Archaeology Notes

Event ID 668292

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/668292

NJ64SW 6 6109 4285.

The remains of a recumbent stone circle lie within the edge of a wood near the NE boundary of the farm of Hillhead of Frendraught. (Crofts of Hillhead centred NJ 613 421 on 1st edition 6" OS map, Aberdeenshire, 1871.)

It has been about 85' in diameter but most of its dozen or so stones have been removed leaving only four complete and fragments of others lying on the W arc. One of the fragments has boreholes, relics of an attempt at further destruction in the mid-19th century.

The broken recumbent stone, on the S arc, measures 5' long (a portion 1'7" long having been broken off) by 6'3" high and 3'6" broad. The E pillar, now fallen, is 7'4" long, 2'8" broad, and 2' thick. The W pillar is 6'6" high, 3'7" broad, and 2'3" thick. The fragments on the W arc appear to represent three stones, and a fourth stands erect 85' N of the recumbent stone. Nothing is known of any excavations or finds.

J Ritchie 1917.

The remains of a recumbent stone circle at NJ 6109 4285, formerly known as "The Covenanters Preaching Stones" (information from Mrs Alexander Hawkhall, Frendraught) and mainly as describe by Ritchie (1917). The only stone in situ is the recumbent stone. The circle is now heavily overgrown and a detailed examination was impossible. Rubble in the centre, however, suggests that part of the central cairn may survive under the vegetation.

Surveyed at 1:2500.

Visited by OS (ISS) 9 January 1973.

A recumbent stone circle showing both early and late features.

H A W Burl 1973.