Monzie

Variously described as a stone circle, cairn circle, kerb cairn and kerb circle, this circle consists of ten stones, although legend has it that it’s impossible to count all of them. A short distance to the south-west is a large prostrate outlier, profusely decorated with cup-marks, cup-and-ring-markings and a dumbell. This stone was found to be connected to the circle by a causeway (3.4m long by 1.0m wide) of stone cobbles.

The south-east stone in the circle also features cup-marks, cup-and-ring- markings and dumbells. There is a gap in the circle at the south-east which suggests there may have been as many as 15 stones originally. At the west- south-west, the three largest stones are arranged close together.

Excavation in 1938 revealed much about the centre of the circle. Evidence of extensive burning by a hazelwood fire was found, and in an upper layer possible Early Iron Age pottery was uncovered. Further down, sited “eccentrically” near the centre of the circle, was a crude cist containing the cremated remains of an adult and a six year old child and fragments of quartz. Quartz was also found scattered around the stones.

The best time of year to visit would probably be autumn or winter, as the area around the circle is left thick with nettles and weeds during the summer months.

stone sizes – no higher than 0.85m
diameter of circle – 5.50m
cup-marked rock – 2.50m long x 1.50m wide