OS1/14/54/32

List of names as written Various modes of spelling Authorities for spelling Situation Description remarks
Supposed ROCKING STONE (Base of) [nr Balfour Mains] Supposed Rocking Stone (site of) The Rev. [Reverend] Mr. Haldane 031 A large stone the face of which can only be seen above the surface of the ground, The Rev [Reverend] Mr. Haldane says, that "report says it is the base or under stone of a Rocking Stone, the upper or top stone having been thrown down, and that there appears to be little doubt of this being a fact.
DIKE Supposed Remains of a Pictish Encampment The Rev. [Reverend] Mr. Haldane
His father before him, the previous Minister of Kingoldrum
031 This object resembles to all appearance an old Turf or Fail dyke. Mr. Haldanes supposes it to be the remains of a Pictish encampment, and says he "took over a drawing of it to the Antiquarian Society in Edinbro [Edinburgh], where it was also beleived to be such."
This dike presents no appearance of a cyclopean or massive character being but a foot or two above the ground and of trivial breadth - there are certainly one or two large stones in it and that is all that can be said - the meandering form is quite baffling and on the whole it is a very doubtful affair. [Initialled] J.B. Major R.E. [Royal Engineers] March 1862

Continued entries/extra info

[Page] 32

Rocking Stone & Dike [notes]

Plenty of Authorities
can be got for
"Old Dike"
[Initialled] JB

"About half way between the
moss (the drain) and the
old dike" a very large
quantity of flint-flakes
in the rough state before
they were made into arrow
and spear heads were found."
(Mr. Haldane)

Note - I have corresponded with Mr. Haldane on these objects.
He states "the old dike presents a very singular appearance.
"I gave a description of this dike with the round barrow which it partially
encloses at a meeting of the Antiquarian Society in Edinburgh where the opinion
generally entertained was that it was a Pictish Encampment"
My father, who was long Minister of Kingoldrum, often told me that the
tradition was that the great mass of stone in the adjoining field was the base
of a Rocking Stone - confirmed by the finding in the moss below a few years ago
of a stone suitable for the top stone in the exact direction in which it would
have rolled"

I can get no person
to corroborate Mr. Haldane
in the two objects on this
page. [Initialled] D.H.

  Transcribers who have contributed to this page.

Alison James- Moderator, Alice Bremner

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