Monument record MAB20878 - HILLHEAD COTTAGE, HILLHEAD ROAD

Boundary stone, a march stone of the Freedom Lands of Aberdeen, inscribed '17 ABD' and thus only defines the outer marches.

Boundary stone, a march stone of the Freedom Lands of Aberdeen, inscribed '17 ABD' and thus only defines the outer marches. It is located 150 metres east of 'Hillhead Cottage' (east of Hillhead Road), adjacent to a dyke (wall) and 2 burns. It is a simple granite stone tapered at the top. See also NJ80SE0011 for site of earlier cup marked stone. Aberdeen, in common with many other cities, features a number of march stones. 'March', in this sense, comes from the middle Scots word for boundary. In this particular case these set of stones numbered 1-65, but with additional stone marked alpha and omega. There is an inner set of march stones (marked ABD, the relevant number, and CR, for City Royalty) which define the outer edge of a ring of crofts which circled the old Royal Burgh of Aberdeen. These croft lands were known variously as the Burgh Roods and the 'terrirtorium croftorum burgi'. The majority of the stones define the Freedom Lands of Aberdeen: these lands were composed of several parcels of land acquired by Aberdeen at different points in its history. By a charter of 1319 Robert the Bruce feued to Aberdeen his Royal Forest of Stocket (the term Royal Forest here meaning a hunting ground) for £213 6s 8d Sterling. In 1379 Aberdeen purchased the lands of Gilcomston and in 1459 the lands of Cruives (now Woodside). The stones which define the Freedom Lands only (and not also the inner marches) are simply marked with the relevant number and the letters ABD. The freedom lands were effectively lands which Aberdeen had the right to rent out (or tack). In return this provided an annual income for the burgh. Parts of the lands were reserved as moss and moor land in order to provide natural resources for the burgh. From 1551 Aberdeen had the right to feu these lands. This led to the creation of several large estate around Aberdeen, such as those at Kingswells, or Northfield, most of which are recognisable as suburbs of Aberdeen today. The earliest boundary markers seem to have been natural features, such as burns and large stones. Over time a more sophisticated system arose using large 'earth fast' stones marked with saucers, or the town's mark or a series of holes, known as witter holes. It is also known that cairns were specifically erected in order to delineate the marches. Unfortunately none as these march cairns survive although in a number of cases the earth fast stones do. In 1790 a decision was taken to replace the old system of markers with the numbered and lettered stones, such as we see today. This was completed up to number 48. The remainder were completed later. The marches were inspected by the town magistrates at the Riding of the Marches. The earliest recorded riding in Aberdeen took place in 1525, although it was no doubt an older practice than that. The last recorded one took place on 4 September 1884.

Period Notes
Listed 16/04/1971

BABTIE GROUP, 2004, ABERDEEN WESTERN PERIPHERAL ROUTE: ARCHAEOLOGICAL DESK-BASED STUDY & WALKOVER SURVEY. VOL 1: TEXT, VOL 2 GAZETTEER, Site 69 (Bibliographic reference). SAB3745.

ABERDEEN CITY COUNCIL, 2015, TECHNICAL SURVEY OF MARCH STONES IN ABERDEEN CITY: DRAFT (Bibliographic reference). SAB6552.

Record last edited

Mar 17 2026 12:15PM