Darvel, Dagon Stone

NS53NE 12 5633 3746.

(NS 5633 3746) Dagon Stone (NAT)

OS 25" map (1970)

The "Dagon Stone" is a standing stone of local olivine, 5 1/4ft high. Mann notes twelve carvings (? cup marks) on the stone, and adds that it had been removed more than once, but in 1922 it was only a few feet from its original position. McLeod (1950) states that it stood at the junction of Ranoldcoup Road with East Main Street (NS 5636 3747) and was moved when the former street was widened.

Glasgow Herald, 14 October 1922; Antiq J 1923

NS 5633 3746. This stone has been re-erected in Hastings Square. It is an irregularly shaped stone, 1.6m high, 1.9m in circumference at the base and tapers to 1.4m circumference at the top. A large stone ball is now attached to the top of the stone by a short iron bar, but nothing could be found out about the ball.

Visited by OS (WDJ) 13 February 1962

Moved from its original position at the junction of Ranoldcoup Road and East Main Street (NS 5636 3747: unnamed object shown at this point on OS 1st edn 25", 1857) the Dagon Stone was placed in the grounds of Brown's Institute (NS 563 372) in 1894. From here it was moved to the green at Burn Road in 1938 (NS 5610 3749: recorded by OS in 1956, and in 1961-2 moved again to its present position in Hastings Square.

Former suggestions that the stone has ancient carvings are erroneous; there are just weathering marks. The roundish boulder on top of the stone has been associated with it from at least 1821, when a local blacksmith fixed it with an iron bar stamped with this date.

J Woodburn 1967

The Dagon Stone (name verified) is as described; it is much weathered and has no artificial marks or carvings. Its size and shape suggest that it may be a prehistoric standing stone. Local enquiries were made, without success, as to any tradition of it having a provenance prior to its first recorded position in East Main Street. However, there is a strong folklore tradition that before its 19th century history newly-wed couples had to walk around the stone for good luck.

The small boulder fixed on top of the stone is unmarked, little worn, and would appear to have no archaeological significance. Its long association would seem proved by the fact that two previous iron-bar stumps protrude from the top of the Dagon Stone.

Visited by OSD (JRL) 13 August 1982