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Pitscandlie

Standing Stones

Folklore

Towards the east end of the camp is a place called Pitscandlie, Mr Pennant conjectures concerning this name, that it is equivalent to Picts Cairn. But this seems merely fanciful. Near the house, indeed, which bears this name, there is a very large cairn. Part of it has been removed, to give place to a corn-yard. Two very large rude stones, without any sculpture, are still standing, which point out the limits of the cairn,—one at the north, the other at the south end of it. The largest of these stones is 10 feet above ground, and 18 feet in circumference.

About a furlong west from this cairn is another on the side of the high-way, which is also very large. The great body of Picts slain in battle were most probably buried in these cairns. A little to the south of Restennet, about a mile distant from the Picts' cairns, in a muir which has been lately planted, are to be seen a number of smaller cairns, and one of an uncommon size. Here, we apprehend, the Scots slain in this battle were interred. The loss of Alpin was very great, said to be one-third of his army, which may account for the number of little cairns, besides the great one.
This really is an extremely elaborate and imaginative explanation. So for the Reverend to mock Mr Pennant for being fanciful seems rather unfair.

From the Rev Dr Jamieson's "An Account of some Remains of Antiquity in Forfarshire." p14-30 in Archaeologica Scotica: transactions of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
Volume 2 (1822)
http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/ARCHway/toc.cfm?rcn=2917&vol=2
Rhiannon Posted by Rhiannon
3rd November 2006ce
Edited 3rd November 2006ce

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