Aberdeenshire SMR

Site Name	STRICHEN STONE CIRCLE
Site Type	Anvils; Beakers; Bones; Cairns; Chips; Cists; Hammer-stones; Pits; Rubbing-stones; Stone-circles; Stones; Urns
Period	Bronze Age (incl beakers); Neolithic; Recent (20th Century)
Parish	Strichen
Map Reference	NJ 9367 5447
Ref Number	NJ95SW0001
Description	Recumbent stone circle; the grey granite stones are of local origin. All of them except the recumbent & its flankers were pulled down by a tennant farmer in 1830. Mr Fraser, later Lord Lovat, the landowner ordered them to be replaced, but this was done wrongly and the circle was re-erected to the S of the recumbent. A landscaped earthen bank was built around this new ring. In 1960 every one of the stones was removed. The recumbent & flankers were replaced but subsequently taken away during tree-felling operations in 1965. Excavations by A Burl in 1979 revealed that the original situation of the circle was immediately to the N although the recumbent & its flankers were in their prehistoric location. Quartz, flints and sherds of prehistoric pottery were discovered during the excavation. A cremation lay within the prehistoric bank to the NE of the recumbent. Several hammer stones & rubbing stones were found along with a cup & ring marked stone which was buried in a small stone-lined pit on the N periphery of the central area. After excavation the stones were replaced in their original positions and the circle reconstructed.

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