Whitefield, 'yarrow Stone'

The moor known as Annan Street was first brought into cultivation in 1803-4, and the stone was turned up by the plough; it was lying flat just under the surface with human bones below. At that time there were also some twenty "large cairns" on the moor.

Just over 1.5m high as now set, it bears an important six line Latin inscription, fairly roughly carved and in parts badly weathered. The letters are mainly Roman capitals, irregular and sprawling; the words are badly set out and carelessly written! Certain letters, however, provide parallels with stones elsewhere, notably in Wales and Cornwall, and help date it to the early 6th century. A brief translation would run:

''This (is) the everlasting memorial.

In (this) place (lie) the most famous princes

Nudus and Dumnogenus,

In this tomb lie the two sons of Liberalis".

The stone was erected, therefore, to mark the grave of two Christian British chieftains; but burial was not in a churchyard as such, rather in a small cemetery, probably the family or tribal graveyard, alongside a trackway.

The record of bones beneath the stone and of cairns on the moor cannot be dissociated with other discoveries, made in 1857, some 730 m north-east at the Warriors' Rest (NT 354277). There, about 9m south of a standing stone, eight stone-lined cists or graves were found lying east-west Such groups of aligned graves without gravegoods are characteristic of Christian, not pagan burials, and have also been found at the Cat Stane close to Edinburgh Airport (presently inaccessible).

The inscription on the late 5th-6th century Cat Stane suggests that "In this tomb lies Vetta, daughter of Victricius"-presumably a woman of considerable political and social importance amongst the Votadinim, British tribe whose roots and language were closely related to those who emerged subsequently as the Welsh. Much preoccupied with warring, good living and genealogy, their Christianity may have been little more than a veneer-but Christian they were nonetheless, and from the discoveries of their graves, they were fairly liberally scattered across the attractive Lothian plain.

Information from 'Exploring Scotland's Heritage: Lothian and Borders', (1985).

A geophysical survey was conducted in the field around the Yarrow Stone and the adjacent field to the east in September 2014 by Archaeological Services Durham University. The works comprised geomagnetic survey of approximately 7ha. No features of probable archaeological significance were identified, however, it is possible that some of the anomalies could reflect the remains of ditches or pits. No features have been identified close to the Yarrow Stone, other than drainage ditches for the existing track. The stone may not have been re-erected exactly where it was originally discovered. A probable igneous dyke, and more subtle geological variation, has also been detected.

Information from OASIS ID: archaeol3-194457 (D Hale) 2014

A geophysical survey was conducted around the Glebe Stone and to the west of Warrior’s Rest, Yarrow, near Selkirk, in the Scottish Borders in August, 2015. The works comprised geomagnetic survey of approximately 8.5ha. The works were commissioned by Dr David Petts of Durham University on behalf of Mr Jack McCrory and conducted by Archaeological Services Durham University. Although few features of probable archaeological significance have been detected there are a number of possible ditches and pits. For example, part of a possible rectilinear enclosure ditch has been identified south-east of the Glebe Stone, though the surveys have detected no evidence for any features closer to the stone. Occasional small circular anomalies have been detected across the site (for example in Areas 3 and 9), which could possibly reflect the remains of ring-ditches; these could possibly be associated with former cairns. It is likely that any cairns have been destroyed by the removal of stone, almost certainly to the field walls, and that little or no geophysical trace of them survives in the subsoil. Former ploughing of these fields will also have impacted upon any nearsurface features. Features relating to modern and recent agricultural practices have been identified, including former ploughing, land drains, former dykes and animal feeders. Probable geological and geomorphological variation has been detected across the survey area.

Visibility: Standing structure or monument.

Information from Scottish Borders Council

Date Fieldwork Started: 02/09/2020

Compiled by: ELF

Location Notes: The stone is as described in previous Canmore records. It was photographed and 3D modelled by the Edinburgh, Lothians and Fife Team for the Scotland's Rock Art Project. The Canmore record also gives an alternative name for the Yarrow Stone as the Warrior's Rest. The Warrior's Rest is a separate stone (Canmore 53054) in the same area.