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Ulbster Stone

The Ulbster Stone is a Class II cross slab which features a crescent and V-rod and a Pictish beast amongst other symbols.

The stone is thought to have originally stood in the burial ground of St Martin’s Chapel at Ulbster. At some point it fell and became buried but in 1770 it was dug up and re-erected in a corner of the kirkyard. Later it was used as a grave slab which led to the front side becoming more worn than the reverse. A second, probably earlier, Class I symbol stone, known as St Martin’s Stone, was also reused as a gravestone.

In the 19th century the stone was moved to the grounds of Thurso Castle where it was set upright on an artificial mound (at ND 1255 6879) with the front pointing towards the sea which led to a further deterioration of the carvings.

Some time between 1910 and 1956 the stone was moved once again, and eventually ended up in the entrance doorway of Thurso Museum (later renamed Caithness Horizons and subsequently the North Coast Visitor Centre). It now stands within the North Coast Visitor Centre.

Carved from Old Red Sandstone, probably in the 9th century, it measures around 1.52m by around 0.91m wide and is approximately 0.20m in thickness. Both the front and reverse are carved with a cross and numerous symbols, with a mixture of relief carvings and incised lines.

The front is carved with an equal-armed cross surmounting a narrow shaft on a rectangular base. The cross, shaft and base are all filled with interlaced knotwork. Each terminal of the arms of the cross is filled with four interlinked triquetra knots. Above the arms of the cross are three carved animals, two cattle and a possible bear-like creature with paws.

Ulbster Stone

Below the arms of the cross are another pair of bear-like animals on either side of the shaft. Below the left-hand animal are a pair of men crouched either side of a cauldron and below them a snake. Below the right-hand animal is what might represent a flower, below that a horse and below that what has been interpreted as a foal with its legs folded under itself.

The Gothic text “The Ulbster Stone” is carved across the top terminal of the cross, which is thought to have been added in the 19th century.

Ulbster Stone

The reverse is carved with a simpler equal-armed cross, with all five constituent panels filled with four interlinked triquetra knots. Arranged around the cross are eight symbols. To the top left is a Pictish beast over a salmon.

Ulbster Stone

At the top right is a crescent and V-rod below which is a lion. Bottom left there is a geometric step symbol above an “S-dragon” and bottom right is a double disc above a double crescent.

Ulbster Stone

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Where is Ulbster Stone?

Ulbster Stone is in the parish of Thurso and the county of Caithness.

Grid reference: ND 3356 4185

Lat / long: 58.360109, -3.137057

Bing Maps | Google Maps | Historic maps (NLS) | OpenStreetMap | Ordnance Survey | PastMap | Streetmap | Wikimapia

OS Map for Ulbster Stone

OS map 450
Wick & The Flow Country (Lybster, Latheron & Dunbeath)
OS Explorer map 450


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Directions to Ulbster Stone

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Weather at Ulbster Stone

12°C
max 12°C / min 12°C
2km/h SE
1017mb
100%
40%
03:06 21:19

Light rain
Weather observed at Wick at 05:19

References (books)

Field Guide to the Pictish Symbol Stones
Alastair Mack
Balgavies, 1997
Sculptured Stones of Scotland (Volume 1)
John Stuart
Aberdeen, 1856
The Early Christian Monuments of Scotland
J. Romilly Allen
Edinburgh, 1903
The Pictish Guide
Elizabeth Sutherland
Edinburgh, 1997

References (websites)

Canmore

Pictish stones near Ulbster Stone

St Martin's Stone, Ulbster Class I symbol stone

0.0km away

Watenan Stone Class I symbol stone

2.6km away

Ackergill 2 Class I symbol stone

13.2km away

Ackergill 1 Class I symbol stone

13.2km away

Latheron 2 Class I symbol stone

16.0km away

Latheron 1 Class II cross slab

16.2km away

Birkle Hill Class I symbol stone

16.6km away

Skinnet Stone Class II cross slab

28.7km away

Craig of Hattel Class I symbol stone

30.9km away
more Pictish stones....
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Pictish sites near Ulbster Stone

Burghead fort

76.0km away

Gaulcross hoard

80.3km away

Torvean silver chain

119.0km away

Parkhill silver chain

138.9km away

Nigg silver chain

151.4km away

Dunnicaer fort

165.9km away

St. Ninian's Isle hoard

207.6km away

Norrie's Law hoard

234.4km away

Traprain Law silver chain

267.8km away
more Pictish sites....
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Pictish placenames near Ulbster Stone

Aberscross

70.1km away

Pitgrudy

73.8km away

Aberchirder

93.8km away

Aberdour

94.5km away

Pitsligo

95.6km away

Pittulie

96.0km away

Pitlurg

96.7km away

Aberlour

99.1km away

Pitcaple

121.9km away
more Pictish placenames....
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Ancient sites near Ulbster Stone

Heatherquoy (possible) broch

0.9km away

Ulbster School broch

1.2km away

Watenan North broch

1.8km away

Borrowston (possible) broch

1.8km away

Watenan South broch

2.0km away

Brounaban broch and cist

2.0km away

Gansclet (possible) (site of) broch

2.6km away

Yarrows broch

3.2km away

Thrumster broch

3.2km away
more ancient sites....
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Castles near Ulbster Stone

Gunn's Castle

4.3km away

Halberry Castle

5.4km away

Hempriggs House

5.7km away

Castle of Old Wick

7.7km away

Ackergill Tower

12.9km away

Swiney Castle

13.0km away

Forse Castle

13.7km away

Castle Sinclair

13.7km away

Castle Girnigoe

13.7km away
more castles....
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Accommodation near Ulbster Stone

Breadalbane House Hotel
hotelWick
9.2km away
Norseman Hotel
hotelWick
9.6km away
Ackergill Tower
hotel, restaurant, barWick
12.9km away
The Brown Trout Hotel
hotelWick
15.7km away
Greenland House
hotelThurso
29.5km away
The Castletown Hotel
hotelCastletown
29.9km away
St Clair Arms Hotel
hotelThurso
30.0km away
Seaview Hotel
hotelJohn O' Groats
31.2km away
Dunnet Head Cottage
self-catering cottage, bed and breakfastBrough
33.6km away
Royal Hotel Thurso
hotel, restaurant, barThurso
34.3km away

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Cafés, restaurants & bars near Ulbster Stone

Ackergill Tower
hotel, restaurant, barWick
12.9km away
The Storehouse
caféJohn O'Groats
31.8km away
Royal Hotel Thurso
hotel, restaurant, barThurso
34.3km away
Holborn Hotel
hotel, barThurso
34.4km away
Red Pepper Restaurant
restaurantThurso
34.4km away
Royal Golf Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barDornoch
74.4km away
Dornoch Castle Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barDornoch
74.6km away
The Eagle
hotel, restaurant, barDornoch
74.7km away
Rockpool Café
caféCullen
76.6km away
Johnstons of Elgin Coffee Shop
caféElgin
79.4km away
more food.... / more drink....

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Published on the 16th of April 2017 at 12:58 pm. Updated on the 1st of February 2025 at 12:57 pm.

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Andy Sweet above Fast Castle

Stravaiging around Scotland is written, photographed and researched by Andy Sweet.
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