Description

The monument consists of a large central cairn surrounded by three surviving standing stones of a probable stone circle. It was originally scheduled in 1931 and is being rescheduled in order to clarify the extent of the scheduled area.

The cairn is c3m high and c30m in diameter and is surrounded by a modern stone retaining wall c0.75m high. The cairn is grassed over. It was reportedly opened in 1830 where a bronze spearhead or dagger was found together with small fragments of bone.

The NW standing stone is c1.9m high and c0.8m wide in the middle, tapering towards the top. The stone is irregular in shape. The S stone is c1.8m high x 0.8m x 0.5m and is quite regular in shape. The third stone at the NE is c1m high x 0.5m wide at maximum and is irregular in shape on one side. The three standing stones are linked by a modern tarmac path and are surrounded by small plinths of grass.

The area to be scheduled is irregular in plan with maximum dimensions of 154m N-S by 172m E-W. The property boundaries to N, E and S are specifically excluded from the scheduling.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance because of its potential to contribute to our understanding of prehistoric ritual and funerary practices. It is part of a larger ceremonial complex, with an outlier (scheduled separately to the east), of a kind unusual in southern Scotland.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

The monument is recorded by RCAHMS as NT17SW8.

References:

Anderson J 1878c, 'NOTES ON THE CHARACTER AND CONTENTS OF A LARGE SEPULCHRAL CAIRN OF THE BRONZE AGE AT COLLESSIE, FIFE, EXCAVATED BY WILLIAM WALLACE, ESQ., OF NEWTON OF COLLESSIE, IN AUGUST 1876 AND 1877', Proc Soc Antiq Scot 12, 449-50.

Baldwin J R 1985, EXPLORING SCOTLAND'S HERITAGE: LOTHIAN AND THE BORDERS, Exploring Scotland's Heritage series, Edinburgh, 161, No. 97.

Baldwin J 1997, EXPLORING SCOTLAND'S HERITAGE: LOTHIAN AND THE BORDERS, Exploring Scotland's Heritage series, Edinburgh, 202, 2nd.

Childe V G 1935a, THE PREHISTORY OF SCOTLAND, London, 111-12.

Coles F R 1903b, 'NOTICES OF (1) THE CAMP AT MONTGOLDRUM ... IN KINCARDINESHIRE; (2) A STONE CIRCLE CALLED THE HARESTONES IN PEEBLESSHIRE; (3) A CAIRN AND STANDING STONES AT OLD LISTON, AND OTHER STANDING STONES IN MIDLOTHIAN AND FIFE; (4) OF SOME HITHERTO UNDESCRIBED CUP AND RING-MARKED STONES; AND (5) RECENT DISCOVERIES OF URNS', OF URNS', Proc Soc Antiq Scot 37, 201-4.

Fyfe W W 1852, GUIDES TO THE SCOTTISH WATERING PLACES OR SUMMER LIFE ON LAND AND WATER, NO 1: SOUTH QUEENSFERRY, HOPETOUN AND FIRTH OF FORTH, WEST OF EDINBURGH, Edinburgh, 198.

Ordnance Survey (Name Book), ORIGINAL NAME BOOKS OF THE ORDNANCE SURVEY, Book No. 10, 11-12.

OSA 1791-9, THE STATISTICAL ACCOUNT OF SCOTLAND, DRAWN UP FROM THE COMMUNICATIONS OF THE MINISTERS OF THE DIFFERENT PARISHES, Sinclair, J (Sir), Edinburgh, Vol. 10, 68-9.

RCAHMS 1929, TENTH REPORT WITH INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS AND CONSTRUCTIONS IN THE COUNTIES OF MIDLOTHIAN AND WEST LOTHIAN, Edinburgh, HMSO, 95, No.131.

Ritchie J N G and Ritchie A 1972, EDINBURGH AND SOUTH-EAST SCOTLAND, Regional archaeologies series, London, 82-3.

Smith J A 1875a, 'NOTES OF ROCK SCULPTURINGS OF CUPS AND CONCENTRIC RINGS, AND "THE WITCHES' STONE" ON TORMAIN HILL; ALSO SOME EARLY REMAINS ON THE KAIMES HILL, ETC., NEAR RATHO, EDINBURGHSHIRE', Proc Soc Antiq Scot 10, 151.

Wilson D 1863b, PREHISTORIC ANNALS OF SCOTLAND, 2v, London, Vol. 1, 81, 2nd.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland