256 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, MARCH 14, 1904.

I.

REPORE STONTH N ETO CIRCLEE NORTH-EASTH F SO SCOTLANF TO D —THE DISTRICT—WITH MEASURED PLANS AND DRAW- INGS, OBTAINED UNDER THE GUNNING FELLOWSHIP. BY FRED. R. COLES, ASSISTANT KEEPER OF THE MUSEUM.

The report which I have to submit this year deals with the central d easteran ne Buchapartth f o s n district, upo e westernth n borderf o s which our last year's survey was brought to a termination. The area is a very large one, but the sites still possessing megalithic remains are deplorably few—a result to a great extent due, doubtless, to the fact thae Buchanth t , with s Maucentrit s f a dmaro ed commerce an t s i , almost wholly agricultural o strenuousls d ,an y utilitaria n aspeci n d an t custom that it is scarcely matter for surprise, however much to be regretted, that Standing Stones, Cairns d Stonan , e Circle e alikar s e regarded as cumberers of the ground, and more frequently than not, utterly demolished. To bring the matter to its sharpest issue, the distressing statement has to be made, that out of the twenty-five sites noticed below, there now remains but one complete Circle having its several stones erect and in situ. Some half-a-score others have several stones; but of these not a few are so much out of position as .to suggest e probabilitth y that they were disturbe e inefficienth n i d vaid an nt searc a verrelicsr example w hfo n y I fe . e interioth s r appear givo t s e evidenc f beineo g quite untouched. These would probably reware th d competent excavator. e BuchanTh , takee a wholancien th s a nn i e t sense, once possessed some forty-five Circles, as recordedl by the Rev. A. Chalmers. " Buchan, however, is now ordinarily regarded," says Eev. J. B. Pratt,2

1 Buchan Field Club Trails., vii. - Buchnn, edition 1901, wit hreferencey additionsM . 11 s . e hereaftep ,th o t e ar r same edition. STONE CIRCLEE NORTH-EASTH F O S F SCOTLANDO T7 25 .

comprisins "a g sixteen parishes. take \v e e f centrMauI a th " f s a o de circle wit hradiua f abouo s 2 miles1 t , these parishes wil e parcelleb l d out thus:—In the N.E. quadrant are Pitsligo, , Eathen, Crimondd an , , having thre eSton x Cairnsi d e an sCircles n I . the S.E. quadrant, which contains the parishes of , , , , , Cruden, Skins d Ellonan ,e fin w ,d remains of nine Stone Circles and the sites of no fewer than thirty Cairns. The S.W. quadrant, comprising the greater part of the three parishes of , , and Monquhitter, up to which our last surve carrieds ywa , shows three Ston eCaire Circlon n; t ebu sited an s e nortwhilth n heo quadrant, bordering with , ther e fouar e r Stone Circles and only two Cairns. Many smaller subdivisions of these areas are entirely devoid of Stone Circles; and, speaking generally, we may say that, as previously noticed,1 small areas replete with Cairns are not marked by Standing Stones or Circles. n compilinI g this report r gratefuou , l acknowledgmento t e du e ar s various observers who have already described several of the sites now under review; especially to Rev. J. Peter, formerly minister of the parish church in New Deer, to Kev. J. Forrest of Lonmay, and to several members of the Buchan Field Club, whose papers are printed in e Transactions th . J Milne r e Club M th d als ,o f an t o,o formerl f o y Mains of Atherb, without whose most frankly afforded knowledge, intimate and long-extended, of the antiquities of the Buchan, this report would be lacking some of its most valuable matter. The plans are in most cases drawn to the same scale of 20 feet to 1 inch as heretofore; where any departure from this occurs, it will be noticed at its proper place. Beginning nea e mosth r t southerl ye district limith f e o first th , t site fare noticee th b m t o a t called s di — . Standing1 . No Stones f Hatton.o —The villag f Hattoo e n clusters abou Watee th t f Crudeno r mile4 , wese f Porsdu o t t poina Errol t A t . hal a milf e t souti ther f o he once stoo a dCircl f "o e seve r eigho n t 1 Proceedings, vol. xxxvii. p. 91. 7 1 VOL. XXXVIII. 258 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, MAECH 14, 1904.

stones, removee tenanth ' improve y r n 183b i dtfo mako 1t y - wa e ments. o furthe' N "l r informatioe obtaineb o t s d wa nfro m anyone acquainted with the locality.2 In correspondence with Mr H. B. Mitchell, of Peterhead, information reached me to the effect that on the river bank in the village of Ellon there are standing " some stones of the type usually found in circles with recumbent stone, arranged in a sort of circle "—evidently removed •from their original site, which seems now to be beyond identification. No . Greenhill.2 . Thi — s alsi sn Crudei o n parish mil1 , e wesf o t station, on the Ellon and Boddam Railway. All that now remains of the Circle, the site of which is recorded on the O.M., is a fine pyramidal block of Peterhead granite, situated on a level portion of a field having on its east side a hillock of sand (see fig. 1). The Stone s almosearthit e th d deepls i n an i t, t squaryse e base measure n girti s h 16 feet 8 inches, its top about 5 feet. Its most regular base-line trends E.N.E. and W.S.W., and it stands 4 feet 4 inches above the ground. . Denhead.—3 . No This site, distant fro lase mth t slightly ove a milr e to the N.N.E., is close 011 the boundary between Cruden and Peterhead. impossibl e w naturremaine th Whath no s s f i eo t wa tsi stateo et , since e O.Mth . merely records " sitf supposeo e d circles,o furthen d ran " information is now to be had. En route for relics of more substance, we may here note the map record of a group of antiquities that lies between the farms of North Aldi Caird ean n Catto, partl Crudenn yi Peter]n i , n Longsidi ) eadd an , e 1 Buchan, p. 42. In The Scottish Journal, vol. i. p. 371, it is recorded, with reference to this 2 circle removae , e th thastone th n o te f eart o lsth h about them a blackwa f o s , soft nature, differing much from thanexe th tt n aroun pagfurtheO s i t ei . dit r recorded, without specifying the exact spot, that in a cairn or mound there were found a cist containing parts of two skeletons, two clay urns, seven flint arrow-heads, two flint knives, and a polished stone about 4J inches in length, neatly drilled through the four corners, and slightly concave on the one side and convex on the other [evidently a bracer]. Also t aboua , e yeath t r 1818a tumulu n i , Derryhilln so , Ardiffery, were ambed founan t chaida r je axe-hean beada f no d san f blacdo e samkth flinten O . land of Ardiffery, in 1821, there was found a cist containing a human skull, two urns seved an , n flint arrow-heads. STONE CIRCLES OF THE NORTH-EAST OF . 259

parishes. Within a single square mile, the map shows the sites of seven e eascairnth te Laecc n banth o s f o ka Burn e sit f Silveth ,o e r Cairn, where an urn was found in 1818, a little farther to the north the site of a cairn and of an inscribed or sculptured stone,1 found also in 1818 spoa , t called King's Grave described an , figuredd d an a cairn s a 2 - site with three cists exposed; nex n Dun-iia-Chaicho t a lon, g oblong

Fig . Remain1 . Circlf so t Groenhillea . mound named " supposed camp "—merel ya sand-hilloc belod an kwt ; i a " cromlech "—merely a huge ice-stranded granite boulder,3 the site of a stone cist foun n 184i d 0 near Newton farmotheo tw , r stone cists foun 1864n d i numerou d an , s tumuli; whil ee roa closth do t erunnin g N".W. to Longside, the vast amorphous remains of Cairn Catto, once of

1 Kemove gardee th o t dt Aldi£uchan,ne a se e; . 104p . 2 In Buchan, p. 101. 3 Calletenant—curiousle th y db y enough—The Hanging Stone. 260 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, MARCH 14, 1904.

great extent and height, now hare and jagged, its cists riven asunder and rifled of all contents, and its huge mass of houlders serving now more as a landmark than aught else. Throughout this once so richly stored district, scarcely one object now remains tangible to the archseologist; hut the great abundance of large nodules of flint half hidden among the heather formed a con- spicuous feature; one, moreover, which holds equally true of the site next to be described. No. 4. Skeimuir Hill Standing Stones.—On reaching this site from Cairn Catto e pase Mosw ,th s f Savocko s d crosan , s d intDeeOl o r paris t Smallburnha a fairl e n Stoneo y Th e prominen. ar s t hill-ridge, 6 miles due west of Cairn Catto. On the O.M. two stones are shown standing 200 yards apart, and in separate fields. But since making our investigations, we have ascertainedJ that many years ago there was a group of three stones d thaan ,t deserved ill-fortun o farmere tw befel e sth l (whose lands were divided by the dike) for their wantonly removing them. These three stones stooa triangle n di werd an ,e probable th y remain Circlea f so . e morO th no presen etw easterl e o tth tw sitef o yw s no ther e ar e Stones, a smallish one leaning up against a greater (see fig. 2, B); they eastware th res n o t d hille slopth ,f eo nea s summitit r . The e botar y h of grey granite e latteth ; r measure 4 fee se 5 higheinchetth t a sr edge, 4 feet 2 at the lower,. and girths at the base 7 feet 3 inches. t verticallyse s i e smalle t I Th . r Ston fee3 inche 5 s thighess i eit t sa t abov grounde eth girthd an , fees5 inches0 broades1 e t Th . e t th sid f eo larger stone fee2 , 5 inchet n lengthi s s i , t facei e north th d s an , probable that -the area enclosed by the other Stones lay in this direction. The Standing Stone on the westerly site is a very rugged and ' out of plumb' monolith, als f graniteoo , measuring abou fee5 t inche6 t n i s greatest length and 7 feet in basal girth. In the illustration (fig. 2, A)

• Through the good offices of friends at Longside whose relatives formerly lived 1 ear Skeimuir. STONE CIRCLEE NORTH-EASTH F O S F SCOTLANDO T . 261

I show a view of this Stone from the south, with the Hill of Mormond several miles distancee awath n yi . No. 5. West CricMe.—Site 1£ miles K.W. from the last, and now unfortunately only a site. The circle of stones stood at a point midway between Turf-hill and West Crichie, barely 1|- miles south of .

. Standin2 g Stone Skeluiuirf so .

. Upper6 . No Griclde.—One mile e lastnearlth e W,f o ydu ther. s i e the site of a circle marked on the O.M. . 1. No King's Grown.—Midway betwee e lasth nt Stuartfield sitan e d is another, now featureless, site, given as the site of a circle on the map. No. 8. The White Cow of Crichie.—In the Buchan, this curious appellation is frequently given to great stones, presumably, as this one, of white quartz e shalW l. presentl e yWhite circl th th refe n i o eet r 2 26 PKOCEEDING E SOCIETYTH F O S , MARC , 190414 H .

Cow Wood, near Pitfour froe coastfa mth t therd n Trouno r, o ; an s ei p Head roca , k calle White dTh e Cow. bloce Th f purko e white quart lyin w grass-bordee edgn th no zg o n eo r of the avenue at Crichie is probably only a fragment of the White Cow d boundary-stoneol e describeth f o e district e y th Pratd b f on so s ta ,l as its dimensions are 5 feet 6 inches by 3 feet 4 inches by 2 feet 7 inches. No such stone, be it ever so white, could have been of much practical use as a boundary-mark at the distances given by Pratt. Mucklee Th . 9 . StaneNo f Auchmaliddie.—o e designatioSuchth s i n bestowed upon another and much greater block of brilliant white quartz by Pratt.2 No notice whatever is taken of this "stone on the O.M. ; and as the description by Pratt is not definite, I had almost given up hopes of finding it, when, on communication being opened with Mr John Milne, lat f Maino e residin w f Atherbso no d t Maudcons ga an , wa - I , d mist e an man th t y f daywe yo f Sepe so on - n o m hi y b ducte t i o t d tember, and l drawbacksspitn al i , f eo , made examination enoug f thiho s recorn o t dpu sit somo et e interesting facts regardin. git realitThern i greae o ear ytw t Stone thin o s s fiel t Auchmaliddia d e; s obvious wa a glance t i t a , d , an thar Milne'M t s long-handed-down tradition of the Circle that once marked the spot received confirmation from the relative positions of these two now prostrate , as the Recumbent Stone and the West Pillar (see ground-plan and profile view, fig 3). thir a fiel e mil w a flae sitd lo on s dDeetei w ean Th soutNe rf ho e Uppe westh e Church f du o t r d Crichian , e site, just noticed miles5 , . Fo radiu a r mile6 f o ss from Auchmaliddie l directional n i , s excepe th t N.E. e classe relib a j t o therc t archffiologicas no da s ei l recordey an n do mapse oth f . This prostrate Recumbent Stone look s e showprofila sth n i ne view when seen from the east. Its dimensions are, greatest length 10 feet 5 inches, greatest breadth 5 feet 7 inches, greatest thickness 3 feet 4

1 Buchan, p. 10. 2 Ibid., p. 188, where it is described as having been a rocking-stone. - STONE CIRCLES OF THE NOETH-EAST OF SCOTLAND. 263

inches. A goodly portion of it is of equal breadth, but the entire south edg s thii en i comparison n wite oppositth h e e one.Th 1 longest face of the Stone points W. 60° N. (mag.), and thus it is probable that this fine block lien almosi s t exactl e linth ye that its base originally occupied. The other fallen block, whice Westh I hassume t b Pillar o t e ,

Fig . Auchmuliddi3 . e; Pla Vied nan w fro Easte mth .

measure 7 fees 6 inchet extremn si e length, 4 fee inche6 t breadthn si , and its western edge is 3 feet 2 inches above ground, its thinner portion varying from 20 to 24 inches. This Stone, like its companion, is of pure white quartz. southe e dik o fulf s fragth o Th les n i 2 o , -har , dby ments of the same species of stone as inevitably to suggest that the absent East Pillar—possibly even other Stonee Circle—wath n i s f o s

: The computed weight of this stone is rather over eleven tons. - For other instances of the use of this material see my reports in Proceedings, volsxxxviid . an 97 . 1 . xxxvp . 23 . p . 4 26 PROCEEDING E SOCIETYTH F O S , MARC , 190414 H .

this conspicuous material. There is an extensive vein of the quartz about halS.We mila th ff thio o .et s site, som seee f whicb o e ny hma in outcrops. A few yards to the north, the very slightest swelling remains to faintly indicate the probable contour of the mound upon which the Stones anciently stood. south-westerla n I y direction ovee dike aboud th r an yard,0 2 t s away from the western edge of the Eecumbent Stone, Mr Milne pointed out a vercirculaw lo y r mound, surrounde externa w a trenclo y d b d han l ridge, measuring from cres creso t t t som feet—extremel5 e4 y lik evera y ancient and, from its smoothness and regularity, an untouched cairn or sepulchral mound, of a variety not as yet classified. Standinge Th . No10 . Stones f CwZs/t.-—Thio s mil1 sit s ei e N.N.W. of New Deer. It has for long been only a site, but the memory of the circl preserves ei e farm—Standinname th th f dn eo i gn o Stones s i t I . record1 that abou e yeath t r 177 e stoneth 0 s were removee th r fo d purpos buildinf eo e parisgth h church manse. In the spring of 1901 the Society received news of the discovery of urns on a piece of ground presumed to be within, or close to, the area once enclosed by the stones. The site was visited by the Hon. J. Abercromby, who contributed2 a full account of the discovery and a description of the objects found, which included a so-called 'incense cup, glasa ' s smala bead d lan , portio bronza f no e blade. . NoStanding11 . Stone t Placea Croft, Auld Maud.—On a littl e knoll, evidently on its surface artificially levelled, almost excluded from the observation of even a keen eye by the surrounding fields and the d scantlinremnanol n a f timberf go o t , there stands e .oddlythion s - shape d lowlan d y monolith (se t althougeBu fig . .a 4) h humbl e specime f Standino n g Stone s archaeologicait , l recor a goo s i dd one. traditioy bacr an fa s ka s nA goes e ston th s stoo, eha d solitary t closbu ; e t wha(a tt oi t precise distanc I ecoul t discoverno d ) there were found, about the year 1846, five or six small urns placed simply in the earth; Buchan, . 186p . Proceedings, vol. xxxv . 258p . . 1 2 STONE CIRCLEE NOKTH-EASTH F O S F SCOTLANDO T . 265

with them some bones were also y informantfound m d see y an b ,n r M , Andrew Henry. All the urns and the bones were replaced. The Auld Maud Standing Stone measures 3 feet 9 inches in height, fee3 widthn i t rathed an , r less tha foon1 thicknessn i t s maiIt . n axis points "W. 63° N. The stone is of red granite. d cottagol e n thi o eth e bac sth f o kcroftt A , roughly som0 13 e e Stoneyardse th nortth f o o ,h,t thers discoverewa e n 1898i d n ,i the course of digging, an urn, covered by a small slab and resting

Fig. 4. Standing Stone at Auld Maud ; View from the North.

upon another e uppeTh .r liftes sla . J Milnebwa d r o awaM wh , y b y then proceeded to remove the stiff soil from round the urn; but althoug e greateshth t s carexercisedwa e e potterextremelo th s , s ywa y brittle that it crumbled to fragments in his hands. It was half filled with burn testimate e bonesth d an , d dimensions were, height 13 inches, diameter of the rim 9 inches, and of the base about 6 inches. The discovery of the urns at the Standing Stone is recorded on the O.M. No. 12. Upper Benwalls, Old Deer.—Two miles and a quarter due east fro lase mth t ther shows O.Me i th a ston e sit n f th n.o o e e circle. 266 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, MARCH 14, 1904.

Concernin e had b informatioo n o ; t t gi ther w nothins no ei e s ni th n go s onli ground t i y possibld an , o assert e t thae demolitioth t e th f o n stones took place between sixtd seventan y y years ago. There ar e several sites of cairns on the same hill. The name is locally pronounced Bennies. . Aikey13 . No Brae, d Deer.Ol —Situated exactl mil1 y e N.Ef o . the last, on an isolated eminence of Parkhouse Hill, rather over 300 feet above sea-level, stand the goodly remains of this famous Circle, familiar as a household word throughout the Buchan, and the rendezvous of many an exploring or picnicking party. At the northern foot of e brae Midsummeth th e r Fai s stili r l held. No s thii r s Circl- un e e e antiquarynoticeannalth th f e n o lati sd Th e . Rev, James Peter, in an excellent but brief article,1 has described and illustrated Aikey Brae, along with severa l e morotheth f eo rconspicuou s Circles in Old Deer and adjacent localities. The members of the Buchan' Field Club, keenly alive to the need of discussing certain features of these Circles, have paid more than one visit to them, and put on record2 both description d plans an sd thi an s; Circl n particulai e r s beeha n well photographe Deer. d ParkJ Ol r f .M o , y db e Circl Th n Aikeo e y s presenBraeit n i , t state, consist f fivo s e erect Stones (inclusiv e Recumbenth f o e t Stone d fivan )e prostrate blocks, all of considerable magnitude and weight. The erect monoliths are carefully set upon a bank of small stones and earth, which displays e somewhath t novel featur f beino e g very sharply define n boto d h e inned th outean r r side y manb s y good-sized slab-like stonet se s upon edge. (See the ground-plan, fig. 5.) This bank measures from 5 to 6 feet in width, and from about 2 feet 4 inches to 2 feet 9 inches n verticai l height abov e encloseth e d area, whic s pretti h y leved an l quite overgrown with grass. Belo e merwth e surface-soil, however, the interior is evidently made up, in parts at any rate, of a mass of small boulders—an arrangement frequently observed in other circles.

1 Proceedings, vol. xix. p. 377. 2 Trans. Buzhan Fieldvolume th f 1887r o Club,e9 fo 2 .. p STONE CIRCLES OF THE NORTH-EAST OF SCOTLAND. 267

It is difficult to be sure whether some disturbance may not have taken place e positio th ;n irregula a f e e plan)no th th f rn o ,o hol T ( e two small loose blocks near it, and of the large flat stone (S) lying o fro6e s Recumben th mfeer o t t Stone, certainly suggest tentative excavation. Some mutilation s alsbeeha on done r Stonfo , F liee s in at least two large measurable fragments.

Fig. 5. Aikey Brae ; Plan. The distances between the Stones, taken as usual from centre to centre, follows a e ar s :— Stone A to Stone B, 16 feet » B „ ,, C, 15 „ C „, »E „ 31 „ j> E „ ,, F, 24 „ » F-^ ?? n vjG) 7 ,,4 inches „G „Eas t Pillar. , 19 „ S „ 268 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, MARCH 14, 1904.

East Pillar to West Pillar, ... 22 feet West „ „ Stone A, . . . . 19 ,, yieldin gcircumferenca closf eo e upo feet0 n16 . The dimensions of the stones are— Ston fee6 , teA 7A- inches outside heigh) t . _ ., r • granit{• e „ „ 5 „ 1(10 „ inside „ .' „ B, 5 ,, 10 „ both sides „

» ^j ') ^ )) u )J ): „ D, 8 „ 0 „ long, 1 foot 5 inches thick „ 6 „ , , fee 3 „7 t, broadE „ fee2 , t thick „ , brokenF ,, foo1 , inche9 t s thick ,, fee8 inche, 7 t G s, , long (thicknes t ascertainablesno ) • East Pillar 7 fee, t high, granite, pointed; West Pillar, fallen, over 9 feet long f whinstoneo , e smallesTh . t piec ee wes th closf o n t o e e Stonth e appear o havt s e been broke f thiof n , s the so pillarn f I . e Ston y havth ma ee stood nearl 9 feey t abov e groundth e . e RecumbenTh t Stone n irregularla , y oblong bloc f o primitivk e trap, terminates in an abruptly vertical face next the East Pillar, t overhangbu gooa y dsb spac ee Wes closth o tet s Pillarremarki t I . - ably uneven all over its upper surface. In extreme dimensions, it 4 fee1 t s i 5J inche n lengthi s 5 fee , 5 inchet n breadti se th t a h middls 4 heightfee it 4 inche d f t o ean , s acrose th e top th t s A . east end it is 3 feet lOJf inches above ground, at the middle of its lengt 4 feeh inches3 t , risin5 fee o tt g neae westh r t end, whert i e dips again 'o 3t , fee 6 inchest s weighIt .s beeha tn computeo t d be about 21 \ tons. Its median line runs (mag.) N.W. and S.E. In the accompanying sectional views (fig. 6) I have endeavoured o shot e truwth e relations betwee e heighte Stoneth nth d f o an ss e leveth f theo l , area within,—the lowest section, M N, showing also the relative height and size of the slabs set up on each edge of the bank. Tw oalse viewar o ) appended8 sd (figsan 7 . . STONE CIRCLES OF THE NORTH-EAST OF SCOTLAND. 269

H*-

M+-

Fig. 6. Aikey Brae ; Sections.

Fig. 7. Aikey Brae ; View from the North.

Fig . Aike8 . y Bra e; Vie w from outsid S.En eo . 270 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, MARCH 14, 1904.

In a recent publication: there occurs the following paragraph :— "The present editor was present during a long summer day, some years ago, along wite latth he Col. Forbes Lesli f Rothienormano e , Charles Elphinstone Dalrymple, Esq., James Russel, Esq f Adeno . , . F Russel . G ,. J younge f Adeno r d Thosan , . Ferguson, Esqf .o Kinmundy, when the circle at Parkhouse was thoroughly and carefully examine r tracefo d f sepultureo s e centraTh . l spacs wa e excavate8 fee r t o a dept withou 6 o t df ho a tract f evidenco e e that the soil had ever before been disturbed. Numerous small cairns, which looked like sepulchral monuments, and which surrounded the circle, were also thoroughly examined, and the day closed without any trace of graves." Now observe a piec, f grouno e d containing considerably ove0 90 r square feet was "excavated to a depth of 6 or 8 feet," and "numerous cairns" har y werb d e also "thoroughly examined"—all this during one long summer day ! Had the men who plied pick and shovel spent a week over this excavation, and reported no " trace of graves" or other form of interment e negativth , e result might have been accepted.t i s A 2 stands, the account cannot, in reason, be taken to mean that every square foot of the soil enclosed by the Stones was dug into, even to the depth of a few inches; and unless every square foot is laid bare, the excavation cannot be held to be thoroughly exhaustive and scien- tifically complete. It does not by any means follow that, because centrae "th l space," whateve dimensions it r s were, yielde traceo n d f o s sepulture, some other portion of the enclosed area, e.g. close to the Recumbent Stone, or to the base of any of the other monoliths, might not have contained some such deposit. No. 14. Louden Wood, Pit/our.—This Circle is shown on the O.M. as having five Stones, and with no individuality in the plan of the Recum- 1 The Great North of Scotland Railway Guide, p. 105, by W. Ferguson, Esq. of Kinmundy . 1881ed , . Even then the absence of relics at the date of excavation does not prove that 3 interments were not ages ago made, and possibly removed subsequently. STONE CIRCLES OF THE NORTH-EAST OF SCOTLAND. 271 bent Stone. In reality, there are still seven Stones, three of which are fallen. The site is an extremely difficult one to find, and we received scarcely any help towards its discovery in the dense woodlands from e anyonpoliciesth 1 01 e .

f_jj T T" Fig . Loude9 . n Woo d; Plan . Louden1 Wood Circle is of almost precisely the same character as that on Aikey Brae wore , th destructiof ko n having coursef ,o , obliterate minutes dit r features a perenniall d an , y abundant growt f blaeberrieo h s aiding this effect by softening and rounding off all angles and sharpness of contour. The Stones are set upon a bank (see ground-plan, fig. 9), the circum- 1 Locally pronounced Lowden how.n i oio e s a th , 272 PBOCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, MAE OH 14, 1904.

ferenc 8 f whicfeeto e s 17 estimateit ;s h i d height abov interioe eth s i r about 2 feet 6 inches. The spaces from centre to centre between the Stones are- Stone B to Stone A, . . . . 21 feet 2 inches 0 9 „1 „ . „A . „Wes t . Pillar • . , , . 6 4 „1 Wes t . Pilla Easo t r. t Pillar . , East „ „ Ston, , . e 6 5 ..G. 1 ,. , . Stone G to „ F, . . . . 17 „ 0 „

. FigLoude10 . n Woo d; Vie w fro S.Ee mth .

heighte Th dimensiond san s are— Stone B, 5 feet 8 inches outside height, 4 feet 6 inches inside ; vera y square bloc f graniteko . Ston (fallen)eA fee7 , inche4 t fee3 inches9 y t sb . West Pillar, 6 feet 5 inches; granite, pointed. East „ (fallen), 8 feet by 3 feet 6 inches; granite. Stone G, „ 7 feet 6 inches by 3 feet; ,, feet5 , F ; ,,hig h pointed, granite. The Recumbent Stone almost touches the West Pillar, but is 12 inches apart from the East. p slopeto s s It down toward e interior s th veri s d y an rugge, d an d uneven n extremI . e lengt t i hmeasure 0 fee 1 inchess3 t breadtn i , h near the middle 4 feet, and 2 feet 10 inches at the east end. It is of an average height of 4 feet. Its weight is about 12 tons ; and its inner fac towards i e E.KE.—e sth a slightly unusual position. viee Th wfros i e S.E. (fig) mth 10 . STONE CIRCLES OF THE NOETH-EAST OF SCOTLAND. 273

. Auchmaehar.—15 . No Before passin o describt n o ge remain th e f so the Circle here, notice should be made of a remarkable mound of stones situated in a wood about a furlong to the west, at a height of 410 feet above sea-level. This is called Knapperty Hillock. Its dimensions are, length 216 feet, breadtll of its flat summit 12 feet, with a downward slope on each side of about 15 feet, and a mean height of 7 feet. This whole mound seem composee b o st f stonesdo — smallish boulder e liketh d . san Som f theseo exposee ear t eitheda r extremity. Through information sup-

Fig. 11. Auchmaehar ; Plan. plied by Mr John Milne, I am able to record that, up to 1850 or there- abouts, there stoo a dcair f thit o eithea n s d greaen r t oblong mound. These were both removed for the building of dikes, and though several urns and quantities of bones were discovered, none of them were preserved. The Circle at Backhill of Auchmaehar stood complete in its ring of nine great Stones up to the year 1850, at which date some of the tallest, over 11 feet high, were removed, to be used 'in repairing e pooe millth Th r .e see remnanb ny lefw illustratema tno t e th n i d ground-plan (fig. 11) and the view (fig. 12). It consists of what once 8 1 VOL. XXXVIII. 4 27 PROCEEDING E SOCIETYTH F O S , MARC , 190414 H .

wa massivsa e Recumbent Ston f doleriteeo , shattere somy db e lado swh had lighted a Midsummer Day fire on its broad surface; of the still erect East Pillar, the fallen West Pillar, upon which partly rests another great Stone, and one tall Stone of the original Circle yet in situ (A on plan)e th . Several smaller block aboue sli t thes grean ei t disorder. The diameter of the circle was under 50 feet; The site is a field on the Backhill of Auchmachar, about 400 feet above sea-level, and a furlong from the steadings, on a fairly level space where two dikes meet. Where so much recorded damage has occurred, it is hardly profitable to discuss present features; otherwise, I should direct attention to the position of the East Pillar—the only one now erect—which projects so

. FigAuchmacha12 . ; rVie w from N.E.

considerably beyon e outedth re Eecumben edgth f eo t Stone. Possibly lattee originalls th wa r y very much broader e heighTh f .thi o t s Pillar, o fe dykgraniteth ef 8 fee o abut4 inchess i tp , d to whers an ,e th e agains feegirte 2 1 th inches 7 t s ht i i t . The height of the recumbent stone is 3 feet 6 inches; to give its other dimensions would be superfluous. The one monolith, A, still left, to the 1ST.W., stands nearly 7 feet 2 inches above ground, and is a vertical well set-up block of granite, squarish on two sides. (See the illustration, fig. 12, in which these Stones are drawn from measurements.) distance th n outlin a n I s ei f Knappert o e y Hillock, wit s cairnsit h s a , they probably looke timesn di " past. In the Museum, at Peterhead, there is a fragment of the upper part of an urn, labelled as <: found in 1840 beside the Stone STONE CIRCLEE NOETH-EASTH F O S F SCOTLANDO T 5 27 .

Circl t eBackhila f Auchmaehar.f Bronzo o l e t typf no Ag eo e s i t I " pottery, however. Probably the actual spot of its discovery was not noted, at the time with sufficient accuracy. . WhiteWood.—w 16 . Co No This site, whic s i almosh s widela t y known as that on Aikey Brae, lies very nearly on the highest part of a very greatly-rising eminence 2 miles due south of the station at Strichen mil1 d e e Auchmachaan ,nort th f o h r Circleheighe th t f a ,o t 466 feet above sea-level. From descriptions and drawings already published,1 an unusual interest and curiosity were aroused regarding this remarkable setting of stones ; nor were these whion et lessened when n approachino , e sitee th gw , foun configuratioe dth shows sketchee a th e b n ni o t nd 16) s (figs.an . 5 1 Having in mind the severely rigid setting of outer and inner slabs connected with the bank in the Circle at Aikey Brae, it was perhaps a quite natural conclusion to form, that in this Circle at White Cow Wood a repetitio d wha e f thio n s arrangement n furtheO . r examination, however, no evidence was forthcoming that in this partial and low bank there had ever been an outer setting of such slabs on edge. And the surmise then flashed upon me, that probably these earth-fast slabs constituted truly the rim-stones of a cairn, and were never the limits ohana f k upon which there once stoo e greath d t monolith a tru f eo s Circle. In this guess, as I afterwards found, I proved correct. As such an arrangement as this is, however, possibly unique among our recorded plan f cairnsso surels i t i , y advisabl givo placea t t ei e here. In the ground-plan (fig. 13), all the earth-fast Stones are shown in their exact relation to each other and to the interesting remains of the sepulchral chamber enclosed within them. They wer l measureal e n i d a series of offsets from five chords drawn across the arcs of the circle. e diameteTh f thio r s nearly perfectly circular settin f Stonego s i s 46 fee inche8 t s measured from centr centro et oppositf eo e Stones, forty- on whicf a gape S.Wo s th i stile . h,ar situ.n n witi lO h a good-size d

By the Rev. J. Peter, in Proceedings, vol. xix. p. 373, and in papers in Trans.

Buchan1 Field Club (1887). 7

Fig. Whit 13 Woo. w eCo d Cairn Circl e; Plan .

._____»^, c*1

Fig. 14. White Cow Wood Cairn Circle ; Sections. Fig. 15. White Cow Wood Cairn Circle ; View from the S.W.

Fig. 16. White Cow Wood Cairn Circle ; View of remains of Sepulchral Chamber. 278 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, MARCH 14, 1904.

squarish Stone lying near it; on the W. another gap, which might be . therE e spacs ei th threr d Ne fo Stone o .an th e fillen otherstw o y sb d; ; and on the S. E. and S. there lie five great Stones, which, if placed side y sideb , woul e lontheredp th gga tilp u l. Thus fifty-tw r fifty-threo o e Stones complete this environing portion of the structure. All the largest . arcS e . th an n do highest se e ar t Within the area, and somewhat 2f. of its centre, are three Stones standing erect (see view, fig. 15) d betweean , n the mlarga e nearly flat e ground-planth n bloco F k( d sections,an fig, 13 . , E fig e .th 14) n o ; of these a large block, and on the W. two others lie. These seven are all that now remain of the sepulchral chamber once constructed here, and apparently containing the only interment within the cairn. Of the three upright Stones, that on the N.E. of the flat slab is 2 feet 6 inches above fee2 inche3 e t groundothear e o th s d tw rsectionae high an ,Th . l view on lingoinE eA g S.W N.Ed an . . show respective sth e depth heightd san s of the structure. The sloping bank outside the low Stones at B is really due to the falling down of many of the smaller stones of which the cairn was composed, and not an integral portion of it. There is no such running 'ove f smalo r. arcS l ,e stonewherth e foun o sth e r much larger and higher blocks have properly served the purpose of a retaining wall. Mr Milne remembers this sit caira e s abouf wheno wa fee0 t 1 tn i i t vertica e e S.Elth th height y n .b d o accounte widan p th , ga r e fo s remova e fivth e f Stoneo l admio st theres a t o carts , s which carried away the enclosed boulders. No. 17. Auchcorthie.—This site is not shown on the maps. For it indebtem a Milner I M o whosdn t i , e grandfather's tim Circle th s e ewa well known e summit stooI th .rathe a n do f o t r high fiel a quarted f o r a mil e farm-houseth e e f StoneNo th . d san ,wer l removeal ee th y db tenant, Hardie, about 1840. TherEecumbena s ewa t Stone, hollon wo site tope abous ei Th th fee0 . 33 t abov sea.e levee th eth 1f o l o 1 There stands, to the S.W. of the farm, a fairly massive stone, which we at first assumed to be the remnant of this circle. Two sides showed rather fresh fractures ; tenanane dth t " rather though somp u beed t t etha ha nse fiftee t i t n years ago." STONE CIRCLEE NORTH-EASTH F O S F SCOTLANDO T 9 27 .

In this name, Aiichcorthie, we have yet another instance of its mean- associatiod inan g n with standing stones s previousla , y notice othen di r reports. No. 18. Stricken House.—This is given on the O.M. as a Circle of Stones standing among the beautifully-wooded policies of this estate. As describe Revy b d . J Peter,. t consistei 1 f severao d l Stones, -with Eecumbene th norte th t hn Ston o anothearcy t B ese . r writer late th ,e Mr J. Spenoe, of Peterhead, this statement and observation are endorsed.2 Afterwards, another member of the Buchan Field Club 3 throws doubt upon the present position of the Stones, and refers to a rumour of their lonhavino ag g g been removed e orderd thenth an ,f y someono sb , n i e authority, replaced, and misplaced in so doing. On examining the site, it became quite clear to me that this rumour had its origin in fact; for not only is the Recumbent Stone group on the Stonee nortth l placee hal s ar arc t dbu , several feet withi vere nth y com- pact and continuous earthen bank at this spot—two features utterly at variance with any of the arrangements hitherto observed in our surveys. positioe th able b n stat i o e t o followine nt w eth no m a ge I factth n o s authorit r MilnM f e: o thay t durin e somewhath g t early year f laso s t century his grandfather worked on the estate of Strichen; that about e yeath r 1830—during Lord Lovat's proprietorship—the Stone f thiso s circle wer l removedeal t thatbu , , befor y furthean e r destruction took place, his Lordship ordered them to be replaced; and, according to old Mr Milne's recollection, they were nol replacedal t thosd an ,e that were, thein i t r no origina p weru t ese l positions. onle Th y mean whicy sb e facthth s regardin e originagth l positionf so e obtainereferencb a f o y w estatn b e Stonea p no th s i do n t ma e e ca s date prio 1830-20o t r .thi n i sFod directioai r nI wrot Junn i e e 1903 factore th r Sleigh Februarf o o M t , t 1s , whoe y th 1904y ,b , was ablo t e reply to the effect that on neither of two estate plans, of dates 1796 and 1847, was there any trace of this Circle shown.

1 Proceedings, vol. xix . 372.p . 2 Trans. Buchan . Club F 1887r fo . 3 Ibid. 280 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, MARCH 14, 1904.

At the same date, 1st February 1904, I also received from the Eov. . J f Lonmao t y personal assurance thar manfo t y yearsd iha t been the current local tradition that these Stones had been removed, and were subsequently wrongly placed. t presentA , therefore s obviousli t i , y unnecessar shoo yt e wplaa th f no Circle at Strichen House. . Gaval.19 . No —The Circle here "stoo a hig n ho d sunny eminence looking eastward ove e width r e open country toward e e seath sTh . Eecumbent Stone was of enormous dimensions, and the destroyers

Fig. Remain18 . f Circlso t Gavalea .

shattere t dwiti h gunpowder." Thus writes Eev . ChalmerA . 1902.n si 1 The map record is merely a site, at a height of about 320 feet above sea- level. Only one Stone now remains in situ (fig. 18), a fine, vertically set block of dolerite, girthing at the base 9 feet 6 inches, at the top 5 feet 1 inch, and clear above the ground 4 feet 10 inches. The N. edge is rounded, the others rather sharp, but all fairly vertical and smooth. As its broadest base-line lies due ]ST. and S., I conjecture that the area of this Circle extended to the east of this Stone. Mr Milne remembers the Eecumbent Stone and three others 'in situ up to about the year 1872, when they were destroye tenante th y db s ; destroyed, moreover servo t y t ean no , 1 Trans. Bachan F. Cliib, vol. vii. STONE CIRCLEE NORTH-EASTH F O S F SCOTLANDO T 1 28 .

useful purpose whatever t splibu , t into easily movable fragmentsd an , deposite n angla t ea d betwee e mai th ne loaning nth road an d, where we counted over sixty pieces. No. 20. The Gray Stane of Cortiecram.—There is no record of this s situatei t i e mapso th t n dbu ,. jusE mile3 f t o . sS slightle th o t y e roath df froo betwee laste . mth E quarte a , e milna th f Milo eo rt f o l Hythie and Mains of Kininmonth, and about a furlong to the S.W. of Cortiecram farm-house. I have again to thank Mr Milne for this addition to my list for the past season. This Gray Stone is a huge pillar-like mass of whinstone, but fallen half prostrate toward south.e sth 1 Aroun middls dit t measureei s about 18 feet. Its present greatest height is 6 feet 8 inches, and its greatest length over 11 feet. By old residents it was always claimed as the last remaining Stone of a Circle. No. 21. Auchnagorth.—In connection with the remains here, I ex- perience r onc dfo n thii e s distric verw ho yt misleadin e recorgth n o d e O.Mth e 6-incoccasionalln th . ca n hO sheet . ybe a ver, y smald an l conventionally dotte e ground-pladth rind an g f onlstone o n d yon eha most naturally led me to expect a mere site marked by a monolith. surprisey m greaw s Ho wa t, therefore, when accostinn o , Jessimanr gM , the tenant of Upper Auchnagorth, on the afternoon of my visit to this remot t onca es espot wa informe I , stonen d te thae s th twer l "al e still yonder" ! Hurrying up to the site, which is on a long level plateau, surrounde n threo d e side deey b s p natural trough-like hollowe th n i s extensive peat-mosses e trulw , yn Stones, te foun e th d seve f themo n , a lon howeverr gfo timw eno , prostrate. Whe l wernal e erect, though none is conspicuously tall, this Circle must have been a very outstanding object for a great distance on all sides, since there are few knolls in the

1 Its position is accounted for in local tradition by its having fallen upon and crushed to death an old-time farmer who was digging below it in search of a bull's hide ful same goldf o l Th e. legen otheo tw s toldi rf do monolith Abenleenshiren si , one at Kildrunraiy and one at Binghill. 282 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, MAECH 14, 1904.

immediate vicinity overtopping the height of the plateau, which is 497 feet above sea-level.1 What other greater enclosing hills there may he. farther away it was quite impossible to tell, for the mist lay heavy over the entire landscape, frequently, indeed, so thickly enshrouding us as to render the path invisible at the distance of a few yards. e StandinTh g Stone f t Auchnagorto s no numbern i o d n d te an e , ar h 0

\

CV

. AuchnagortFig19 . h; Plan .

include a Eecumbent Stone, or, from their relative positions, suggest the former existenc suchf eo . They appea havo rt e bee t (segrounde nse th e - plan , ) e directlgroundfige leveth 19 th . f r whao n l fo o y, t looks like a bank around 'the bases of the two stones on the west is really the modern turf-dike for carrying the posts of a farm fence. Of these ten Stones, however, only three are now erect — A, B, and C ; three

1 Between the Hill of Torlundie, 651 feet, near on the east, and this Circle at Auchnagorth, there is a long strip of ground at the 500-feet contour, which e stranggoeth y sb e nam Cairny-whingf eo . STONE CIRCLEE NORTH-EASTH F O S F SCOTLANDO T . 283

others lie close to the circumference, and four smaller blocks lie con- siderabl s discoverable a e Stonesr a th fa y l f o o withiAl s , e . ar ,it n species of " rotten porphyry," rough, blueish in some parts, reddish in others, and coarsely veined with white quartz—evidently an easily disintegrated stone l thesAl e. feature mose ar s t eviden e Stonn i tth , eC most massive of the group (see fig. 20). It is prism-shaped, and across its westward face measures fully 5 feet. It is 4 feet 6 inches in height, and girths at the base 17 feet 5 inches. The Stone on the S.W. arc (A on the plan) is 5 feet 6 inches in height and 4 feet 4 inches broad;

Fig. 20. Auclmagorth ; View from the South.

and the third Stone, B, is 5 feet 9 inches above the level of the field outside ooves fencee i nth th t fee3 rI f inchee6 o .t breadthn si . true Th e diamete e circlfee4 th 4 inches 6 tf s ei o r . In view of so much displacement, we can scarcely hazard a guess at exace th t positions occupie e seveth y ndb fallen Stones; yet, takine gth 3 feespac1 tf eo whic h separatee th e centres th a s B f Stoneo sd an sA probable average interval, e finw , d ther s jusi e t room enoug thesr hfo e seven fallen Stones. Further, it is to be noticed that the two longest prostrate th l oal f X".Ee e th block .d e N pointse an closth .li s d o t e an , the shorter ones to the south, an arrangement corroborating that observe n othedi r circle f similao s r type, viz., that whe e Circlnth s eha no Recumbent Stone e tallesth , t stones norte standth hn n i o s arct bu , 284 PROCEEDING E SOCIETYTH F O S , MARC , 190414 H . those examples having a Eecumbent Stone, the tallest Stones are in- variabl southe th n y.o There are two smallish stones near C; they are flush with the ground, and their thickness, therefore, is unascertainable, but from their position they sugges probabilite th t f theio y re th bein f o ge parton f o s

as Ft

Fig. 21. Netherton of Logie 111 Crimoud ; Plan. formerly e erecdifficultth f to f Stones claimine geo d yw ri t , .so g f I the unusually small stone (near A on plan) as really one of the group. No. 22. Netherton of Logie in . — This, the one specimen of a complete (fig. 21) to he noticed in this report, can best be reached from Lonmay station, from which it is distant in a S.W. STONE CIECLEE NORTH-EASTH F O S F SCOTLANDO T 5 28 .

directio quartermilea o d ntw san . s Iwithii t t na foua se r e mileth f so Middleto f Rattrayo n a bar d e an ,hundre d feet above sea-levele Th . site is a wooded roundel in a field close to the north of J^etliertori farm-house, and between it and the main road, connecting Lonmay with Crimond. The fact of its being on Lord Carnegie's estate of Crimon- mogate probably explains the fine state of preservation of this Circle, whic e goohth dalss fortun ha o e unde e presenb th e caro t f th ero e t tenants, Mr and Mrs Keith, who have spent over forty years oil the land whod an , , like other a simila n si r position, welcome surveyinr dou g party with true old-fashioned hospitality. Unlike in many respects to the Auchnagorth Circle, so many miles distane westth n , o tthi s Netherton Circle bear a resemblancs thao et t in having its Stones set apparently on the natural level of the ground, without any surrounding bank of earth. I make this statement with some diffidence, because, although the interior displays no signs either of having been ploughed or roughly explored by digging anywhere, it is, of course, possible that such operations were conducte a dat o t s a de remote that natur y thib e laio r ssoftenins he dtims ha e g hand upon man's interference as to obliterate all signs of it (see view from the north, fig. 23). spacee Th s betwee stonee follows a nth e sar s :— Ston originao t eA fee1 2 inche6 tl sit f Ston eo s. e B. 8 4 „2 „ . . . „. B „Ston eC ' „ C „' „ D . . . . 18 „ 2 ., 9 6 „1 „ . . . . „D „E „ 6 0 „2 „ . . . „E „ „. F 0 7 „1 „ . . E „. ., „ . G- „G Eas„ t Pillar ... 0 6 „1 „ . East Pillar to West . . . . 14 ,, 9 „ 6 „ , , 9 2 . . . . Stono t Wes , e, A t

from whic e havw ha ecircumferenc f o almos e 0 feetTh 17 t. diameter, as measured between Stones A and E, is exactly 57 feet. 286 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, MARCH 14, 1904.

heighte Th characteristicd san e stoneth f so s are— Ston fee5 inches, 5 t eA , vertical, broad granited re ; . ,, B, 4 ,, 0 ,, much out of plumb ; red granite. 0 „, , 4 sharp-edged , C „ , ,, „ D, 3 „ 7 ,, bulky, flat; grey granite. ,, E, 4 ., 5 ,, pointed; whinstone. ,, F, 3 ,, 10 ,, sharp-edged; red granite (one stone). ,, G, 3 ,, 6 ,, pointed; whinstone. East Pillar, 6 feet, flat-topped ; red granite. , , pointed 6 Wes , , , t „ The Recumbent Stone, of grey granite, measures in full length 9 feet inches9 heighn i , fee4 t inchess 2 perfectlti d an , y rounded throughout its contour, not having an angular or level space on it. In girth it measures transversely 11 feet, from the level of its base on both sides. Its weight may be put at 8 tons and a quarter. Even in this Circle some shifting of the Stones must at some long- past period have taken place ; it is obvious that Stone B is considerably out of its proper position, and that F and G are too near each other. In addition, we must observe the three massive and apparently earth- fast blocks at J and the four at K. The positions occupied by the first grou f threo p e certainly suggest their bein ga portioe origina th f o n l structure. They should be compared with the similarly-placed blocks Circlee th n t i Hattosa Craigw f Ardoyneno Ne ,t a Daviot.' d 1an 2 They averag feee 5 lengt foon 1 i t inche8 d t han thicknessn si relative th d ean , position J grou e th p f so sugges e boundary-stoneth t bana f eartf so ko h fine sucothen w di s ha r Circles belongin Buchae th elsewhereo d gt nan . With regarfeature th o dt e noticed when describin e Auchnagortth g h Circle, presence 3th smalles e th f shortesed o an t t Stone t d pointsa an . sN e Recumbenth jST.E f o . t Ston s weli e l accentuate n thidi s Netherton Circle. I append two profile views (fig. 22), the upper one on line L M

1 Proceedings, vol. xxxv. pp. 242, 244. 2 Ibid., vol. xxxvi. p. 523. 3 Vide supra, p. 284. Fig. 22. Netherton of Logie in Crimond ; Sections.

Fig. 23. Netherton of Logie in Crimoud ; View from the North. 288 PKOCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, MARCH 14, 1904.

from south to north, the lower from north to south on the same line; e vieth wn i fro e nortd mth an h (fig. e 23)Stoneth , e showar s n disen- cumbered of the trees planted about them. No. 23. Herrybrae, Lonmay.—This Circle is due west of the last- mentioned exactl miley1 d froan ,m Lonmay station y Lumbsb , , about a mile .and three-quarter e S.Eroundew th A lo .o t s a f treeo d l an s dike mar e kdik th ofspote s quiti et fth bu e; unproteutive againse th t inroad f cattleo s e ,tree th e manfallear sf o yn acros e centrath s l enclosed area onld an ,e Stoney th fivremain. w f o es no 1 These comprise a Eecumbent Stone and two very massive Stones still in situ, and two prostrat brokend interioe ean Th . r spac s leveli e seemingld an , y undis- turbed, and lies fully 2 feet 3 inches below the surrounding bank on which the stones are set, the bank being quite complete throughout, and fairly measurable at any point. One characteristic of this Circle appeals forcibly to the eye as one walks round it on the outside of the bank ; this is, that the ground within the Circle bank is on a higher level than the natural surface on its exterior. In other words, the vertical height e bankth of , though onl 7 inche2 y s measure e interiorth o t s di , 45 inches measured on the outside. e EecumbenTh t Stone a roughl, y prism-shape d lonan dg masf o s whinstone, trends in the direction of W. 40° N. (mag.). It is 10 feet 10 inches in extreme length, a large portion of it being sharply gable- shaped, and otherwise full of irregularities. Both its outer and inner sides are nearly vertical, and its basal width is 3 feet 8 inches. In height above the ground at its base it stands 4 feet 4 inches. Its eastern extremit narroweste th s yi , measuring there onl feey2 inches2 t , but at the west fully 3 feet. At each end it falls short of touching the pillars by several inches. Its weight is over 9 tons. The East Pillar lies broken in two (see ground-plan, fig. 24). This, onle t leasta th ys i ,reasonabl e purposgreao tw t e o assigefragt th o -t n d granitmentre f o se thae embeddear t ds propeit nea o t r r e siteTh . West Pillar is a grand monolith, being an oblong block of red granite, Buchan,n I 1 this circl mentiones ei d aa vers" y perfect circle, near Lumbs." STONE CIRCLEE NOETH-EASTH F O S F SCOTLANDO T . 289

5 feet broad by 2 feet 6 inches thick, and standing clear of the ground over 7 feet. The first Stone of the Circle (A on the plan) is also a very massive and strikin a rhomboida s gha ono t I . l base which girth fee2 1 sinches2 t , and its outside height is 5 feet 2 inches ; on its inner side, where its base touches the bank, the height is 3 feet 7 inches. The second Stone, B,

^M^iJ.U,,,,

Fig. 24. Berrybrae, Lonmay ; Plan.

is now prostrate. It is a broad mass of, I think, whinstone, measuring 5 feet by 3 feet by 1 foot 6 inches. Close to its upper and inner edge t slabseverad se isan a , l other similaf so r shap d size abouan li e t near alsd oan , neait r betweed Stonan , eA Wese nth thad t an Pillart , sugges- e formetivth f eo r existenc n innea f o er settin f stoneo g s limitine gth bank. The spaces between these three Stones are almost exactly equal— 9 1 ' VOL. XXXVIII. 290 PROCEEDING F THE.SOCIETYO S , MARCH 14, 1904.

thin o feet5 sd 1 proportioan ; e finnw d roo r fivmfo e more Stones, thus completing a circle of ten Stones. The e viediameteth w 5 feetn 4 I fro e KEs . i rmth . (fig. 25)e ,th massive grandeur of the three remaining erect Stones is shown, and causes the greater regret at the loss of the others, which contributed, even so lately as the date of Pratt's description, towards the distinction and completeness of this Circle. The Hill of Mormond is seen in the distance.

Fig. 25. Berrybrae, Lonmay ; View from the N. E.

No. 24. Gortie Brae, Lonmay.—At this place the O.M. records the site oe risine crowCircla f th th f n gneo o ground, hal a milf e e N.Wth f o . statio t LonmaymarkenStonea o w tw e sitno s y ei Th sdf b o .only e on , e ground-planth whicn o A h( ) ,stand fig26 . 2 fees0 inche 1 t s above ground—a rather bulky grey granite boulder. The other is flush with e groundth d measurean , 4 fees inche5 tfeet 3 y .b s Both Stones rest roughla n o y semi-circular mound (indicate e dotteth y db d lin plan)n ei , whic confines h i s aboui a dike d y fee3 b tdan , t high. This possibly is part of the ancient mound upon which the Stones were originally set. More probably, however, all the Stones were lifted and huddled together at this spot, which is now distinguished by a flagstaff. We could deriv informatioo en n from t hereanyonme .e ew STONE CIRCLEE NORTH-EASTH F O S F SCOTLANDO T1 29 .

The longer axis of the still erect Stone A trends nearly N.TL. and S.W. measured an , feet5 s . This site marks the most northerly Stone Circle site now extant in . e GrayTh . Stane25 . f Clochforbie.—o No The Circle once crowning this comparatively lofty and conspicuous height, 420 feet above sea-level, is almost as far to the north as the site last noticed. It is several miles to the west, and in the parish of Kinedart.1 It is quite likely that .the Standing Stone f Auclmagorto s h were visible from Clochforbies a , the two sites are only a couple of miles apart; but, for reasons above given sur e I coul.b f this et o dno .

'—?—"»

. FigRemain26 . Circlf so t Cortiea e Brae.

poina t a site 4 mile ts i e soutTh du sf Gardenstow o h n Gamrii n e roae BayTh d .betwee n Clochforbi Crofte th f d Clochforbiso ean e passes withifee f w thio tfe sn a Gra ys constructioStoneit d an , n must have •caused the demolition of the-Circle; for this one remaining is doubtless, s bhorizontait y l position s bearinit , y compasss b ponderougit d an , s proportions, the Kecumbenfc Stone of the old times. It is a rough, rounded, rather boat-shaped boulder of whiustone (see figs. 27, 28), irregular on all sides, but fairly flat on the top; and though almost 12 fee over-aln i t l length fee 2 inche 0 d 1 t an , s broad neae middleth rs i t i , in contact with the ground for only some 5 feet, thus having a very wels i autho e t lI th pointe f Sucliany o b r t dou thae oldeth t r spelling f thio s s 1 name Kynedor, Kenidor, Keineder, and Kyuedart, etc., prove that it is Gaelic in •origin, and has no connection with any King Edward. 292 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, MARCH 14, 1904.

considerable overhan t eacga h extremity s greatesIt . t heigh 3 fee s i tt t 3 inchesresti d s an ,upo n several small stones s maiIt . n axis lies N.TV. and S.E. (mag.), and its weight is 4 tons and a quarter.

Gree Th y . StonFig27 . Cloohforbif eo o; Plan .

Fig. 28. The Grey Stone of Clochforbie ; View from the North.

Xot the slightest vestige of any other Stones or of a circular area likely to have been that of the Circle is now to be seen, and I came in touc whoshe witon o ehn memory could recal differeny an l t conditions. This site at Clochforbie is distant west from Berry brae 14J miles, nearlr fo d miley8 an s farther west ,e towclos th f Banffo o net , thers i e STONE CIRCLES OF THE NORTH-EAST OF SCOTLAND. 293

no indication on the maps of any circle or cairn extant. In other words districa n i , t comprisin squar6 g15 e miles e liavonlw w , yno e five sites recognisabl sites ea f Stonso e Circles.

Conclusion.—Out of the diversified megalithic remains thus reported , ther e eighon ar e t localities which are d hav,an e bee r longfo n , mere sites; three others, Greenhill, Auld Maud, and Cortiecram, are each marked by a single Stone ; at three other sites, Skelmuir Hill, Cortie Brae, and Auchnagorth, there are remains of Circles; and at the following sites we have either the personal testimony of old residents for the existence of a Circle with Eecumhent Stone, or Recumbent Stones themselves, viz. Auchmaliddiet a , , Aikey Brae, Loudenwood, Auchmachar, Strichen House, Gaval, Netherton in Crimond, Berrybrae, Clochforbie, and Auchcorthie. A period of five years having now elapsed since I received the commission from the Society to undertake the Survey of the Stone Circlee North-Easth f o s f Scotlando t t i seem, appropriatn sa e moment at which to place 011 record a few generalisations deduced from our investigations. e can W r instance,fo answew no , re questionsomth f o e s propounded firs y close m t th f reportet o can a e beforp W , poinma , .wit us ee tth h feweo n o t r thahundree non d fifty-fivan d e site t whica s h there either still remains a Standing Stone or a Circle of Stones, or at any rate the symbo e lOrdnanc useth y db e Surveyor o indicatt s e that such remains did formerly exist at these sites. Taking into account the solitary Recumbent Stone of the Circle once existen t a Millplought , near Bervie t com(whicno ed withidi h e th n scope of this special survey, but which I have seen and illustrated *), n evewca en state with precision that this remarkable megalithic feature, unknow othey s recorda an r e world re n fa th ni par ar sf o s o ,t trustworthy, distinguishes the Circles of Kincardineshire, Aberdeenshire, and Banffshire (so far as yet examined), from Bervie in the south to n Proceedings,I 1 vol. xxxvii . 197p . . 294 PROCEEDING E SOCIETYTH F O S , MARC , 190414 H .

within a half dozen miles of Gamrie Bay in the north, and extends1 right across from the coast at Slains and at the mouth of the Dee to hige th h hilly district AlfordDeveroe n si th ud o pt an , n beyond . And we have ascertained the proportion between the Circles devoid of the Recumbent Stone and those possessing it to be this, that out of one hundred and twelve measurable Circles, sixty-one are proved to have Recumbend ha t Stones, larga 1 e numbe f theso r e being stil sif,u.n i l Regardin e importangth t feature discoverth f o e f sepulchrayo l relics withi e Circlesth n , ther s indisputabli e e evidence tha n ovei t r thirty examples in which competent and thorough excavation was made, interment f variouo s s kinds have been brough o light—t t a number surely sufficiently large to constitute a type, and to set at rest the idle speculations ,o frequentl s eve t nye y indulge fancifuy b n i d l persons, as- to these ancient burial-sites being vaguely associated with a class of men wh n Englanoi d worshippe n grovei d f oakd hel o se primitivan ,th d e communit terron yi somy b r e indescribable necromanc magicd yan . It is only right to add, that there are yet several sites so remote fro r e placesojour me differenth ou th f o sn ni t district f Aberdeenshirso e (som r visits f theou e dato e th f m o e)t a tha t alsknowe no tom o t n they were necessarily passed over. These are described on the O.M. thus:—Remains of Circle at Corshalloch, in Glass; Lulach's Stone, a o suppose; tw site f o s d Circle n Clachcurrhillo s , ;. and in the same parish a Standing Stone at Middle Smnahard, and the remains of a Circle called Tom-na-veerie; the remains of a Circle, one stone; a Standing Stone at Boltinstone in ; and in the same parish, remain Circla f so t Westeea r Braehead t Wolock'S , s Stone, the sites or remains of four other Circles, and the remains of another at Waulkmill (definitely recorded); the remains of a Circle, two stones, on the farm of Standing Stones in Skene, and at Auchinclech; a Standing Stone at South Auchronie in Kinellar; the Warlock Stone on

1 In this numeration, I include only one Recumbent Stone site vmvisited by myself. It was called by the strange name of Gingomgres, and was at Milleath in Placee Se . Names of Stratkbogie, e latth e y Jasb . Macdonald. STONE CIRCLES OF THE NORTH-EAST OF SCOTLAND. 295

Craighas n Kincardinhi e OMSTeill a Standin d an , g Ston n Glenmuicki e , near . These would, if the map-records were all proved correct, e totabrinth lp gu numbe hundree f siteon o r o seventy-fived st dan . A few sites in very out-of-the-way localities in Banffshire, contiguous with Aberdeenshire, have also been unvisited, e.g., n Marnoci n i d an h . But in studying the larger Stone Circles of this extensive north- eastern distric f Scotlando t , wit e yearlhth y increasing opportunitier fo s adding to our knowledge of them, one feature has emerged, which, because of its structural interest and importance, calls for a somewhat detaile carefud dan l notice t I firs. t suggeste de afte itselm ro t fplan - ning the great Circle at Auchquhorthies: on Kincausie Estate, near to and S.W. of , again in the circle at Tom-na-gorn,2 and latterly in others. The measurable Circles, out of the grand total on record, number only seventy-seven. We may divide these into three groups, according to their size : thus, (1) of Circles whose diameter is 60 feet and more there are forty examples; (2) Circles of the second magnitude, with diameters of from 30 feet to 60 feet, are twenty-eight in number; (3) the small Circles number nine examples. It is with the larger Circles that the following inferences have to be made. Taking the ground-plan of the great Circle at Auchquhorthies (fig. 29), Kincausien i starting-points ,a measurind ,an g with compasse ascertaio st n commoe th n centrthree fine th w d f , eeo tha C) Stonecircume th tB A s( - ference thus obtained runs many feet outside of the Recumbent Stone group. That group of three great Stones is on the circumference of a considerably smaller circle, concentric wit e inneth h r stone settinf o g low slabs placed on edge. The same observation appliee circleth o t Garrot ssa l Wood t Essliea , , at , at Dyce, at Tom-na-gorn, at Kirkton of Bourtie, probably

also in two or three other examples in the lower districts not now dis-

2 1 Proceedings, xxxiv. p. 145. Ibid., p. 174. 296 PROCEEDING E SOCIETYTH F O S , MARC , 190414 H .

playing sufficient data for exact measurements ; and certainly at Yonder Bognit Bothiemaa d ean y (surveye n 1902)di . The structural point specially urged may be stated in a different manner ; it means that the stones respectively to the west and to the pillaro tw o noe d s tth — eas e f nin io th nt e examples adduced —: stand

- -O -

Fig . Auchquhorthies29 . , Kincausie.

with their longer axis 'in line' wite pillarsth h t alway bu , s 'in line' wit stoneso htw ,t demolishedwhicno f h(i ) would complet externae eth l circumferenc e circle th d whicf an o e ,presene ar h t ine th . par n i t Auchquhorthies Circle, which therefore gives us a key to the con- structive principle governin circlee firse gth th tf smagnitudeo . Now, if—a e plan th d drawings an s s show—ther severae ear l circles having the Recumbent Stone group definitely connected with the inner STONS CIKCLEE NORTH-EASTH F O S F SCOTLANDO T 7 29 .

stone settin seriea y f glonb o s g slabs havee w , truthn i , , lookine th t ga structure as a whole, a double circle of stones, and we also have an arrangement that answers to the earliest descriptions of Stone Circle witl accuracn a i y much greater tha generalls ni y supposed. For, at a date long previous to the modern era of close agriculture, e wanderinth wha f o te caughey g e antiquarth ta rin f s greao g wa y t pillar-stones, and within it, that one peculiarly placed stone—the Eecumbent Stone—which it pleased our forefathers to call the altar. This great massive Stone, reclining east and west, roughly speaking, r greatefa d n bulki ran , ordinarily e Standinth f ,o thay g an nStones , must necessarily have attracted immediate notice, because e interioth , r Circle oth f e being grass l overyal , scarcely anythin e inneth f gro setting woul e visibleb de EecumbenTh . o pillartw s t it thuSton d san e forme isolaten da d group, well withi e eartheth n n ban whicn ko h stood boundary-stonee th e Circleth f o s. Nor woul untie b t i dl afte a goor d deal of attempted excavation had occurred that the true structural connection betwee e Eecumbenth n e innet th Ston d r an settine s wa g even partially revealed. Therefore, with a great ring of Stones guarding, as it were, the semi-prostrate one within, it is hardly matter for surprise that the earlier observers, content to examine superficially, filled their imaginations with scenes of sacrifice and of so-called Druidical ceremonial. From some of these early notices I shall now proceed to quote. ) Probabl(a firse yth t careful descriptio Stona f no e Circl Scotlann ei d is that penned by Gordon of Stralochl in the following words: "visuntur septa ingentium saxorum n orbei , m disposita; unum, intra orbem, latitudine prae ceteris conspicuum, austro obversum, arae locum praebuisse videtur : saxa haec, difficili vectura, saepe a longinquo petita." The map accompanying the description is dated 1654. This is as terse a description as could be of a great Eecumbent Stone situated, like an altar, well within the area of the orb of the circle. (&n e 169EevI )th 2 . Dr James Garden, Professo f Theologo r t a y Aberdeen, in writing about Stone Circles to John Aubrey in London

New Description of Aberdeen and Banff (Spalding Club), p. 8. 1 8 29 PROCEEDING E SOCIETYTH F O S , MARC , 190414 H .

e largesth saysd mosf o an t :to remarkabl"Tw f theso e e monuments placseee a b t na o e t t calleye thae d ar Auchincorthie t w evesa I r e th n i , shire of Mernis, and five miles distant from Aberdeen, one of which has two circles of stones, whereof the exterior consists of thirteen great stones . . . ." [In my plan of this great circle at Kincausie the number of outestonee th rn si rin s thirteen.i g ] othee "Th r monument," proceeds Dr Garden, " which is full as large, if not larger, than that which I have already described, and distant from it about a bow-shot of ground, consist f threso e circles, havin e same'commogth n center." d Bourtree CirclThiOl th t s i a se e Bush e remainth , f whico s e w h planned in our first survey, but of which neither of the two inner concentric settings remains s i clear t I , . however, thar GardeD t n recognised two varieties of Stone Circle here.1 In the beautifully clear pla nf thi o 2 s same Auchquhorthies Circle mad y Jameb e s Logane th , featur e doublth f o e e circl f stoneeo wels i s l brought out e Kecumben,th t Stone group standing some 25 feet within the outer ring of great Stones. w Ne d an d e instancOl f on severao o e quot(c T t th t ) bu ou n ei l Statistical Accounts, Eeve th . Robert Cook, M.A., ministe f Clatto r n i , 1842 writes of " the distinct remains of a Druiclical temple, of which onle supposeth y d altar-ston e uprigha fewth d f o .an et stones remain. The stone supposed to have formed the sacrificial altar, in the centre [italics f largmine]o s e wa dimensions,, fortho s d ."an (d) Lastly, we cite Rev. James Pratt, who was a keen observer, and did so much towards the recording, by description at least, of the sites Circlese n arousini oth f d an e tenant, gt th som se o et s valu then eo s ma the most ancient memorials of the past left in the Buchan. In the course of some general remarks on the circles in Old Deer3 this author says: " Sometimes inside the circle—sometimes in the circumference of

Garder D alss ni o particula noteo t r , with circlese regarth o t d, " havI e found 1 nothing hitherto, e eithenamth f thesn o ei r e monument traditioe th r so n that goes ahout them, which doth particularly e Druidsrelatth o r t epoino , t them out." (Archccologia, . 341.p . i ) - Ibid., vol. xxii . 202p . . 3 Euchan, . 164pp , 165. STONE CIECLES OF THE NORTH-EAST OF SCOTLAND. 299

circle th e itself—ther conspicuousle on s i e y large stone, lying flat, which is frequently designate altar-stone.e dth " When describing Aikey Brae Circle he uses these remarkable words : "The diamete e spacth f eo r enclose e inneth y r b dcircl s aboui e 0 5 t feet. ' This description implies that the present ring of fallen and standing Stones was once surrounded by another. Whether this was precisely concentric with the Stones as they now remain, or, as at Auchquhorthies e outeth , r circle tended toward a horseshos e contour, does not affect the point I am attempting to elucidate, which is, that

ilargna e numbe e greateth f o rr Circles possessin gRecumbena t Stone, that Stone and its pillars 1 were set a considerable distance within the area definee erecth ty b dmonoliths . Reference should als made ob anotheo et r special feature, about which perplexity frequently arose when conductin r examinatioou g e th n o n spot t whicbu , nows hi I think, , satisfactorily explained. In the report of surveys made in 1901 I made use of a diagram- matic ground-plan of what formerly must have been a remarkably well-

preserved specime Circlf no e with Eecumbent StonHile f Fiddeth o lt ea s in . This plan, draw Jasy b n. Anderso n 1777,i n s heli y 2 db him to be a fair typical example of the Aberdeenshire Circles; and it contains a clear outline of the oblong-oval platform of small stones, projectin feew g fe tinwar a fro e inner mth fo d e Keculnben r th fac f o e t Stone r aboud extendin fo e an sam t ,i e th d easwest th f ean o t o t t g distance. In none of the Circles examined during these surveys does this definite detail of arrangement now exist, with any clearness or con- tinuity of line. But, quite recently, having access to a number of . letterDalrymplE . C s r written M i 1855-5 er JohD y b no nt 6 Stuart, letters whic n i manh y cases were accompanie y sketchb d - t a tha s t e Circlewa th timplan e f h eo ss busily engagen i d excavating I observed, e drawine th Circlth n i f ,eo g examinet a d

1 By the older observers frequently styled " the horns of the altar." 2 Archceologia, vol. v. p. 246. 300 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, MARCH 14, 1904.

Castle Fraser,1 this very platform-like structure, elaborated with an attentio o detait n l tha s valuabli t s evidenca e a matte n i e r whero s e little evidence is obtainable. The drawing is here reproduced2 (fig. 30). Mr Dalrymple says

Fig. 30. Balgorkar, . of this circle :—"The diamete feet6 6 , o t fros beinri 3 m6 g irregulan i r shape. Ther a smal s i e l concentric circle 3 fee 1 n diameter,i t , within Balgorkar, in the report. Proceedings, xxxv. p. 201.

21 In this plan I have utilised my own ground-plans of the stones, and added the other important details from the Dalrymple sketch-plan. STONE CIRCLES OF THE NORTH-EAST OF SCOTLAND. 301

the larger onet onlbu ,y dennee nort th d sout t an hda h side stoney b s s sunk down to the subsoil, and showing themselves only a few inches above ground. They touch each other d shoan ,w generall a yfla t side towards the centre of the circle. " Heaped up against the [Recumbent] Stone and the upright pillars at either side of it was a low tumulus, about 2-i- feet in height, which was found to consist of earth heaped over a rude pavement of small boulders, enclosed and intersected by lines of larger ones placed as shown in the ground-plan. Just above this pavement, and up against the [Keeumbent] Stone, was a deposit of the usual black mould, covered b ysmala l flat stone placed horizontally, simila o thost r e o whics e ar h often found laid abov belod ean w these deposits f whico t hbu , this swa the only decided example found in the circle. Below this rude pave- ment was a considerable quantity of very black mould, evidently largely composed of charcoal, both powdered down and in small pieces, and extending e subsoildowth o t n . " At Stone [IV.] 1 was another low tumulus of earth over a layer of small boulders, and containing beneath the latter no less than eight different deposits of the black mould and charcoal, seven of them having fragment f urno s s mixed with them curiouA . s featur f thio e s tumulus is, that the Stone No. [IV.] lies embedded in it, only showing s surfacit r littlo e e more above ground d havinan , g every appearancf o e having always formed part of it, as from the thickness of the stone its lower side reaches nearly down to the subsoil. "At Stone [VI.] was found a deposit of black mould and charcoal, extending beneath the stone. No. [VII.] stands on a small tumulus, lower than e otherseitheth f o r, . coverin No d alse soi di t th oa l s (a g [VI.] same th ) e rude pavement containind an , g beneat a quantit t hi f yo black moul charcoald dan , extending unden eithe o e ston d rth r an esid e of it.

1 As Mr Dalrymple's method of counting the Stones differs from mine, I have altered the numerals, but of course the position of the Stone is the same in relation to the Circle. 302 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, MAECH 14, 1904.

"The whole area of the circle was found to be paved closely and firmly with small boulder1 stones, lying about 6 inches or less below the surface. These stones were occasionally as large as one man could well lift. " At the south-west side of the circle, where the ground falls away, the deficiency is made up by a sort of rude step of stones, thus raising heighe e circle th th rese makin d f thath o t o tan , f o te are gth a tolerably level. " The small inner circle before mentioned [C in the plan] contained, beneath the pavement, a quantity of black mould, mixed with small fragment f charcoao s d occasionaan l l small piece f incinerateo s d bones. These trace e circumscribinth s s extendea r fa s a d g crescent f smalo s l stones which mar e inneth k r circlt beyonbu e; d the o bonemn s were found, the soil being throughout the outer part of the circle quite differen character—n i t a sandy loam, mixed throughout with small bits of charcoal, not presenting the appearance of black mould, but of yellow dotted with black. " This seeme exteno dt d everywhere subsoile dowth o nt . "At No. [I., several feet within the base of the stone] were found two deposit f blacso k mould, mixed with fragment f urnso s . "The whole urnsth f ,eo se'eme havo t d e been thic massivd an k n i e material o havt d e an bee, n e subsoilburntth t bu ,; being very close, was particularly unfavourable for the preservation of any remains. " The question suggests itself whether, from the thinness of the soil everywhere coverin e rudth g e pavement throughou e circleth e t th , pavement had not been originally bare, but had become covered with soil, formed by the decay of vegetable substance, etc. etc., during the laps f maneo y e areages f thiTh o a . s circl d evidentlha e y never been disturbed by tillage or planting, and the pavement seemed to be everywhere in its original state." Apart from the clear presentation of the platform in this plan and

1 Compare remark centrae th n so l portio e Circlth t f Balquhaia no e Proceed-n i n ings, vol. xxxv. p. 235. STONE CIRCLE F THO SE NORTH-EAS F SCOTLANDO T3 30 .

. DalrympleE . descriptioC r e M accoun th ,y b n s i valuablt e because t i quit s clearla e y , n strangwhatpointi us t o t ,ou s e e portioth f o n megalithic arrangemen e musw t t searc r intermentfo h s before w e ventur pronounco et opinion ea n barree onth n conditio e siteth .f no Durin r investigationgou s there were found n somtraceso d e an site, s rather more than traces f thio , s platfor e followinth t ma g localities :— Auchquhorthies (Kincausie), Tyrebagger (Dyce), Tomnagorn, Whitehill (), Cothiemuir Wood, Old , Auchquhorthies (Fetter- near, ), Balquhain, Hatto f Ardoyneao Loanhead an , Daviotn di . These example sufficientle sar y numerou o provst e thae platforth t n mi e Recumbenth fron f o t t n integraStona s i ee originalth par f o tl structur n thiei s typ f Circleeo fairl y d thima an ;ys e conbeinw , - so g clude also that the great low-set slabs which spring out of the ends of the platform and then expand into the circumference of the inner settin e e pard originaparceth gar an tf o l l design s exemplifiea , n i d severae Circleth f o ls just mentioned. Concernin othee gon r special detail, conspicuoue th f o w n onli sfe ya sites examined, the presence, I mean, of two large blocks of stone projecting inwards fro Eecumbene mth t Stone nearl t righya t anglese w ,

hav t discovereeno facty dan s helpful toward e apprehensiosth f theio n r purpose. 1 These projecting blocks occu t Auchquhorthiea r Fettern i s - near, at Tyrebagger or Dyce, where they have been moved out of place, at Cothiemuir Wood (partially), at New Craig partially, at Ardlair in Kemiethmont t Arnhilla d an , , Bothiemay, where the} 'e flus seeb ho mt wit grounde hth . Mains of Mundurno, Old Machar.—This site, which is marked on the inc5 2 h scale O.Mgroua y b f thre. po e t examineStonesno s wa , d during any of our regular surveying months, partly because, being so near Aberdeen, we invariably postponed a visit, partly also because stress of weather prevente occasionw reachinn fe i s e du th se sit n gthath o e n a t wero houtw e r Granite speno r th n i t e City.

1 Observer theoriso wh s e upon scanty data suggest thae Recumbenth t t Stone rested on these blocks. 304 PROCEEDING E SOCIETYTH F O S , MARCH 14, 1904.

5 •s

Relic s Found . 3 3 Insufficientl y examined ;

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However, being requested by the council of the Buchan Field Club reao t Stone dpapea th n eo r Circles t t FebruarPeterheaa ,1s e th yn do o arranges 1904 I journe,y m do admit s f goinya o tt beyonou g e th d Bridge of Don to see the remains at Mundurno. . The site has long been known as that of a Circle, but 110 further detail visity sm werf ,o througey availablda e hth inquirien eo s madn i e e ston extanw e localitya on finno th ee s e i t Th vertica. l pillaf o r quartz-veined whinstone, 7 feet in height, set on a perfectly level piece of groun a quarted a mil f o e rMain th wes f f Mundurnoo o st a t a , 0 feeheigh20 t f abovo t e seath e . This field woula cleay n da o rd command an extensive prospect; and though there is higher ground in close proximity, it is not high enough or near enough to overshadow the spot. The Stone girths at the base 10 feet 5 inches, and its longer axis trends N.W. (mag.).