Ancient Perthshire

Introduction (skip to the photos)

For an introduction to the various types of site shown here, please go to the Aberdeenshire page.

For those who are interested in learning more, an excellent book to read is "Guide to Prehistoric Scotland" by Richard Feachem, Batsford ISBN 0 7134 3264 0.

Examples

Pictured below are just a few of the ancient monuments to be found in Perthshire.

Croft Moraig Stone Circle and Henge

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Excavations have revealed an early neolithic structure of wooden posts, succeeded by the inner ring of standing stones, one of which bears cup-marks.

The surrounding bank is 185 feet in diameter.

The outer circle was added at around 2000 BC.

Croft Moraig stone circle lies NE of Kenmore, Perthshire.

Dull Four-poster

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This is an unusual monument, being square instead of circular.

Little seems to be known about this site, which is not mentioned in the usual texts. It may be significant that the neighbouring site at Fortingall includes two rectangular groups of stones.

Fortingall

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There are three settings of stones in this field; two of these were excavated in 1970. The three uprights (central in the photo) are part of what was originally a group of eight set in a rectangle with the largest stones at the corners.

The group of four stones (left) were originally part of another group of eight.

The group of three (right) comprises a massive central stone with two flankers, reminiscent of the recumbent stone circles of Aberdeenshire, but without the ring of standing stones.

The site is thought to have been disturbed in Victorian times; a beer bottle from that era was discovered under one of the fallen stones.

This site lies East of Fortingall village, Perthshire.

Central group.

Newbigging Stone

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This stone bears faint cup-and-ring markings. These are not readily visible to the naked eye - off-camera flash photography was needed to get any impression of these markings at all.

The stone was particularly difficult to find, being off an unclassified and un-tarred road, hidden behind some shrubbery at a junction.

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