Description
The monument is a henge, the remains of a stone avenue, a Pictish carved stone and the remains of a possible square barrow. The henge and avenue date to the Bronze Age (2500 BC – 800BC), while the carved stone and possible barrow date from the 5th to 7th centuries AD. The monument lies on an east facing slope at about 65m above sea level.
The henge lies about 175m NNE of Broom Lodge. It is oval on plan, measuring 20m from north to south by 17.5m within two arcs of ditch measuring up to 6m broad and an external bank surviving up to 1.7m in height. There are two opposed entrances, on the north and south. The ditch measures 6m wide and the bank survives up to 1.7m high. Close to the inner lip of the ditch there was once a concentric circle of six standing stones, of which only two survive. The henge was excavated in 1855 revealing a central inhumation in a deep pit, abundant cremations and cinerary urns, and a number of artefacts. A cremation burial was found at the base of each of the two surviving stones. Further excavation between 2005-2007 within the henge uncovered stone sockets, pits and postholes, cremation burials, pottery and lithic artefacts. Excavation outside the north and south entrances of the henge uncovered additional stone sockets, an alignment of pits and the remains of a timber circle.
A Pictish symbol stone has been relocated to the centre of the henge. It is a relatively flat, undressed, slab carved with a Pictish beast and a crescent and V-rod symbol. It was moved from its original location, about 65m northeast of the henge, in the 19th century. A 'large urn' was reportedly discovered when the original location of the symbol stone was excavated in the 19th century. Cropmarks recorded on aerial photographs record a probable square barrow in the same location.
The monument also includes the northern portion of an avenue recorded (by Maitland and others) as running from a stone circle, since destroyed by quarrying, north of the henge, to a point approximately 400m south of the henge. It has been suggested that the avenue consisted of 40 stones on either side, but only four remain. The first lies within the field containing the henge, the second is located approximately 70m east of Broom Lodge, the third approximately 30m east of Crichiebank, and the fourth about 100m south-southeast of Crichiebank.
The scheduled area is in four parts. The largest (northern) part is irregular. The scheduling runs up to but does not include the post and wire fence on the west and south. The Broom Lodge standing stone, the Crichiebank standing stone and the Broomend standing stone are also included. Each of these scheduled areas is a circle measuring 10m in diameter, centred on the standing stone. They include the remains described above and an area around within which evidence relating to the monument's construction, use and abandonment is expected to survive, as shown in red on the accompanying map. Specifically excluded are the paving slabs, the above ground elements of the stone steps and wooden handrail, and top 30cm of the track at the standing stone 30m east of Crichiebank. The above ground elements of the post and wire fence at the standing stone about 100m south-southeast of Crichiebank are also excluded to allow for its maintenance.