Monument record MAB18565 - BALGORKAR, CASTLE FRASER
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Summary
Remains of a recumbent stone circle which comprises seven standing stones, three of which have now fallen and a recumbent with its two flankers.
Protected Status/Designation
- Scheduled Monument 7: Castle Fraser stone circle and standing stones
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred NJ 7150 1253 (42m by 42m) Centred at - Polygon: Known Site Extent |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | NJ71SW |
| Authority | Aberdeenshire |
| Civil Parish | Cluny |
Type and Period (5)
Full Description
Remains of a recumbent stone circle which comprises seven standing stones, three of which have now fallen and a recumbent with its two flankers. There are faint traces of a central circular mound and a semi-circular one in front of the recumbent.
The site had been levelled before the erection of the stones, and a central space was found measuring 4 m across, lined with slabs, beneath which were deposits of charcoal and cremated bone. Sherds of 'a thick and massive urn' were found by the fallen stone to the west of the west flanker. The burnt layer ran under the standing stones suggesting an earlier, or contemporary, date with the erection of the circle. Quartzite was also found on the site.
LOGAN, J, 1829, ARCHAEOLOGIA 22,55-58,198-202, 201 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1060.
COLES, FR, 1901, PSAS 35(1900-01) 187-248, 197-201 (Bibliographic reference). SAB231.
KEILLER, A, 1927, INTERIM REPORT UPON SUCH OF THE STONE CIRCLES OF ABERDEENSHIRE AND KINCARDINESHIRE AS HAVE BEEN SCHEDULED AS ANCIENT MONUMENTS, 3-4 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1033.
BURL, H. A. W., 1970, RECUMBENT STONE CIRCLES OF N-E SCOTLAND. PSAS 102, 64 (Bibliographic reference). SAB107.
KENWORTHY, JB, 1972, RING-CAIRNS IN NORTH-EAST SCOTLAND. IN SCOT ARCH FORUM 4, 24 (Bibliographic reference). SAB998.
SLADE, H. G., 1978, CASTLE FRASER, PSAS 109:233-98, 269-70 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1697.
THOM, A, 1980, BAR 81, 198-9 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1922.
SHEPHERD, IAG, 1985, BASG (Bibliographic reference). SAB1639.
SHEPHERD, IAG, 1988, THE PREHISTORIC SOCIETY SUMMER CONFERENCE 1988: ABERDEEN AND NORTH EAST SCOTLAND, 13-14 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1744.
MARREN, P, 1990, GRAMPIAN BATTLEFIELDS, 11 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1169.
MacGREGOR, G, 2002, Making monuments out of mountains:the role of colo (Bibliographic reference). SAB4618.
FRASER, S. M., 2003, CASTLE FRASER ESTATE, PP.15-16 (Bibliographic reference). SAB557.
DES
Apr 22 2009 , DP 067846-52, DP 067846-52 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB20509.
Aug 22 1984 , CQ 8a-10, CQ 8a-10 (Ground Photograph). SAB14130.
Feb 1 1908 , AB 2513-4, AB 2513-4 (Ground Photograph). SAB20511.
Jan 1 1902 , AB 2423, AB 2423 (Ground Photograph). SAB20513.
Jan 1 1902 , AB 2541, AB 2541 (Ground Photograph). SAB20512.
Jan 1 1921 , DP 043102 , DP 043102 (Ground Photograph). SAB20508.
Jan 1 1989 , AAS/GR/89/CT329,335, AAS/GR/89/CT329,335 (Ground Photograph). SAB32749.
Jul 28 1973 , BOP 69, BOP 69 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB14129.
Jun 25 1996 , AAS/96/04/CT, AAS/96/04/CT (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB16390.
Jun 25 1996 , AAS/96/04/CT7, 9, AAS/96/04/CT7, 9 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB19624.
Jun 25 1996 , AAS/96/04/G10/1,2, AAS/96/04/G10/1,2 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB16389.
Mar 3 2003 , E 99960 CS, E 99960 CS (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB20514.
Nov 1 1984 , CNH, CNH (Ground Photograph). SAB33909.
Nov 1 1984 , DW 32-38, DW 32-38 (Ground Photograph). SAB14133.
Oct 2 2022 , B Mann, B Mann (Ground Photograph). SAB36185.
Oct 6 1999 , D 50720 CN, D 50720 CN (Ground Photograph). SAB20510.
Sep 18 1984 , DF 37-38, DF 37-38 (Ground Photograph). SAB14131.
Sep 18 1984 , DI 2-8, DI 2-8 (Ground Photograph). SAB14132.
Other Statuses/References
- Authority: ASH;
- HES Scheduled Monument Number: 7;
- NMR Card Number: NJ71SW3;
- NRHE Numlink: 18719;
- Old Historic Environment Record Ref: NJ71SW0003;
External Links (2)
- https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/SM7 (Historic Environment Scotland Portal Link)
- https://www.trove.scot/place/18719 (trove.scot link)
Sources/Archives (30)
- --- 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. 3-4.
- --- SAB1060 Bibliographic reference: LOGAN, J. 1829. ARCHAEOLOGIA 22,55-58,198-202. 201.
- --- SAB107 Bibliographic reference: BURL, H. A. W.. 1970. RECUMBENT STONE CIRCLES OF N-E SCOTLAND. PSAS 102. N. 64.
- --- SAB1169 Bibliographic reference: MARREN, P. 1990. GRAMPIAN BATTLEFIELDS. 11.
- --- SAB14129 Air-oblique Photograph: Jul 28 1973 . BOP 69. Black & White. BOP 69.
- --- SAB14130 Ground Photograph: Aug 22 1984 . CQ 8a-10. Black & White. CQ 8a-10.
- --- SAB14131 Ground Photograph: Sep 18 1984 . DF 37-38. Black & White. DF 37-38.
- --- SAB14132 Ground Photograph: Sep 18 1984 . DI 2-8. Black & White. DI 2-8.
- --- SAB14133 Ground Photograph: Nov 1 1984 . DW 32-38. Black & White. DW 32-38.
- --- SAB16389 Air-oblique Photograph: Jun 25 1996 . AAS/96/04/G10/1,2. Black & White. AAS/96/04/G10/1,2.
- --- SAB1639 Bibliographic reference: SHEPHERD, IAG. 1985. BASG.
- --- SAB16390 Air-oblique Photograph: Jun 25 1996 . AAS/96/04/CT. Colour Negative. AAS/96/04/CT.
- --- SAB1697 Bibliographic reference: SLADE, H. G.. 1978. CASTLE FRASER, PSAS 109:233-98. 269-70.
- --- SAB1744 Bibliographic reference: SHEPHERD, IAG. 1988. THE PREHISTORIC SOCIETY SUMMER CONFERENCE 1988: ABERDEEN AND NORTH EAST SCOTLAND. Y. 13-14.
- --- SAB1922 Bibliographic reference: THOM, A. 1980. BAR 81. Y. 198-9.
- --- SAB19624 Air-oblique Photograph: Jun 25 1996 . AAS/96/04/CT7, 9. Colour Transparency. AAS/96/04/CT7, 9.
- --- SAB20508 Ground Photograph: Jan 1 1921 . DP 043102 . Black & White. DP 043102 .
- --- SAB20509 Air-oblique Photograph: Apr 22 2009 . DP 067846-52. Digital. DP 067846-52.
- --- SAB20510 Ground Photograph: Oct 6 1999 . D 50720 CN. Colour Negative. D 50720 CN.
- --- SAB20511 Ground Photograph: Feb 1 1908 . AB 2513-4. Black & White. AB 2513-4.
- --- SAB20512 Ground Photograph: Jan 1 1902 . AB 2541. Black & White. AB 2541.
- --- SAB20513 Ground Photograph: Jan 1 1902 . AB 2423. Black & White. AB 2423.
- --- SAB20514 Air-oblique Photograph: Mar 3 2003 . E 99960 CS. Digital. E 99960 CS.
- --- SAB231 Bibliographic reference: COLES, FR. 1901. PSAS 35(1900-01) 187-248. 197-201.
- --- SAB32749 Ground Photograph: Jan 1 1989 . AAS/GR/89/CT329,335. Colour Transparency. AAS/GR/89/CT329,335.
- --- SAB33909 Ground Photograph: Nov 1 1984 . CNH. Colour Negative. CNH.
- --- SAB36185 Ground Photograph: Oct 2 2022 . B Mann. Digital. B Mann.
- --- SAB4618 Bibliographic reference: MacGREGOR, G. 2002. Making monuments out of mountains:the role of colo. N.
- --- SAB557 Bibliographic reference: FRASER, S. M.. 2003. CASTLE FRASER ESTATE, PP.15-16. Y. N.
- --- SAB998 Bibliographic reference: KENWORTHY, JB. 1972. RING-CAIRNS IN NORTH-EAST SCOTLAND. IN SCOT ARCH FORUM 4, 24.
Finds (5)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (1)
Record last edited
Mar 26 2026 2:41PM