Machuim


Site type: stone circle

Parish: Kenmore

County: Perthshire

Grid reference: NN 6820 4015

Lat / long: 56.53451468, -4.143343358

Alternative names: Lawer's Mill

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

The stone circle at Machuim is in quite a ruinous state, but nonetheless has an impressive feel to it. With a look more akin to the circles of Aberdeenshire than Perthshire, it is made up of several large stones crowning a round mound protruding from a long natural ridge across the field. It has previously been listed wrongly by writers as Machulm or Machuinn.

Only four stones remain standing, while there are a further three that look as though they once stood. The earth mound on which they stand is approximately 10.0m in diameter, and on its SE side reaches a height of 1.0m above the field surface. Some field clearance material has been placed within the circle, but there is also a circle of kerb stones around the base of the mound.

Although the condition of the circle is quite sad, it enjoys a position on the lower slopes of Ben Lawers, which rises impressively behind it, affording good views across Loch Tay to the hills on the other side.

SE stone - 1.40m tall
S stone - 2.00m long
circle diameter - 6.70m x 5.80m WSW-ENE

References (books)

  • A Guide to the Stone Circles of Britain, Ireland and Brittany
  • Aubrey Burl
  • London and New Haven, 1976

  • Guide to Prehistoric Scotland
  • Richard Feachem
  • London, 1963

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    created Friday, May 14th, 2010 at 4:20 pm, last updated Wednesday, March 30th, 2011 at 11:47 pm