east-lothian-1924/05-237

Transcription

WHITTINGHAME.] HISTORICAL MONUMENTS (SCOTLAND) COMMISSION. [WHITTINGHAME.

shiel Hill, some 700 yards almost due east of
Mayshiel and 200 yards south of Kingside [insert] Kell Burn [end insert] Burn,
at an elevation of 900 feet above sea-level, is a
hut circle 16 feet in diameter internally, with
a wall now 3 feet 6 inches broad rising 6 to 12
inches in height. On the inside of the eastern
arc a number of the foundation stones are still
in situ. The wall is overgrown with grass and
heather, but on probing it is found to be a stony
in parts. Some 35 yards to the east-south-east,
about 12 feet higher, is a somewhat similar
structure, too overgrown with heather for
measurement. About midway between these
hut circles and the Kingside Burn, is a setting
of small stones, probably part of a stone circle.
Four stones, varying from 11 to 21 inches in
length and rising from 3 to 5 inches above
ground, are placed on end or on edge on the
northern arc of a circle, which would have a
probable diameter of about 45 feet if complete.
A fifth stone was found on probing under a
growth of 5 inches of peat on the south-eastern
arc, and excavation would perhaps expose others.
In the centre is a large flat stone, 4 feet 3 inches
in length and 2 feet 2 inches at greatest
breadth, of which only a small portion appears
above ground. Some 9 feet to the west of
the central stone is a small flat stone 15 inches
across its greatest diagonal.

xvi. S.E. (unnoted). 3 July 1913.

242. Stone Circle, Penshiel Grange.-Some 63
yards east-south-east of the old cottage at
Penshiel and 100 yards west of Penshiel Grange,
on the grassy slope at the foot of the eastern
side of Penshiel Hill, at an elevation of 950
feet above sea-level, is a setting of four large
stones, which seem to have formed a stone
circle. One stone to the north-west, a four
sided monolith with a blunt chisel-shaped apex,
is erect and measures 4 feet in height and 7 feet
in girth at the base and is packed round the
foundation with a setting or causeying of small
stones, which extend 4 to 5 feet all round. The
remaining three stones are prostate and meas-
ure 2 feet 3 inches, 3 feet and over 3 feet 3
inches in length respectively, one end of the
last stone being sunk in the soil. The dia-
gonals between the stones as they now appear
are 26 feet 7 inches from north-west to south-
east and 15 feet 6 inches from south-west to
north-east. A number of earthfast stones just

142

appear above ground in the interior of the
setting.

xvi. S.E. (unnoted). 23 May 1913.

243. Demolished Stone Circle (supposed) Pen-
shiel.-Some 60 yards to the south of the above
stone circle (No. 242) are four large prostrate
monoliths measuring 5 feet 3 inches in length
by 3 feet in breadth, 5 feet 7 inches by 2 feet
8 inches, 4 feet 8 inches by 1 foot 3 inches and
6 feet by 1 foot 8 inches respectively. The
first three lie in an almost straight line 11 feet
6 inches and 13 feet apart, and the last lies
about 10 feet to the east. In their immediate
vicinity is a row of large boulders gathered
into a straight line, but they are of entirely
different character from the four monoliths,
which in shape and size so much resemble
stones from a circle. It is not likely that their
association is fortuitous, and the probability
is that they had originally formed a stone
circle.

xvi. S.E. (unnoted). 23 May 1913.

244. Setting of Small Stones, " The Pack-
man's Grave."-On the muir in the fork of the
roads from Priestlaw to Garvald and Gifford, at
an elevation of 900 feet above sea-level, are five
stones, two pointed and set on end, each
1 foot 7 inches high, and three flat, which
enclose a kite-shaped area 9 feet 3 inches in
length by 4 feet 6 inches in breadth. This
place is known as " the Packman's Grave " ;
a packman who is said to have been murdered
by an innkeeper at Danskine is traditionally
said to have been buried here.

xvi. S.E. (unnoted). 12 June 1913.

245. Setting of Small Stones, " Nine Stone
Rig," Kingside Burn.-Almost on the 1000
feet contour line on the sloping hillside, some
300 yards south of the "Nine Stones" circle
(No. 239) and some 60 yards north of Kingside
Burn, is a setting of five small stones forming
an irregular pentagon. They are of small size,
the largest being 19 inches in length, and they
rise from 2 to 5 inches above ground. The
greatest distance between two stones dia-
gonally is 8 feet 10 inches. Four are earth-fast;
three are pointed and two flat. The enclosed