Burghead

NJ16NW 7 1096 6896.

(NJ 1096 6896) Stone Balls found AD 1861 (NAT)

OS 25" map, (1905)

Some stone balls, now in the harbour office, were found AD 1861 a short distance from the railway station.

Name Book 1870.

Eight or nine artificially rounded stones, each weighing exactly 7 lb., and having one flat face, were found piled like cannon balls in 1862 near the old gateway of the fort (NJ16NW 1) (H W Young 1899). Subsequently three similarly-shaped stones, each weighing 21 lb, were found, Mr Young submitting a photograph of one of them, dated May 1873, to the Society of Antiquaries.

Mr Young, in his notes to the Society said that four of the smaller balls were in existence, two in Keith Museum, and one at Burghead; but writing for the Northern Association he said that of all the balls found three were preserved, two in his possession and one in Elgin Museum. Mr Young believed these balls to be ballista-shot, and associated them with a supposed ballista-platform within the fort.

H W Young 1899; Information from Ms notes and photographs by H W Young, NMAS No. 489.

No stone balls of the weights given by Young are to be found in the museum at the harbourmaster's office, Burghead, but there is one small ball of about 2-3 lbs in weight which bears a label to the effect that it was found at Burghead at the harbour. (No acc. number).

Visited by OS (W D J) 16 September 1963.

The stone ball said by H W Young to be in Elgin Museum could not be identified there. Several stone balls are exhibited; some of them carved ornamentally and some plain. Most of them are described as 'locality unknown'.

Visited by OS (R D L) 1 October 1963.