Think of Machrie Moor as a collection of prehistoric monuments rather than a stone circle, and you will be closer to the mark. The remains of up to 10 Bronze Age circles, hut circles, standing stones, and cairns are clustered in close groupings around the moor, to form one of most important sites of its kind in all of Britain. The stones were erected over a long period of time, and cannot be considered as a single, cohesive monumen.
Machrie,
Arran,
Ayrshire and Arran,
Strathclyde,
Scotland
A finely carved 15th century cross standing beside the ancient 'street of the dead' near Iona Abbey. The cross stands at the place where the path crosses a path leading from St Ronan’s Port, the current boat landing. The carving style is traditional of the 'Iona school' of carvers who were active here during the 15th century. Other carved grave slabs from the Iona school are stored in a small building beside the abbey.
Iona,
Iona,
Isle of Mull,
Strathclyde,
Scotland
The finest megalithic tomb in the British Isles, consisting of a large Neolithic mound, 26ft high, 115ft in diameter, encircled by a ditch, covering a stone-built 39 ft passage leading to large burial chamber with 2 cells. The tomb contains the richest collection of Viking runes in the UK.
Finstown,
Mainland,
Orkney,
Highlands and Islands,
Scotland
A Pictish cross-slab dating from the 9th century. The Maiden Stone is just over 3 metres tall and is of red granite. One side has a carved Celtic cross, atop which is a figure of a man between a pair of fish monsters. One interpetation suggests that the figure is Jonah escorted by a pair of whales. Below the cross-head are several sections of traditional interlace, key, and knot patterns. There are similar interlace designs on the narrow sides of the slab.
In a low-lying field near the River Avon stands this complex cairn dating from about 2000 BCE. There is a central ring cairn of small stones, about 5 metres across, surrounded by a bank of earth about 14 metres diameter.
Ballindalloch,
Aberlour,
Grampian,
Scotland
Attraction Type:
Prehistoric Heritage Rating:? Location: Off the A95 7 miles south west of Aberlour onto a track (just north of the River Avon at Bridge of Avon). Cairn is 170 metres along, on the south of the track.
OSNJ183364 Nearest
attractions and accommodation Nearest:hotels - cottages - Bed
and Breakfasts
A large stone cairn about 24 meters across, probably dating from Bronze age. The cairn stands on a minor road on the very eastern edge of Memsie village, easily visible from main road. There are no obvious chambers, just a large heap of round stones, with no kerb stones visible.
B9032,
Memsie,
Fraserburgh,
Grampian,
Scotland
One of the finest Iron Age brochs in Scotland, located in a superb coastal location directly beside the chambered cairn of Midhowe. The central building measures 30 feet in diameter, with walls still standing to a height of 14 feet. This is easily one ofg the most impressive sites on Orkney, and well worth the journey to Rousay. A signposted path leads from the broch to Midhowe Chambered Cairn and past numerous other historic buildings along the shore.
Westness,
Rousay,
Orkney,
Highlands and Islands,
Scotland
Attraction Type:
Prehistoric Heritage Rating:? Location: Parking on the B9064 coastal road a few miles west of the ferry terminal. Well signposted, and easily visible from the parking lot. Walk downhill 5 minutes - good footwear advised. Free entry.
Website:Midhowe Broch Historic Scotland OSHY372306 Nearest
attractions and accommodation Nearest:hotels - cottages - Bed
and Breakfasts
A huge Neolithic chambered tomb in an oval mound with 25 stalls. Midhowe is protected by a modern building, which has walkways over the tomb, proviing excellent views down into the chambers.
Rousay,
Orkney,
Highlands and Islands,
Scotland
The combination of a modern churchyard and an ancient stone circle is a peculiar one. At Midmar the old and new cultures are brought together in rather startling fashion; immediately west of the church entrance is a recumbent stone circle, of a type found in numerous places around Aberdeenshire, probably erected in the 3rd millennium BCE.
Midmar Kirk,
Echt,
Grampian,
Scotland
Access by steep stone steps to underground chamber, then another set of steps to a further underground chamber. Archaeologists date it from 200BC to 500AD. Its use is uncertain but thought to be religious. Bones, pottery and other artifacts were found in the chamber.
Tankerness,
Mainland,
Orkney,
Highlands and Islands,
Scotland
Mither Tap is the easternmost summit of the Bennachie massif. The bare granite top of the hill, which rises to 518 metres, is encircled by a low stone wall running about 30 metres below the summit.
Chapel of Garioch,
Grampian,
Scotland
The Battle Stone is a late Pictish symbol stone of green slate, probaly dating to the mid 11th century. It is a Class II stone, which means it bears Christian symbols on one side and more traditional Pictish symbols on the other. In this case the stone has an incised Celtic style cross, a pair of fish monsers, and a beast on one side, and a serpent, ox skull, bird, dog, and horseman on the other.
Mortlach Kirk,
Dufftown,
Grampian,
Scotland
Beside the trail that leads to the standing stones on Machrie Moor is this attractive little Bronze Age cairn surrounded by a stone circle. The Moss Farm circle (sometimes known as Machrie Moor 10) is the first prehistoric site you come to on the path to the more famous standing stones further east. It is probably not directly associated with the Machrie Moor stones, but is a totally separate monument, erected at a different time.
Blackwaterfoot,
Arran,
Ayrshire and Arran,
Strathclyde,
Scotland
Attraction Type:
Prehistoric Heritage Rating:? Location: 3 miles north of Blackwaterfoot, on the A841. Signed for Machrie Moor stone circle
Considered to be the finest surviving Iron Age broch tower. Forty feet (12.2m) high and 50 ft (15.2m) in diameter at the base. Entrance by a long passage. Three doorways lead to chambers and another to a staircase.
Mousa,
Shetland,
Highlands and Islands,
Scotland
In a stunning location on the edge of the sea, this stone blockhouse is probably of Iron Age date, though there similarities in the construction to techniques used in later broch building. It was probably built for defensive purposes, though it would have taken a determined invader to attack the location! There are three cells surviving, and the site gives views across to the lighthouse on Sumburgh Head. Access is awkward, involving a scramble over rocks from the end of the lane south of Scatness. Ness Of Burgi is an open access site, in the care of Historic Scotland.
Scatness,
Shetland,
Highlands and Islands,
Scotland
Set within the grounds of Newton House, near Inverurie, are two Pictish symbol stones. One has incised depictions of a serpent and Z-rod, with a double disc, all traditional Pictish sybols. The other stone, the so-called Newton Stone, bears Ogham script and badly worn remnants of another, unknown type of script.
Newton House,
Grampian,
Scotland
Also known as the Mulloch Stone Circle, Nine Stanes stands in a wooded setting within a forestry plantation in Mulloch Wood, 2 miles west of Blairydryne Bridge on the A957 road between Banchory and Stonehaven. Like so many stone circles in the north eat of Scotland, Nine Stanes is a recumbent circle, with a large stone laid flat, flanked by two large upright stones.
Banchory,
Grampian,
Scotland
The Aberdeenshire County Council calls Old Kinord a promontory fort, which is stretching things a bit, as there's no promontory to be seen. Rather, this ancient settlement, complete with hut circles and a carefully laid out field system, is set on a neck of land between Loch Davan and Loch Kinord, and is part of the Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve.
Kinord,
Grampian,
Scotland
This beautifully carved stone is one of the oldest Pictish symbol stones in Scotland, dating to the 6th or 7th century. It stands in a farm field a few miles west of Inverurie. The stone is set over a small burial cairn dating to 1300-1500 years ago, which was found to have a grave recess beneath. Whether the stone is connected with the cairn burial is not certain. When the cairn was excavated a small pit was found on one side, probably dug for burial purposes.
Insch,
Grampian,
Scotland
The best preserved stone circle in the southern isles, Pobull Fhinn stands on the slope of a hill looking east over Loch Langass, with the mass of Ben Langass in the distance. The name loosely translates as 'Finn's People', a reference to the mythical Gaelic hero Fionn mac Cumhaill (Finn MacCool).
Langais,
Clachan,
North Uist,
Highlands and Islands,
Scotland
There can surely be no ancient standing stone in Britain with easier access than this! The solitary stone at Pollachar is on the very southern tip of South Uist, looking out to sea, immediately beside the road.
B888,
Pollachar,
South Uist,
Highlands and Islands,
Scotland
When you hear the word 'henge', do you instantly think of a large stone circle? I'll bet the answer is yes, but if you do, you'd be wrong. Perhaps we're conditioned to think of a stone circle when we think of henges through the most well-known henge of all, Stonehenge, in Wiltshire. But the 'henge' is simply a earthen enclosure, usually composed of one or more circular banks and ditches.
One of the best preserved Neolithic chambered cairns in the Uists, and also one of the easiest to access. Reineval sits in an exposed position on the northern slope of Beinn Reinebhal. The cairn is about 75 feet wide at the base, which is set with upright kerb stones, of which about 12 are still standing. The mound is about 12 feet high, with a 3 feet wide entrance to the main chamber.
Mingarry,
South Uist,
Highlands and Islands,
Scotland
Access by trap door and ladder down into a chamber that has 5 wall recesses and an entrance passage. Human bones were found here. The earth house is thought to be of Iron Age date, and bears a close resemblance to nearby Grain Earth House.
Finstown,
Mainland,
Orkney,
Highlands and Islands,
Scotland
In 1978 farmer Gavin Alston was ploughing his fields at Barflat, near the village of Rhynie, in Aberdenshire, when he discovered a large boulder carved with a depiction of a man. Closer inspection showed that the carving dated to the Pictish era, probably sometime between 700 AD and 850 AD, which makes it the earliest known figure carving in Grampian.
Grampian Regional Council,
Woodhill House Aberdeen,
Grampian,
Scotland
Three Pictish symbol stones stand in the old kirk graveyard car park at Rhynie. The smallest of the three stones has a carving of a beast and a comb. A larger, rectangular stone shows a crescent and V-rod, mirror, and a double disc and Z-rod symbol.
A late Neolithic circle of 27 upright stones (originally 60 stones) with an enclosing ditch. Located a short distance from the Stenness Standing Stones. The location above two lochs is superb.
Stenness,
Mainland,
Orkney,
Highlands and Islands,
Scotland
A fortified camp or homestead dating from the 1st-2nd century AD. When Rispain was first excavated in the Victorian period it was thought to be a medieval homestead, perhaps even a castle, defended by banks and moats. Later carbon dating disproved this hypothesis, and Rispain is now considered almost certainly a late Iron Age farming settlement.
Whithorn,
Dumfries and Galloway,
Scotland
Attraction Type:
Prehistoric Heritage Rating:? Location: 1 mile west of Whithorn, behind Rispain Farm off the A746.
Rodney's Stone is a beautifully carved Pictish stone of grey sandstone, standing beside the drive to Brodie Castle. The stone, which is almost 6 feet high, was discovered in 1781 by workmen digging the foundations for a new church at Dyke. The situation of the stone suggests that it was associated with the old medieval church there. In the followiing year the inhabitants of Dyke erected the stone in the village to commemorate the naval victory of Admiral Rodney over the French at the Battle of the Saints.
Brodie Castle,
Forres,
Grampian,
Scotland,
IV36 0TE
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