Scheduled Monument
North Strone, stone circle 200m SSW ofSM39
Status: Designated
Documents
Where documents include maps, the use of this data is subject to terms and conditions (https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/termsandconditions).
The legal document available for download below constitutes the formal designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The additional details provided on this page are provided for information purposes only and do not form part of the designation. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within this additional information.
Summary
- Date Added
- 21/08/1925
- Last Date Amended
- 28/02/1997
- Supplementary Information Updated
- 20/06/2018
- Type
- Prehistoric ritual and funerary: stone circle or ring
- Local Authority
- Aberdeenshire
- Parish
- Alford
- NGR
- NJ 58438 13896
- Coordinates
- 358438, 813896
Description
The monument comprises the North Strone recumbent stone circle, some 4500 years old, which is situated at the NE end of the broad summit ridge of Strone Hill. The monument was first scheduled in 1925, but the present rescheduling provides an accurate map for the first time.
The circle comprises at least 19 stones set on the inner edge of a stony bank 1.25m across and 0.25m high, measuring 22m across overall. Five stones appear to be in their original positions, including the eastern flanking stone of the recumbent. The recumbent, which lies on the S side of the circle, may be in its original position but may have toppled into the circle. The other stones have fallen.
The area to be scheduled measures 40m in diameter, centred on the circle, to include the visible features of the monument and other features associated with the construction and use of the circle, which may lie in the immediate vicinity, as marked in red in the attached map.
Statement of National Importance
The monument is of national importance as a well preserved example of its type, which has the potential to considerably enhance our understanding of late Neolithic ceremonial and society in NE Scotland. Although most of the stones have fallen the stony bank and the interior appear to be undisturbed. The monument is of particular interest because of the unusually small size of all the stones, including the recumbent stone.
References
Bibliography
No Bibliography entries for this designation
About Scheduled Monuments
Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.
We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.
Scheduling is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for monuments and archaeological sites of national importance as set out in the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.
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Scheduled monument records provide an indication of the national importance of the
scheduled monument which has been identified by the description and map. The description and map (see ‘legal documents’ above) showing the scheduled area is the designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The statement of national importance and additional information provided are supplementary and provided for general information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within the statement of national importance or additional information. These records are not definitive historical or archaeological accounts or a complete description of the monument(s).
The format of scheduled monument records has changed over time. Earlier records will usually be brief. Some information will not have been recorded and the map will not be to current standards. Even if what is described and what is mapped has changed, the monument is still scheduled.
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