NT578741 Friday 23/8/02
Heading west along the road from Traprain Law a Scottish Rights of Way Society sign appears at the roadside- ‘Public Footpath to Standing Stone’. It’s along this path I head- it’s absolutely soaking and before long it feels as if my boots are full of water. I walk along by the hedgerows ever conscious of the bulk of Traprain Law to my left. Over the fields I can just make out the top of Loths stone peeking over a hedge. I come to the field and jump the gate then head along the edge of the field of golden wheat to the memorial to King Loth. The stone is about 2.5 m tall with sides aligned NNE/SSW (remembering that this stone has been moved). The edges of the stone are amazingly sharp- almost as fresh as the day this monolith was shaped.
This is the supposed burial site of the legendary King Loth who gave his name to the Lothians. A shepherd had previously fallen in love with Loths Daughter and Loth was so enraged by this that he ordered his daughter killed by being thrown from the top of Traprain Law. The shepherd took revenge by killing him with a single arrow through his heart. In 1861 Professor Sir James Young Simpson (he of Simpsons Memorial hospital and anaesthetic fame) made a discovery of a stone cist 40 foot east of the original site of this stone (was moved last century 160 foot north to the edge of the field).
Another site which remains out-of-bounds due to FMD. There are no notices on the path to this stone, but I checked with local farms and they would rather it was off limits just now as they have sheep grazing here.
An entry from Ancient Stones, an online database that covers most of the standing stones, stone circles and other stones found in South East Scotland. Each entry includes details, directions, photograph, folklore, parking and field notes on each location.
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