Druidstone

NJ62SW 6 centred 614 222

(NJ 614 222) Site of Druidical Village (NR)

OS 6" map, Aberdeenshire, 1st ed., (1870)

Site of Cairns (NR)

OS 6" map, (1959)

The identifiable sites of seven cairns. 'The remains of a Druidical city, surrounded with a ditch, one of the circles is nearly 171' (52.3m) in circumference, having an alley of about 50' (15.2m), communicating with another circle, on the south-east of the same dimension. From these two springs a walk about 57' (17.4m) in length, leading to the grand temple (NJ62SW 4)..... About 60' (18.3m) from this is another circle, nearly 180' (54.9m) in circumference, having more upright stones' (Laing 1828).

A Laing 1828.

Some of these circles were from 40' to 50' (12.2 to 15.2m) in diameter and others somewhat less. The causeway was about 12' (3.7m) wide. The stones, rough and quadrangular, were 4' or 5' (1.2 to 1.5m) high and about 9' (2.7m) apart. Some of the circles were composed of from 15 to 18 stones.

A Low 1868.

No trace. In a cultivated field and nothing seen by the farmer whilst ploughing over the years.

Visited by OS (ISS) 7 August 1973.

Nothing is now visible of what was probably a group of seven hut-circles that lay immediately NW of the abandoned farmsteading of Druidstone (NJ62SW 109). They are depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map and annotated 'Site of Druidical Village' (Aberdeenshire, 1870, sheet liii), but the area has since been cultivated. Five of the

circles were disposed in a line along the 245m OD contour.

Laing's description of the site in 1828, in particular his measurements, must be considered with caution, but more credence can probably be placed on Low's account of 1868, which suggests that most of the seven 'circles' he described measured about 15m in diameter or less.

Visited by RCAHMS (JRS), 6 November 1996.