Battle Stone

This Class II cross slab known as the Battle Stone was first recorded in 1832 standing in the middle of a field below Mortlach churchyard. Another stone, Mortlach 2, was found during grave-digging in 1925 around 9m to the north-west.

The graveyard of the church was later extended to the south-east leaving the stone standing on a path in the new lower graveyard.

The Battle Stone measures around 1.8m tall above ground by 0.56m across by 0.18m thick. On one side it is carved with a bird above a serpent and a bull’s head with a mounted warrior and a dog at the bottom. On the other side is an outline cross with spiral decoration, above which are two fish monsters and below which is a beast of some sort.