stirling-1963-vol-1/05_103

Transcription

No. 59 -- STANDING STONES -- No. 63
and is inclined so steeply to the NNE. that it is almost
recumbent. It measures 4 ft. 4 in. in height, 2 ft. 6 in.
in breadth and 1 ft. in thickness. The remaining two
stones lie on the ground between B and C. Stone D
measures 5 ft. 5 in. in length, 3 ft. in breadth and 1 ft.
6 in. in thickness while stone E, which rests partly on D,
measures 7 ft. 10 in. in length, 3 ft. 9 in. in breadth and
3 ft. in thickness.
A similar short alinement of standing stones is
recorded under No. 63, and other examples are known
from Argyll and Northumberland.

532807 -- NS 58 SW -- 5 September 1956

59. Standing Stone, Balgair Muir. This stone stands
about 180 yds. NW. of a gate which opens off the Fintry-
Kippen highway, 340 yds. N. of its crossing of the
Lernock Burn. It is triangular in profile and wedge-
shaped in section, and measures 3 ft. 3 in.; both in height
and in breadth along its base, by 1 ft. 7 in. in greatest
thickness. It may well have been a boundary stone as
it is near the corner of some ground which is enclosed
by a turf dyke and has evidently been under cultivation.

607904 -- NS 69 SW (unnoted) -- 2 October 1952

60. Standing Stone, Knockraich. This stone (Pl. 3 C)
stands 350 yds. NW. of Knockraich farmhouse, on a low
hummock which just raises it above the flood-plain of
the Endrick Water. It is 3 ft. 6 in. high and squarish in
section, measuring 1 ft. 7 in. from NE. to SW. by
1 ft. 4 in. from NW. to SE. On the top, which has been
brought to an irregularly rounded point, there is an
almost circular hollow, measuring 5 1/2 in. to 6 in. across
and 2 1/2 in. in depth; it is difficult to suppose that this is
other than artificial, although its bottom shows differential
weathering. The SE. side of the stone shows several
natural cavities, and a deep and wide vertical groove
which is also presumably natural. The NW. face seems to
have been flattened to a certain extent, a slight ridge
which is visible along part of either margin probably
representing a survival of the original surface. On this
face, 12 in. above the ground, a human figure has
been outlined in pocked technique. It is in full-face,
the features being indicated by pocked marks; the arms
are extended just below the level of the shoulders and
the legs are widely spread with the feet turned outwards.
The lower edge of a tunic or short kilt seems to be
indicated by a single line between the legs. The figure
is 8 in. high and measures 7 in. in breadth between the
hands and 7 1/2 in. between the feet. This face of the stone
also shows a number of small natural cavities, together
with a shallow cup which has a somewhat artificial
appearance; this cup is in the centre of the face and
2 ft. 4 1/2 in. above ground level, apparently at the upper
margin of the flattened area. The figure lacks any
distinctive characteristics which might afford evidence
of date, but it may be relatively modern since a
19th-century observer refers to cup-marks, incised lines
and other markings "some of which give evidence of
recent sculpture". ¹ Two somewhat similar figures carved
on the Bruce Aisle at Airth Church (p. 146) are later
than 1614.

608876 -- NS 68 NW (unnoted) -- 2 October 1952

61. Standing Stones, Waterhead. These two stones
stand on a slight eminence in open moorland, half a
mile ENE. of Waterhead farmhouse and at an elevation
of 850 ft. O.D. Described by Nimmo's editor as "a
Druidical remain", ² they have also been known as
the Machar Stones. ³ The more northerly stone, a four-sided
pillar of irregular section, has fallen almost prostrate
and its whole length, 7 ft. 6 in., is revealed. At the centre
it measures 3 ft. in width by 2 ft. 6 in. in breadth. The
other stone stands 4 ft. 6 in. further S. It is slab shaped
as shown in Pl. 3D, standing to a height of 5 ft. and
measuring about 2 ft. in thickness. Its width is 2 ft. 8 in.
at ground level, 3 ft. 8 in. at a point 2 ft. above this, and
2 ft.at the top.
The excavations in the vicinity that revealed the cists
(No. 39) may be responsible for the overthrow of the
more northerly stone, and may also account for the
presence in the immediate area of numerous small loose
stones.

657839 -- NS 68 SE (unnoted) -- 21 April 1954

62. Standing Stone. Ingliston (Site). The 1899 edition
of the O.S. 6-inch map ⁴ marks a "Standing Stone", in
ordinary type, on the S. slope of a low ridge 300 yds.
ENE. of Ingliston farmhouse, and at a height of about
160 ft. O.D. The stone has since been removed and it
has not been possible to trace a description of it.

807839 -- NS 88 SW (unnoted) -- 14 February 1954

63. Standing Stones and Cists, Middleton (Sites).
On the side of the road about a quarter of a mile SSE.
of Middleton farmhouse there was formerly a row of
standing stones, alined NW. and SE., the largest of which,
at the NW. end of the row, was a huge block of freestone
locally known as the "Law Stone of Mugdock", ⁵ The
stones were broken up and carried away for building
purposes, and it is reported that when the field in which
they has stood was levelled, a number of "stone coffins"
were discovered close by. ⁶ No trace of the stones, or
of the cists, can now be seen.

c. 561766 -- NS 57 NE (unnoted) -- 24 November 1956

1 T.S.N.H.A.S., xv (1892-3), 132.
2 History (1817 ed.), 633.
3 T.S.N.H.A.S., xv (1892-3), 132 and pl. xxiii.
4 xxiii S.E.
5 Strathblane, 256.
6 Ibid., footnote.

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