OS1/1/8/7

List of names as written Various modes of spelling Authorities for spelling Situation Description remarks
WESTERCRAIGIE CROFT Westercraigie Croft
Westercraigie Croft
Westercraigie Croft
Croft of Wester Craigie
Mr James Littlejohn (Tenant)
Mr Walter Milne (L. [Laighs of] Cannahars)
Mr Robert Lamb (N. [North] Lodge)
Valuation Roll 1860
056 A crofter's residence on the Estate of Barra the property of John Ramsay Esqr. Straloch.
CROMLECH (Remains of) [Westercraigie] Cromlech (Remains of)
Cromlech (Remains of)
Cromlech (Remains of)
Cromlech (Remains of)
Mr James Littlejohn
Mr Walter Milne
Mr Robert Lamb
Mr James Lamb
056 Up to the year 1861 There stood at this place a very fine specimen of the ancient "Cromlech," or "Dolmen." The covering stone consisted of a huge block of blue granite, supposed to have been 27 Tons weight, this was supported
at the four Corners by large upright blocks of granite, which gave it the form of a huge table, which when struck by a heavy instrument emitted a sound like that of a distant Bell. The tradition in the locality is, that a battle was fought here, in which the King of the Picts fell, and was buried beneath this stone encased in Golden Armour. During the construction of the Formartine and Buchan Railway, the navvies hearing this tradition, Blasted the Covering Stone in the hope of gaining possession of the supposed treasure. Nothing was found beneath the Stone but a quantity of Black Unctuous Earth Surrounded by Clay. The fragments of the blasted stone are
yet to be seen at the place, a little to the South of the 9th milestone on the Aberdeen and Old Meldrum Turnpike road, on West side of said road near Westercraigie Croft. From the description I have obtained of this Stone, it appears to have been a very fine Specimen of the ancient monument known to antiquarians as the "Cromlech " or "Dolmen." B. Render Corp. R.E. [Corporal Royal Engineers] 13th Feb. 1865

Continued entries/extra info

[Page] 7
Belhelvie Parish


[Small sketch] Sketch of Cromlech, from description by people who remember its shape previous to being blasted. B. Render Corp. R.E. [Corporal Royal Engineers]

Cromlech (Remains of) "Cromleac. Cromleachd. A flat Stone in an inclined position, Supported by Stones placed perpendicular, commonly supposed a Druidrical altar." (Gaelic.)

See Page 83. [This reference takes you to a page of description, in this Volume, related to Cromlech.]

  Transcribers who have contributed to this page.

Kate51- Moderator, MBrown, klpoole, M-R

  Location information for this page.