OS1/1/62/33
| List of names as written | Various modes of spelling | Authorities for spelling | Situation | Description remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| STONE CIRCLE [Sunhoney] | Druidical Temple Druidical Temple Druidical Temple |
Mr William Malcolm, Echt Mr George Duncan Mr William Craigmyle |
073 | "This circle, in the parish of Midmar, is situated on a commanding eminence, from which the ground falls away on all sides. The British Hill fort of the Barmekyn of Echt is about a mile distant towards the north-east. The circle is entire, and appears to be slightly raised above the surrounding ground, and consists of twelve stones of the red granite of the district, except a long recumbent stone placed between the upright pillars on the south side, which is of a small grained grey granite. The pillars are from five to seven feet in height, and the recumbent stone is upwards of sixteen feet in length, about four and a half feet in breadth, and three feet in thickness. Within the circle there is a flat cairn, about sixty four feet in diameter, of stones, raised nearly a foot above the rest of the area, and going down to the subsoil, In the centre of this cairn, through a part of it eight feet in diameter, were found deposits of incinerated bones, with some charcoal and black mould, but in no great quantity. This part of the cairn differed slightly in construction from the rest, as the stones were not quite so closely packed, and were mostly marked with fire. At the outer circumference of the cairn, on the south side, was found what seemed to have been a deposit of some kind, as concave stones were placed so as to form a circular cist; and some fragments, apparently of a rude stone vessel, were found forming part of the enclosure; but everything of animal substance had entirely disappeared. At the foot of several of the pillars, at a depth of from eighteen inches to two feet, flat stones appeared, similar to those which are generally found placed over and under the cinerary urns; but any deposits which may have been inserted had entirely disappeared. The richness of the soil, a deep black loam, might partly account for this. All the soil appeared to have been brought into the circle, and except in front of the pillars, seemed almost everywhere to cover quantities of stones, though these, except in the centre, were not disposed in a regular cairn. The soil seemed also to differ from that on the outside of the circle, in which stones only occur occasionally. At the base of the pillars the ground seemed, in various cases, to have been dug down into the subsoil, so as to form a pit about two and a half feet in depth. A ridge of loose stones, like the foundation of a dyke, runs round between the standing stones. Some of the latter had a small semicircular pavement of stones in front of them, and they all stood on deposits of middle sized boulder stones." Sculptured Stones of Scotland |
Continued entries/extra info
[Page] 33County of Aberdeen -- Parish of Midmar
[Note] Written in compliance with a remark from Southampton
Transcribers who have contributed to this page.
CorrieBuidhe- Moderator, June Lobban
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