Archaeology Notes

Event ID 669824

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/669824

NJ72SE 34 7578 2041 and 759 204.

Stone Circles (NR) (site of)

A. (NJ 7578 2041) Stone Celt found (NAT)

B. (NJ 7593 2044)

C. (NJ 7596 2046)

OS 6" map, Aberdeenshire, 2nd ed., (1928)

These circles were trenched by Wm Bisset of Ardtannes:

'A'. This circle revealed a grooved stone of considerable size. Close to it was found an axe of soft stone, measuring about 8" long and 3 1/2" broad at the widest part. Analysis proved it to be covered with blood. 'When this circle was trenched it was seen that a ditch had been cut almost directly through the centre to the depth of three feet and completely filled with ashes.'

'B'. Although the largest, this circle revealed nothing but a quantity of black earth.

'C'. This circle contained a very large stone 'probably the Alter Stone', supported on two smaller stones and lying E-W.

Name Book 1866; Information from Wm Bisset, Ardtannes to OS.

There are no extant remains of these stone circles. Enquiries at Ardtannes revealed that many large stones have been uncovered and removed from this area.

Visited by OS (NKB) 9 March 1964.

Nothing is visible of the 'stone circles' that are alleged to have stood in what is now cultivated ground to the N and NW of Ardtannes Cottages; a possible stone axe was found in one of the 'circles' before 1866, but its present whereabouts is not known.

Visited by RCAHMS (JRS, IF), 7 March 1996.

Classification amended from stone circle to recumbent stone circle.

Information from RCAHMS (ATW) 20 January 2009