Easthill


Site type: stone circle

Parish: Blackford

County: Perthshire

Grid reference: NN 9292 1246

Lat / long: 56.29201669, -3.73057009

Alternative names: Auchterarder; Tullibardine Road

The historic map is an Ordnance Survey map from 1919 to 1947, and is provided by the National Library of Scotland

This four-poster circle sat on a pronounced mound originally, but the mound was destroyed on the S side when the road was built, and has been ploughed away on the N side in the field. However, it's profile can still be seen by looking from the road. Two stones sit on the mound, surrounded by brambles behind the hedge, while another stone sits isolated on an island of grass at the junction of Tullibardine Road and Easthill Road. The fourth stone is also thought to be on the island, covered entirely by the grass.

The two hedgerow stones both feature interesting carvings. The NW stone has 4 large gouges cut into it's northern face, but the SE stone is much more interesting. On it's southern face is carved a medium-sized left hand-print, pointing down the way. The hand is quite faded, but can be easily found by running a hand over the surface of the stone.

The stones on the island in the road have fared less well. When Hutchison visited in 1893, both were lying prostrate, the more northerly one (now standing) half-covered by turf, and the more southerly one completely covered. The more northerly stone has a distinctive girdle mark around it's centre, and leans sharply to the E. The more southerly stone is presumably still buried in situ.

References (books)

  • The Queen's Scotland - Heartland of Scotland
  • Nigel Tranter
  • London, 1971

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    created Friday, May 14th, 2010 at 4:19 pm, last updated Wednesday, March 30th, 2011 at 11:21 pm