main f Hattono s , Corrydown, Pitglassie, Cairn Riv, Feith-Hill, Yonder Bognie, Cairnto d Rothiemayan n ) Circles(5 . - of Standing Stones withou Recumbena t t Ston e: Eas Wesd an t t Circles t Backhila f Drachlawo l , Raich, three small Circle t Logia s e Newton,, and the Circle in Whitehill Wood, Forglen. 1 Supra, . 124p . STONE CIRCLES IN NORTH-EASTERN SCOTLAND. 141

The current Eeport thus deals with forty-two sites. Putting aside "those which are mere sites (seven in all) and the eleven Standing Stones, ther a residu s i e f seveo e n sites o Stonewhertw w r no eso onle on y remain to prove the former existence of a group; these being deducted, the result obtained is, that in all this extensive district there now remain t seventeebu n sites whicf o ,possibls i t hi affir o ecirclt e th m en thate n i t had a Eecumbent Stone, and that in the other seven, that marked feature was absent. And even of many of these it is not possible to state with accuracy either the number of the Stones or the diameter of the Circle. s alsha o t beeI n show e nmajorit th tha n i f t exampleo y e sitth se selected is not on a conspicuous hill-summit. There is, for instance, no one Circle erected upo summina t commandin ga prospec f mano t y other •Circles, as we found to be the case in a previous survey1 at the Candle Hill of . The only examples of Circles placed upon specially conspicuous hills, i.e. conspicuous probabl e perioth f t theia o yd r erection, though now obscured by woods, are the two at Mill of Schivas and "VVhitehill Woo Forglenn dformei e th f f theseO o r . , nothing ca statee nb d descrip- e latter s th interestini f t s o typei , tivit t f eo bu ; noto t g ea thas i t i t small circle compose t strikinglno f o d y large o Stones,n s thad ha t an i t Kecumbent Ston r otheeo r special feature. In another respect this Report is lacking in interest, so few of the Circles have yielde y relicsan d n othei ; r words, o recorthern s f i eo d .any relics being found, for the sufficient reason that the removal of Standing Stones, or the cursory examination of the ground enclosed by them, took plac lono o thaes authentigo ag n t c accoun sucf o t obtains hi - able. But it is certainly important to bear in mind that in the one instanc e Circlth f o e Cair t Burreldalesa n , Eappla Wood n whici , h a careful excavatio mades nresulte wa th , s prov o went sepulchrar e efa th t l character of the site. I appen dTabulaa r Summary whicn i , usuae hth l facts concernine gth Circle laie sar d down. 1 Proceedings, vol. xxxvi. p. 545. 142 PROCEEDING E SOCIETYTH F O S , JANUAR , 1903Y12 .

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