Description

The monument comprises the remains of a recumbent stone circle dating to the Bronze Age (2500 BC to 800 BC). It is visible as a large recumbent stone (a stone set on its side rather than upright), two fallen flanking stones, a single fallen stone and the broken remains of at least two further stones. Traces of a cairn survive in the interior. The monument is located on a gentle east-facing slope at about 210m above sea level.

The stone circle is oval on plan measuring about 22m from east-northeast to west-southwest by a maximum of 20m. The recumbent and flankers are positioned on the south-southeast arc of the stone circle. The recumbent stone measures 2.35m in length by 1.85m in height, though it was originally larger and three large fragments have been broken off and lie around the foot of the stone. The flankers now lie flat and measure 2.1m and 2.25m respectively. They are formed of different types of stone, the western of apelite-granite and the eastern of tuff. The western flanker is much thicker and wider than the eastern stone. When upright both flankers would have curved over the edges of the recumbent stone. A standing stone, now lying flat and measuring 1.7m in length, is positioned on the north-northwest arc of the circle. The broken remains of two standing stones lie on the west and southwest. Two more stone fragments lie on the east-northeast and south-southwest of the circle and may be the remains of two further standing stones. The remains of an internal cairn survive in the interior, visible as a stony swelling on the southwest and low scarp on the east.

The scheduled area is circular, measuring 32m in diameter and centred on the stone circle. It includes the remains described above and an area around within which evidence relating to the monument's construction, use and abandonment is expected to survive, as shown in red on the accompanying map. The forestry track is specifically excluded to a depth of 30cm to allow for its maintenance.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The national importance of the monument is demonstrated in the following way(s) (see Designations Policy and Selection Guidance, Annex 1, para 17): 

a.  The monument is of national importance because it makes a significant contribution to our understanding or appreciation of the past, or has the potential to do so as a recumbent stone circle, one of only 80 or so known in Scotland.

b.   The monument retains structural attributes which make a significant contribution to our understanding or appreciation of the past as a recumbent stone circle of Bronze Age date. Study of the form, layout and construction techniques has the potential to increase our understanding of this monument and other similar monuments.

d.   The monument is a good example of a recumbent stone circle, retaining many original features and is therefore an important representative of this monument type.

e.   The monument has research potential which could significantly contribute to our understanding or appreciation of the past, in particular prehistoric religious practice, the chronological development of religious monuments and wider changes in society during the Bronze Age. 

f.   The monument makes a significant contribution to or our understanding of the historic landscape as a recumbent stone circle which would have been part of a wider domestic and ritual landscape. Recumbent stone circles are a distinctive form of monument unique to northeast Scotland. Study of this monument in relationship to the other monuments of a similar date in the area can enhance our understanding of these monuments within the historic landscape.

Assessment of Cultural Significance

This statement of national importance has been informed by the following assessment of cultural significance:

Intrinsic characteristics (how the remains of a site or place contribute to our knowledge of the past)

The monument is the upstanding and buried remains of a recumbent stone circle, a form of monument found only in northeast Scotland. Although many of the stones have been removed, it survives as a substantial monument. The circle was oval on plan and originally comprised a recumbent stone setting (the recumbent stone and two flankers), an unknown number of standing stones and an internal cairn. However, the plan can be traced, and the monument displays features also seen at other recumbent stone circles. This includes flankers of contrasting widths and an indication that the standing stones of the ring were graded in height from south to north. A more unusual feature is the suggestion that the eastern and western arcs of the stone circle may have been constructed using different types of stone, with each arc headed by a flanker of contrasting type.

Dating evidence indicates that recumbent stone circles were built and used during the Bronze Age. They were used for ritual and burial and often re-used at a later date. Excavations of similar sites elsewhere have revealed evidence for complex development sequences and this type of monument can include structural features such as a platform, cairn and burials within and around the circle. Excavations at Tomnaverie stone circle (scheduled monument SM90303) found that the site was first used for cremation pyres, which gradually built up into a low mound of cremation remains. This mound was then incorporated into a polygonal cairn, open at the centre and within a well-defined kerb.

There is, therefore, the potential for the survival of evidence for the form, function, development and use of this funerary and ritual site over time, as well as environmental evidence that will aid the reconstruction of what the local area looked like when the monument was built.

Scientific study of the structure of the monument compared with other recumbent stone circles has the potential to enhance our understanding of the development sequence of this site. It would increase our understanding of recumbent stone circles in general and variation within this regional group.

Contextual characteristics (how a site or place relates to its surroundings and/or to our existing knowledge of the past)

This monument is part of a well-defined regional group of monuments found in northeast Scotland, of which fewer than 80 are known. The group combines a number of similar elements. They have a large recumbent stone set horizontally between two tall pillars or flankers on the southern quarter to form a recumbent setting. In addition, there are further, graded, upright stones forming a circle and a low internal cairn. Frendraught is important as a component of this regional group and a further five recumbent stone circles lie within 8km, including Cairnton (scheduled monument reference SM11; Canmore ID 17855), Yonder Bognie (scheduled monument reference SM56; Canmore ID 18335), Bellman's Wood (scheduled monument reference 346, Canmore ID 18427), Cairn Riv (scheduled monument reference 336, Canmore ID 18323) and Pitlassie (scheduled monument reference 38, Canmore ID 18359). Raich stone circle (scheduled monument reference 42, Canmore ID 18361), a four poster stone circle of broadly similar date, also lies about 1km to the northeast. The monument at Frendraught therefore has the potential to enhance and broaden our understanding of the Bronze Age landscape and the placing of such sites in the landscape, as well as prehistoric society and community.

More widely, recumbent stone circles share several physical characteristics with other forms of stone circles and cairns, in particular ring cairns and Clava cairns. Shared structural features include an outer stone circle with stones graded by size to highlight a particular direction. They also include a cairn, a platform, internal divisions or spreads of material radiating from the centre of the monument and the artefactual remains of various activities.

What makes the recumbent forms unique is their use of a horizontally lain stone within the south arc of the circle. It has been suggested that this feature is connected to specific lunar or solar alignments and events, the framing of specific views to and from the monument, while other researchers think that the erection of the circle with its recumbent marked the end (or closure) of a particular episode of use for the monument. The significance of individual examples of this monument type increases because researchers think they were often built, reused and adapted with common elements (such as cairns, stone circles and platforms) but in a different sequence or with variations in design and layout.

This monument, therefore, has the potential to enhance our understanding of the development of Bronze Age monumentality and burial, the nature of belief systems, ceremony and ritual, as well as the place of such monuments within contemporary society. It has the potential to enhance our understanding of important connections between regions during the Bronze Age.

Associative characteristics (how a site or place relates to people, events, and/or historic and social movements)

There are no known associative characteristics that contribute to this monument's national importance.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

Historic Environment Scotland http://www.canmore.org.uk reference number CANMORE ID 18370 (accessed on 12/06/2024).

Local Authority HER Reference NJ64SW0006 (accessed on 17/06/2024).

Bradley, R. and Phillips, T. (2005). Excavations at Tomnaverie Stone Circle. In: Bradley, R. (ed.) The Moon and the Bonfire. An investigation of three stone circles in north-east Scotland. Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, Edinburgh, pp. 9-51.

Burl, H. A. W. (1973). The recumbent stone circles of north-east Scotland. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, Vol. 102, pp.56-81. Accessed online at https://journals.socantscot.org/index.php/psas/article/view/8767

Ritchie, J. 1917. Notes on some stone circles in central Aberdeenshire. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 51, 30-47. Accessed online at https://journals.socantscot.org/index.php/psas/article/view/7406

Welfare, A. 2011. Great crowns of stone. The recumbent stone circles of Scotland. RCAHMS: Edinburgh.

Welfare, A. 2011. Great crowns of stone. The recumbent stone circles of Scotland. Gazetteer and appendices. RCAHMS: Edinburgh. Accessed online at https://www.historicenvironment.scot/media/4427/great-crowns-stone-illustrated-gazetteer.pdf

Canmore

https://canmore.org.uk/site/18370/

Source: Historic Environment Scotland