Monument record MAB14862 - MIDMAR CHURCH STONE CIRCLE
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Summary
Recumbent stone circle, 17.3m in diameter.
Protected Status/Designation
- Scheduled Monument: Christchurch stone circle and standing stone, Midmar
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred NJ 6993 0649 (21m by 21m) Centred at - Polygon: Known Site Extent |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | NJ60NE |
| Authority | Aberdeenshire |
| Civil Parish | Midmar |
Type and Period (1)
Full Description
Recumbent stone circle, 17.3m in diameter. Also known as Christchurch. It consists of a recumbent, two flankers and five other erect stones. This re-arranged circle now stands in a churchyard (NJ60NE0020). The two flankers, each circa 2.5m high, have been matched and shaped into two enormous canine teeth, and flank a massive recumbent which weighs some 20 tons. There is now no trace of an internal ring-cairn as the entire central area is now level grassed area. The present church was built in 1787 when the old church near Midmar was pulled down. The old graveyard continued in use until 1914 when the new one was laid out around the stone circle, and the cairn may have been removed at this time. It was stated that the 'circle was not touched' but from a plan drawn by Coles in 1900 it would appear that at least one stone, at the north-northwest, has been re-erected since his visit.
AB 4843-4 PO, AB 4843-4 PO (Ground Photograph). SAB20329.
COLES, FR, 1901, REPORT ON THE STONE CIRCLES OF THE NE OF SCOTLAND, INVERURIE DISTRICT PSAS 34(1899-1900) 139-98, 179-8, ILL (Bibliographic reference). SAB230.
BROWN, GF, 1921, ANTS.IN NEIGHBOURHOOD,DUNECHT, 60-3 (Bibliographic reference). SAB95.
KEILLER, A, 1927, INTERIM REPORT UPON SUCH OF THE STONE CIRCLES OF ABERDEENSHIRE AND KINCARDINESHIRE AS HAVE BEEN SCHEDULED AS ANCIENT MONUMENTS, 11 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1033.
MOW, 1961, A M'S SCOT, 11 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1166.
BURL, H. A. W., 1970, RECUMBENT STONE CIRCLES OF N-E SCOTLAND. PSAS 102, PL 7 (Bibliographic reference). SAB107.
SHEPHERD, IAG, 1979, EARLY GRAMPIAN, 155 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1636.
THOM, A, 1980, BAR 81, 222-3 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1922.
SHEPHERD, IAG, 1988, THE PREHISTORIC SOCIETY SUMMER CONFERENCE 1988: ABERDEEN AND NORTH EAST SCOTLAND, 18 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1744.
SHEPHERD, I, 1996, ABERDEEN AND NORTH-EAST SCOTLAND (2ND ED), p. 161 (Bibliographic reference). SAB4829.
TREVARTHEN, D, 2001, WINTER 2000/2001 FIELDWORK (Bibliographic reference). SAB1986.
MacGREGOR, G, 2002, Making monuments out of mountains:the role of colo (Bibliographic reference). SAB4618.
Aug 22 1986 , CQ 11-13, CQ 11-13 (Ground Photograph). SAB13759.
Jan 1 1921 , DP 043100-1, DP 043100-1 (Ground Photograph). SAB20116.
Jan 1 1930 , AB 5845, AB 5845 (Ground Photograph). SAB20205.
Jan 1 1976 , AAS/GR/76/CT199, 202, 207, AAS/GR/76/CT199, 202, 207 (Ground Photograph). SAB32458.
Jan 28 1997 , AAS/97/02/CT25, AAS/97/02/CT25 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB16608.
Jan 28 1997 , AAS/97/02/G3/23-25, AAS/97/02/G3/23-25 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB16607.
Jul 1 1902 , AB 2432, AB 2432 (Ground Photograph). SAB20328.
Jul 1 1902 , AB 2528, AB 2528 (Ground Photograph). SAB20206.
Mar 25 2004 , AAS-GR-04-03-036, 037, AAS-GR-04-03-036, 037 (Ground Photograph). SAB35709.
May 1 2002 , E 13942 CN, E 13942 CN (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB20330.
Nov 25 2016 , AAS-GR-16-11-005, 006, AAS-GR-16-11-005, 006 (Ground Photograph). SAB35582.
Sep 17 2023 , AAS-GR-22-09-087, 0088, AAS-GR-22-09-087, 0088 (Ground Photograph). SAB36616.
Other Statuses/References
- Authority: ASH;
- HAMP Asset: HA5028;
- HES Scheduled Monument Number: 32;
- Local Government Guardianship;
- NMR Card Number: NJ60NE3;
- NRHE Numlink: 18001;
- Old Historic Environment Record Ref: NJ60NE0003;
External Links (2)
- https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/SM32 (Historic Environment Scotland Portal Link)
- https://www.trove.scot/place/18001 (trove.scot link)
Sources/Archives (24)
- --- SAB1033 Bibliographic reference: KEILLER, A. 1927. INTERIM REPORT UPON SUCH OF THE STONE CIRCLES OF ABERDEENSHIRE AND KINCARDINESHIRE AS HAVE BEEN SCHEDULED AS ANCIENT MONUMENTS. 11.
- --- SAB107 Bibliographic reference: BURL, H. A. W.. 1970. RECUMBENT STONE CIRCLES OF N-E SCOTLAND. PSAS 102. N. PL 7.
- --- SAB1166 Bibliographic reference: MOW. 1961. A M'S SCOT. 11.
- --- SAB13759 Ground Photograph: Aug 22 1986 . CQ 11-13. Black & White. CQ 11-13.
- --- SAB1636 Bibliographic reference: SHEPHERD, IAG. 1979. EARLY GRAMPIAN. Y. 155.
- --- SAB16607 Air-oblique Photograph: Jan 28 1997 . AAS/97/02/G3/23-25. Black & White. AAS/97/02/G3/23-25.
- --- SAB16608 Air-oblique Photograph: Jan 28 1997 . AAS/97/02/CT25. Colour Transparency. AAS/97/02/CT25.
- --- SAB1744 Bibliographic reference: SHEPHERD, IAG. 1988. THE PREHISTORIC SOCIETY SUMMER CONFERENCE 1988: ABERDEEN AND NORTH EAST SCOTLAND. Y. 18.
- --- SAB1922 Bibliographic reference: THOM, A. 1980. BAR 81. Y. 222-3.
- --- SAB1986 Bibliographic reference: TREVARTHEN, D. 2001. WINTER 2000/2001 FIELDWORK.
- --- SAB20116 Ground Photograph: Jan 1 1921 . DP 043100-1. Black & White. DP 043100-1.
- --- SAB20205 Ground Photograph: Jan 1 1930 . AB 5845. Black & White. AB 5845.
- --- SAB20206 Ground Photograph: Jul 1 1902 . AB 2528. Black & White. AB 2528.
- --- SAB20328 Ground Photograph: Jul 1 1902 . AB 2432. Black & White. AB 2432.
- --- SAB20329 Ground Photograph: AB 4843-4 PO. Black & White. AB 4843-4 PO.
- --- SAB20330 Air-oblique Photograph: May 1 2002 . E 13942 CN. Colour Negative. E 13942 CN.
- --- SAB230 Bibliographic reference: COLES, FR. 1901. REPORT ON THE STONE CIRCLES OF THE NE OF SCOTLAND, INVERURIE DISTRICT PSAS 34(1899-1900) 139-98. 179-8, ILL.
- --- SAB32458 Ground Photograph: Jan 1 1976 . AAS/GR/76/CT199, 202, 207. Colour Transparency. AAS/GR/76/CT199, 202, 207.
- --- SAB35582 Ground Photograph: Nov 25 2016 . AAS-GR-16-11-005, 006. Digital. AAS-GR-16-11-005, 006.
- --- SAB35709 Ground Photograph: Mar 25 2004 . AAS-GR-04-03-036, 037. Digital. AAS-GR-04-03-036, 037.
- --- SAB36616 Ground Photograph: Sep 17 2023 . AAS-GR-22-09-087, 0088. Digital. AAS-GR-22-09-087, 0088.
- --- SAB4618 Bibliographic reference: MacGREGOR, G. 2002. Making monuments out of mountains:the role of colo. N.
- --- SAB4829 Bibliographic reference: SHEPHERD, I. 1996. ABERDEEN AND NORTH-EAST SCOTLAND (2ND ED). p. 161.
- --- SAB95 Bibliographic reference: BROWN, GF. 1921. ANTS.IN NEIGHBOURHOOD,DUNECHT. 60-3.
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (2)
Record last edited
Mar 20 2026 10:17AM
