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Publication Account

Date 1986

Event ID 1017470

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Publication Account

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1017470

Eleven out of a probable original twelve boulder stones, five of which are earthfast, make up this large 'flattened' circle. It is some 88m in maximum diameter, but, spread over two low-lying enclosed fields close to the road, its position disguises the noteworthy fact that this is the largest stone circle on the Scottish mainland and the fifth largest in Britain. What has been the largest stone, 3.2m long, lies wholly exposed in the south-western sector; the highest of the upright stones, about 1.9m high, is set on a north-easterly alignment from it.

This 'ceremonial' circle is regarded as a northern outlier of the Cumbrian group, among which Long Meg and her Daughters (NY 571373) stands supreme.

In 1837 it was reported that at Holm, about a mile to the east of the 'Apostles', there had been 'another Oruidical temple' consisting of ' nine large stones', which had unfortunately been 'broken and applied to the purposes of building'.

Information from ‘Exploring Scotland’s Heritage: Dumfries and Galloway’, (1986).

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