Monument record MAB13347 - MAINS OF ROTHIEMAY
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Summary
Remains of a recumbent stone circle.
Protected Status/Designation
- Scheduled Monument 344
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred NJ 5507 4873 (54m by 50m) Centred at - Polygon: Known Site Extent |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | NJ54NE |
| Authority | Moray |
| Civil Parish | Rothiemay |
Type and Period (4)
Full Description
Remains of a recumbent stone circle. Only four stones plus the recumbent remain out of the original 12 possible stones, some of which were removed in circa 1845. Both flankers have gone and there is now no trace of any internal ring-cairn although both Coles and Ordnance Name Book refer to a possible inner circle. The massive recumbent at the southwest, weighing nearly 20 tons, measures approximately 4.3 m x 1.3 m and 1.8 m high, and is aligned in a west-east direction. It has a high number of cup-marks on its inner face, over 100, plus cup and ring marks including 10 cups with single rings, two cups with single rings and radials, and a dumbbell with one larger cup-mark and a single ring. The top surface has 12 cup-marks, mainly distributed on the middle area. The standing stone to the east is roughly rectangular in shape, tapering to the top, measuring approximately 2 m x 1.5 m and 0.9 m thick, with eight cup-marks on the bottom half of the southeast face. One is 6 cm in diameter, which may have the weathered remains of a ring above it, seven are smaller than 5 cm, with a cluster of three cup-marks. The cup-marked stones were recorded in November 2020 by Scotland's Rock Art Project.
BN/1081 (1905), BN/1081 (1905) (Ground Photograph). SAB31021.
BN/797 (1905), BN/797 (1905) (Ground Photograph). SAB31022.
SIMPSON, JY, 1866, PSAS 6(1864-66), 13-4 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1881.
ORDNANCE SURVEY, 1871, Ordnance Name Book, No27(1867) 64 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1360.
COLES, FR, 1903, REPORT ON THE STONE CIRCLES OF NORTH-EASTERN SCOTLAND, CHIEFLY IN AUCHTERLESS AND FORGUE IN PSAS 37 (1903), 82-142, 133-7,227 PLAN (Bibliographic reference). SAB233.
RITCHIE, J, 1918, PSAS 52(1917-18) 86-122, 104-8 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1511.
MOW, 1961, A M'S SCOT, 13 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1166.
ASPINALL, A, 1998, DES ; ROTHIEMAY STONE CIRCLE, 66-7 (Bibliographic reference). SAB84.
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY
ASPINALL, A, 1998, GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY OF THE RECUMBENT STONE CIRCLE AT ROTHIEMAY (Bibliographic reference). SAB3525.
Jan 1 1984 , AAS/GR/84/CT26-30, AAS/GR/84/CT26-30 (Ground Photograph). SAB32627.
Jan 10 1997 , AAS/GR/97/CT15-16, AAS/GR/97/CT15-16 (Ground Photograph). SAB33049.
Other Statuses/References
- Authority: MOR;
- HES Scheduled Monument Number: 344;
- NMR Card Number: NJ54NE6;
- NRHE Numlink: 17820;
- Old Historic Environment Record Ref: NJ54NE0006;
External Links (2)
- https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/SM344 (Historic Environment Scotland Portal Link)
- https://www.trove.scot/place/17820 (trove.scot link)
Sources/Archives (11)
- --- SAB1166 Bibliographic reference: MOW. 1961. A M'S SCOT. 13.
- --- SAB1360 Bibliographic reference: ORDNANCE SURVEY. 1871. Ordnance Name Book. No27(1867) 64.
- --- SAB1511 Bibliographic reference: RITCHIE, J. 1918. PSAS 52(1917-18) 86-122. 104-8.
- --- SAB1881 Bibliographic reference: SIMPSON, JY. 1866. PSAS 6(1864-66). 13-4.
- --- SAB233 Bibliographic reference: COLES, FR. 1903. REPORT ON THE STONE CIRCLES OF NORTH-EASTERN SCOTLAND, CHIEFLY IN AUCHTERLESS AND FORGUE IN PSAS 37 (1903), 82-142. 133-7,227 PLAN.
- --- SAB31021 Ground Photograph: BN/1081 (1905). Black & White. BN/1081 (1905).
- --- SAB31022 Ground Photograph: BN/797 (1905). Black & White. BN/797 (1905).
- --- SAB32627 Ground Photograph: Jan 1 1984 . AAS/GR/84/CT26-30. Colour Transparency. AAS/GR/84/CT26-30.
- --- SAB33049 Ground Photograph: Jan 10 1997 . AAS/GR/97/CT15-16. Colour Transparency. AAS/GR/97/CT15-16.
- --- SAB3525 Bibliographic reference: ASPINALL, A. 1998. GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY OF THE RECUMBENT STONE CIRCLE AT ROTHIEMAY.
- --- SAB84 Bibliographic reference: ASPINALL, A. 1998. DES ; ROTHIEMAY STONE CIRCLE. 66-7.
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (4)
- Event - Intervention: ARCHAEOLOGICAL INTERVENTION - MAINS OF ROTHIEMAY (EAB20077)
- Event - Survey: Earth Resistance Survey and Magnetometry Survey - MAINS OF ROTHIEMAY (EAB3699)
- Event - Survey: Field Observation - MAINS OF ROTHIEMAY (EAB8272)
- Event - Survey: Field Visit and Measured Survey - MAINS OF ROTHIEMAY (EAB20699)
Record last edited
Mar 18 2026 1:48PM