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Windy Edge
Cairn (Neolithic)(Possible), Standing Stone(S) (Prehistoric)
Site Name Windy Edge
Classification Cairn (Neolithic)(Possible), Standing Stone(S) (Prehistoric)
Alternative Name(s) Tinnisburn Forest; Whisgills
Canmore ID 67908
Site Number NY48SW 7
NGR NY 4304 8389
NGR Description NY 4304 8389 and NY 43052 83863
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/67908
- Council Dumfries And Galloway
- Parish Canonbie
- Former Region Dumfries And Galloway
- Former District Annandale And Eskdale
- Former County Dumfries-shire
NY48SW 7 4304 8389 and 4305 8386
(NY4303 8386) Standing Stone (NR)
OS 6" map (1957)
A standing stone, now leaning to the N, is situated 90 ft E of the E cairn described on NY48SW 1; about 130 ft to the SSE there is another similar stone. These belonged to a stone circle with a diameter of about 135 ft, six stones of which remained at the end of the 18th century.
A S Henshall 1972, visited 1956; RCAHMS 1920; OSA 1795
'A': NY 4304 8389. The leaning stone to the E of is 1.4m long, 1.1m wide and 0.3m thick. It is weathered and stands in a forestry clearing.
'B': NY 4305 8386. The second standing stone, which also leans N, is situated in dense forestry. It is 1.7m long, 1.2m wide, 0.6m thick and is heavily weathered.
Dense afforestation obscured any other possible trace of the stone circle at the time of investigation.
Surveyed at 1:10000.
Visited by OS (MJF) 1 August 1979.
Listed as 'standing stones, stone circle.'
RCAHMS 1997.
Scheduled (with NY48SW 1) as 'Whisgills, long cairn and standing stones 2230m W of...'
Information from Historic Scotland, scheduling document dated 23 January 2008.
Field Visit (4 June 1920)
Standing Stones, Windy Edge.
Some 90 feet to the east of the long cairns [NY48SW 1] is a large flat stone lying over at an angle of about 30 degrees and 4 feet 2 inches out of the ground on its southern face, which is 3 feet 6 inches wide at most, with a few smaller stones scattered on a slight grassy rise 30 feet in diameter. Another similar lumpish stone lies 130 feet to the south-south-east of the first in a water holding hole which is partly filled in with smaller stones. It lies over to the north at an angle of 45 degrees, and its longer face is 7 feet 9 inches above ground, while it measures 4 feet 2 inches across and averages about half this in thickness. The writer of the Statistical Account, 1795 (vol. xvi. p. 85), speaks of one stone near the south end of the large cairns "standing perpendicular . . . 7 feet above the moss," and states that he found "five other stones, nearly of an equal size with the former, all inclining to, or lying on the ground, forming a circle, the diameter of which is 45 yards." This is just about the distance between the two stones already described. The writer treats the group as being in Roxburghshire.
The stones in all cases are of hard sandstone, and, as the moor is entirely boggy with tussock grass and has no scattered stones upon it, these must have been brought from some distance. For the same reason the cairns have been subjected to much spoliation probably on behalf of a dry-stone dyke less than a mile away.
RCAHMS 1920, visited 4 June 1920.
Field Visit (February 1981)
Windy Edge (DMF 4) NY 42 83, 43 83 NY48SW 7
(2) NY 430 839. Some 17m ESE of (1) and on the same alignment, there is an irregular mound of stones 23m long by 4.4m broad and 1.1m high. It may be an extension of (1), or a second long cairn with the upright stones at the ESE end forming part of a chamber.
(5)NY 430 838. This standing stone is 29m E of (2) and is situated on the edge of a mound 6m in diameter. It leans to the N, but formerly measured about 1.3m in height.
(6)NY 430 838. This standing stone is situated 39m SSE of
(5); it leans to the NNE and measures 1.8m in slant height.
RCAHMS 1981, visited February 1981
(Stat Acct, xvi, 1795, 85; RCAHMS 1920, pp. 28-30, No. 47; Henshall 1963-72, ii, 420-2)
Field Visit (16 March 1993)
NY 4304 8389 to NY 4305 8386 NY48SW 7
The more southerly of the two standing stones on Windy Edge is as previously described, but the northern stone has fallen so that its top is now flush with the ground. A recently-cut drain has revealed a possible cairn of small boulders (measuring 6m in diameter and 0.3m in height) immediately S of the fallen stone.
Visited by RCAHMS (ARW, JRS), 16 March 1993.
Listed as standing stones.
RCAHMS 1997.
Sbc Note
Visibility: This is an upstanding earthwork or monument.
Information from Scottish Borders Council
