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Miscellaneous Posts by BigSweetie

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Millhills (Stone Circle)

Aerial photos taken in 1995 showed a series of cropmarks. Four marks in a square setting 6m across were identified as a possible four-poster, situated between the cropmarks of a palisaded settlement and a possible enclosed settlement.

Belhie (Standing Stone / Menhir)

The OS Name Book recorded in 1860 that this stone was supposed to be all that remained of a "Druidical Temple" although it didn't cite any references. The site is also marked on the 1867 OS map as "supposed remains of Druidical Temple" (see link below).

However, aerial photos taken in 1987 showed that the stone is surrounded by a probable henge showing up as faint cropmarks. There is a ditch of width 1 to 2.5m and diameter of around 21 to 22m, and the stone stands in the S sector of this enclosure, just inside the line of the ditch which seems to be interrupted.

Belhie (Enclosure)

Aerial photos in 1987 showed what appeared to be a segmented ring-ditch close to the henge at Belhie, measuring around 8 to 9m in diamater and surrounded by a ditch 1 to 1.5m in width.

Excavation in 1988 by Professor Ian Ralston of Edinburgh University revealed this to be "an enclosed cremation cemetery with severely damaged external pits, one of which produced urn sherds".

Belhie (Enclosure)

Aerial photos taken in 1987 revealed a ring-ditch 179m WNW of the Belhie henge. The ring-ditch had a diameter of around 10m, surrounded by a ditch between 1 & 2m wide.

The ring-ditch was examined as part of Professor Ian Ralston's excavations in 1988.

Belhie (Enclosure)

Aerial photos taken in 1987 revealed a penannular ring ditch around 8m in diameter surrounded by a ditch approximately 2m wide. The ditch has what may be an entrance at the NNW, suggesting this to be another "mini-henge" like the one nearby, also at Belhie, but without excavation it's not possible to say if this "entrance" is contemporary with the ditch.


The site was scheduled in 2000 by Historic Scotland as Haugh of Aberuthven, standing stone, enclosure and ring-ditch.

Belhie (Henge)

Aerial photos in 1987 showed a penannular enclosure around 5m in diameter within a ditch varying between 1 & 2m in width. To the ESE was an entrance around 2m wide. Several linear pits and two segments of possible pit circles were identified close by.

These photos led to an excavation in 1988 under Professor Ian Ralston of Edinburgh University, who described the site as a "mini-henge". Outside the henge, pottery fragments were found buried in a pit.

The RCAHMS scheduled the site as a Class I henge, and it was plotted on a distribution map of henge monuments, ring-cairns, pit-circles and recumbent stone circles covering central and eastern Scotland.

Belhie (Round Barrow(s))

According to the OS Name Book of 1860, several cists were removed from this barrow in 1859 during its levelling. A low mound of 44m diameter could still be seen in 1967, and in 1987 the site showed up on aerial photos as "a large circular dark mark, surrounded by a swirl of parched plants".

Dane's Stone (Standing Stone / Menhir)

Moulin Market used to be held in this field.

Dunfallandy (Stone Circle)

Directions - from the centre of Pitlochry, head south as if you were going to the A9. After driving under the railway bridge, take the next right (I think sign-posted for the sewage works and caravan site) crossing the Tummel over the Aldour Bridge. At the junction, turn left and shortly afer you will come to the small collection of houses that is Ballinluig. Just before going under the A9, there's a muddy farm track going down to the fields on the left. Park carefully at the top of this, taking care not to block the farmer's access, then walk down th track to the gate. If you look down the fence line from here you'll clearly see the tree-topped cairn close to the edge of the field.

Craigiedun (Stone Circle)

Directions - from the centre of Pitlochry, head up the West Moulin Road to the Moulin Inn. Turn left behind it onto the road which takes you past the Dane's Stone and up the hill. Don't turn left for the farm, keep on going on the road/track you're on now. Soon after the track comes up to Lower Drumchorry farm - turn right on the track here up the hill to Upper Drumchorry. The path looks as if it just leads up to the cottage, but it does actually continue past the cottage to the left. Keep following the path (which now runs along the wall of the golf course) until you see a metal gate in the wall, then just after this there is a wooden gate/opening in the wall onto the golf course. Go through here, turn right and follow the wall up to the end of the golf course. The stones are dotted around in the trees at the end of the golf course (ie on the golf course side of the wall, not into the thicker forest that has the ruined houses in it).

Clach Ghlas (Natural Rock Feature)

Directions - head N out of Pitlochry, past the Faskally caravan park on your left, until you see a sign for Loch Tummel & Queen's View to your left, over the Garry Bridge. Go over the bridge, and follow the road past Loch Tummel and Dunalastair Water to Kinloch Rannoch. Follow the road through Kinloch Rannoch as it curves round to the right at the head of the loch, and after about half a mile you'll see the huge timeshare complex to your right. Go past this, and park at the "patrons only" car park a wee bit further on on the left, which I'm sure it would be ok to use for a flying visit! If not, you can always park in Kinloch Rannoch and walk out, it's not far.

Walk west (the direction you were heading in) from the car park for maybe 100m, passing the marina and an outdoor centre hut on your left. Just beyond here, the timeshare buildings come to an end on your right, and there's a dry-stane wall heading up the hill. Looking up beside the wall you'll see a small wooden "kissing gate" - climb up and through this (watching out for the thorns!) and you'll find the stone up a few metres to the right, covered in thick moss.

Clach a' Mharsainte (Standing Stone / Menhir)

Directions - head N out of Pitlochry, past the Faskally caravan park on your left, until you see a sign for Loch Tummel & Queen's View to your left, over the Garry Bridge. Go over the bridge, and follow the road past Loch Tummel and Dunalastair Water to Kinloch Rannoch. Follow the road through Kinloch Rannoch as it curves round to the right at the head of the loch, and after about half a mile you'll see the huge timeshare complex to your right, with the stone just in front of it, opposite the gym and swimming pool. There's a "patrons only" car park a wee bit further on on the left, which I'm sure it would be ok to use for a flying visit! If not, you can always park in Kinloch Rannoch and walk out, it's not far.

Fingal's Stone (Standing Stone / Menhir)

From The Scots Magazine, October 1985:

"Killin is said to derive its name from Cil-Fhinn, meaning Fionn's burial place, but the stone marking the grave of the great warrior-king of Gaelic legend, much visited in Victorian times, is now virtually ignored. It stands in a small field close to Breadalbane Park, surrounded by boggy ground and rushes. . . . The late Duncan Fraser, who did so much to record local history, wrote that 'a head' was added to the stone last century."

Mill of Cumna (Standing Stone / Menhir)

This site is marked on the 1867 OS map as "site of Standing Stone" (see link below). I haven't seen it listed anywhere, so have given it the name Mill of Cumna after the building closest to it on the map.

Staredam (Standing Stones)

For other Perthshire standing stones with early Christian crosses carved on them, see also Ballinreigh and St Adamnan's Cross.

St Adamnan's Cross (Standing Stone / Menhir)

For other Perthshire standing stones with early Christian crosses carved on them, see also Ballinreigh and Staredam.

Ballinreigh (Standing Stone / Menhir)

This standing stone has an early Christian cross carved into it, similar to the Staredam stone and St Adamnan's Cross.

Clach Ghlas (Natural Rock Feature)

This stone is marked on the OS map of 1867.

Clach a' Mharsainte (Standing Stone / Menhir)

This stone now stands in front of a timeshare complex built by Barratt Leisure. The stone has been turned into a feature, and a plaque has been fixed to it describing the origin of it's name. The plaque says:

Clach-a-Mharslin
(The Pedlar's Stone)

Although throughout the Highlands there were many such resting used by pedlars to unburden themselves of their pack - normally carried on the back and supported by a strap around the forehead - this stone azquired notoriety when a pedlar's pack slipped off the stone whilst he was adjusting the forehead strap which went round his neck and strangled him.

Re-erected 26th Febraury 1981
Multi-Ownership & Hotels Limited

Hully Hill Monument (Artificial Mound)

In the October 1984 edition of the Scots Magazine, Mary McDonald, a former resident of Langstane cottage, writes of the Huly Hill outlier by Lochend:

"During the 1914-18 War, my family moved from Edinburgh to Lochend. Our new home on the right-hand side of the road at the approach to the rail bridge is still there, notwithstanding the axed railway and the changed road structure. It was named "Langstane" after the Standing Stone in the field opposite".

The article is accompanied by a photo showing the stone standing proudly in a field of grass, surrounded by a wire fence.
Previous 20 | Showing 21-40 of 92 miscellaneous posts. Most recent first | Next 20
Hi!

I'm a freelance eyewear designer in Edinburgh, exiled from my beloved Perthshire. I also run a website which includes a section on Scotland's many standing stones, stone circles and other old things:

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