Crichton Mains

Date Fieldwork Started: 17/11/2019

Compiled by: ELF

Location Notes: The stone has been erected in a private garden within the last 20 years, and is currently being used as a garden feature. The landowners report that it was originally recovered from a site 20m to the SE during the development/construction of the original/new build farm steading. The stone was originally lying flat (engraved side down) and was being used as a step in an existing building, indicating that it already been moved from its original setting. Indeed, given that the stone has what appears to be a drill hole for a gate fixing into its current southern edge, it seems likely that it has been utilised in at least three different contexts (gate post, step and garden ornament) in historical times, and there is no known information as to its original location.

Panel Notes: This now upright sandstone slab measures 1.4 x 1m and is around 0.3m thick. The stone is fixed in a concrete base below the soil and apparently extends a further 0.25m below the surface. It is current aligned facing E-W. It has a large modern aperture cut through the centre of the stone to produce a sculptural garden feature 20 years ago. This is rough cut as the stone was apparently very hard to bore. It seems likely that this has destroyed some of the prehistoric engravings. What is now the E side of slab has no man-made features except for the recently cut aperture and drill hole, whilst the S edge has a modern drill hole predating those on the E side, probably for a gate fixing. There are no features on the N edge. The W face features all the prehistoric motifs, and has multiple cupmarks (+30) some of which may be natural, and 3 dumbells. The cupmarks may also continue below the earth line.