OS1/13/40/43B

Continued entries/extra info

43B [Letter of Enquiry and Reply regarding Tumulus at Drumnod Wood presented as: Enquiry - Previous Page - Reply - This Page.]

Cupar, Fife.
28th August 1854

Sir, when Mr. Haxton, the farmer at Drumnod showed me the remains of the Tumulus on his farm, mentioned in the remarks - he asked if the druidical circles in Drumnod Wood were shown? I said not, and asked him to point them out to me as if they were antiquities. He then showed me where they were, stating that they were always considered to be druidical circles though he never heard of them having been mentioned in any history of the parish or locality.

These stones are standing on end placed in regular order, and are about an average 2 1/2 feet high by 1 1/2 broad. [sketch appears here].

There are no traditions respecting them in the locality; but are always called Druidial circles; so say Andrew Jamieson, Forester to Mr. Gillespie of Montquhanie and John Haxton the farmer at Drumnod who was born here and is now about 45 years old. His father occupied the farm before him and he always considered them druidical. I have found no written account of them.

[In response to the sheepfold reference]
From the fact of their having been always considered as such, together with the peculiar mode of construction none whatever. they were never constructed for, and I am told by the persons above mentioned, never used as a sheepfold, moreover sheepfolds are not of this peculiar mode of construction. One of the circles is complete, the other two are somewhat defaced a great many of the stones having been removed - the circles however are very distinct, one of them perfect.

The stones are larger than, and placed in a similar manner to those of the circles at the Manse of Creich.

The foregoing is all the information I have obtained or could obtain respecting these circles - of the two persons mantioned be deemed worthy of credence and I think they believed what they told me the names should appear as given in trace as an antiquity, supposed druidical.

[signed] Michl. [Michael] Duggan C.A.