Archaeology Notes

Event ID 677788

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/677788

NN74NW 3 745 469.

('A': NN 7451 4695) Standing Stones (NR) (3 groups of three shown)

('B': NN 7453 4697)

('C': NN 7454 4692)

OS 6" map (1901)

'A': Three remaining stones of a four-poster (information from H A W Burl letter, 24 November 1970) - smooth-sided, rounded and waterworn boulders 12' - 13' in girth but only 3'10" - 4'4" in height.

'B': Similar to 'A'. There was a trace of bone in the disturbed centre. 'C': Probably the remains of a recumbent stone circle, the three remaining stones being the recumbent stone 3'2" high, and its two flankers, 4' - 5' high.

Exploratory excavation by D Simpson in 1970 uncovered a stone hole 10' to the W, filled with small stones such as might come from a central cairn.

The occurrence of a double 4-poster such as that formed by 'A' and 'B' is apparently unique.

The stones are apparently of blue whinstone but obviously contain metal as compasses will not give a true reading in the area.

F R Coles 1908; H A W Burl 1972

Three groups of stones (A -C) of which A and B are probably 4-posters. Group A comprises three standing stones as described and planned, the SW block being marginally the tallest. There is no trace of a cairn. Group B comprises four stones, of which the N and E are standing (0.8m and 1.0m high respectively), and the S block (the largest) is lying prone; a small block lying between the S and E stones is probably later clearance. There is no trace of a cairn.

The three standing stones of group C do not resemble a recumbent stone circle typified by the Aberdeenshire examples. They are in line (as planned by Coles), and therefore cannot be said to form part of a circle.

Surveyed at 1:10000.

Visited by OS (NKB) 2 October 1975

Before excavation in 1970, sites A and B seemed to be 4-posters from each of which one stone had been removed. Digging revealed that in reality they were sub-rectangular settings of eight stones with the largest stones at the corners. Flecks of charcoal and cremated bone were recovered. Both sides had had five stones deliberately overthrown and deeply buried, presumably in the 19th century, from the presence of a Victorian beer bottle under one stone. Whether the smaller stones had been added to two juxtaposed four posters is uncertain but paired eight stone circles are fairly common in central Scotland, and these settings may be the results of a mixing of traditions. C may be a ruined and idiosyncratic recumbent stone circle.

H A W Burl 1976

No change to previous field report.

Surveyed at 1:2500.

Visited by OS (MJF) 30 November 1978.

Scheduled as Fortingall Church, two stone circles and one stone row.

Information from Historic Scotland, scheduling document dated 14 February 2002.