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<< Our Photo Pages >> Torphichen Churchyard Stone - Standing Stone (Menhir) in Scotland in West Lothian

Submitted by Sunny100 on Thursday, 08 December 2011  Page Views: 9693

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Torphichen Churchyard Stone Alternative Name: Torphichen Sanctuary Stone, Torphichen Refuge Stone
Country: Scotland
NOTE: This site is 3.021 km away from the location you searched for.

County: West Lothian Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Nearest Town: Bathgate  Nearest Village: Torphichen
Map Ref: NS96847250
Latitude: 55.934453N  Longitude: 3.652877W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
3 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
3 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
4 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
5

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I have visited· I would like to visit

AstroGeologist visited on 25th Aug 2018 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 3 Access: 5 Torpichen Cup Marked Menhir : This 75cm tall Cup Marked Menhir sits in the graveyard of the Torpichen Preceptory, which was built around the site of the Menhir by the Knights Hospitallers in 1168, who built the Preceptory on the site of an earlier Celtic Cell. The Menhir has associations with Irish Monks, Ringan (St Ninian) in the 4th century & MoEcca (St Féchín) in the 7th. The Celtic carvings that once adorned this Menhir, are thought to date from this period (but sadly they no longer remain) Five small cup-marks on the East face of the Menhir date from the early Bronze Age when it stood on Cairnpapple Hill (2km away to the East) the Cup Mark on top looks like it has been deepened at a later date, probably when the Knights added the cross. The location is a bit unusual, it now sit's under a Yew Tree, and a modern gravestone is situated between the Menhir and the Tree, making it difficult to get photograph's of it that don't contain graves. There are plenty of fascinating graves to be seen but the Sandstone Menhir is spectacular looking, and feeling. Even if it is small. The shape of it, along with the Cup Marks really give off a feeling of importance. It's true history may be lost, due to the many uses of the Menhir over the millennia. But one thing it hasn't lost, is character. *Getting There ; Around a 20 minute walk from Gormyre Menhir, which is 1.6km away (or a 4.9km walk if coming from the Bathgate train station) Coming from Gormyre, go back to the gate and turn right, follow this country road for 1.3km, take the turns of the road but there are NO turn off's to take. Just keep walking and you'll end up in Torpichen. Its mostly downhill. Once you get to Torpichen take your 1st left and walk along a couple hundred metres and you'll arrive at the Torpichen Preceptory.

Anne T visited on 30th Sep 2017 - their rating: Cond: 2 Amb: 4 Access: 5 Torphichen Preceptory (next door to the church): Also known as Hospital Of Torphichen; Preceptory Of St John; War Memorials. Finally, on our third attempt, just after 2pm on a Saturday afternoon, we managed to find the small visitor portacabin open and a guide present. Guide was Liam from Order of St. John. Charming, very helpful man, in looks reminiscent of the Knights Templar. Because he was giving individual tours to everyone who turned up, he was over-stretched, and didn’t really have time to spent with us, but answered my questions as best he could. Liam pointed out some of the features in the Preceptory itself, including old architects drawings on the walls, and walked us up to the exhibition on first floor of tower – up 45 spiral stone steps – where he pointed out a grave marker used as a lintel. When another family arrived, he left us to take them round. I found out, through reading the display, that there was an incised stone with cross in the Parish church; Liam said unfortunately he didn’t have the keys for the church, but to come back if we wanted to look.

Anne T visited on 13th May 2017 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 5 Torphichen Sanctuary Stone, West Lothian: After an exciting day at the filming of Robot Wars yesterday we stayed overnight at daughter and son-in-law's nearby. Torphichen is a lovely little village (Cairnpapple is also signposted further on from here), larger than I expected. The parish church incorporates/is next to the Preceptory of the Knights Hospitaller of the Order of St John of Jerusalem, which dates from the late 12th century. The sanctuary stone is in the front of the churchyard (to the left of the gate as you enter, sheltering under a yew tree). There are other boundary stone markers around the area, and I really wanted to go and find these (the Canmore record says that they ‘once sat t a mile radius on each point of the compass. Of which the Gormyre Stone to the east-north-east and the Westfield stone survive’) but we had other priorities for the day. Another visit, probably in September/October. There were some really interesting tombstones, particularly at the east end of the church – little people/heads/bones. Had some fun photographing these. The Preceptory wasn’t open until 1pm on the day of our visit, so we missed it. Peering through a grill into the structure, it looked absolutely fascinating. Andrew discovered what looked like a well (similar to the Galilee Well at Durham Cathedral) against the east wall of the church, although I haven’t found any mention of it on any of the historical records (yet) although Canmore says there are 2 wells in the village, one of which supplied the Preceptory.



Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 3 Ambience: 3.67 Access: 5

Torphichen Churchyard Stone
Torphichen Churchyard Stone submitted by Anne T : The side of the Sanctuary stone showing at least five cup marks. The stone 'swells' from the ground to the top, which Canmore says is 12 and one half inches square. (Vote or comment on this photo)
The Torphichen standing stone is located in the kirkyard of the parish church and preceptory. This site is at the eastern side of the village just to the north of the B792 road and some 3 miles north of Bathgate.

In the kirkyard a small square-shaped standing stone is believed to date from the Bronze-Age. Historians think the stone came from the nearby prehistoric site of Cairnpapple, but was perhaps reused in the 4th century by St Ninian and, later by the Irish St Feichin (Fechin) during the 6th-7th century. On the front the stone bears at least five cup-marks or pock marks, whilst the side has some faint Celtic-style carvings. On the top there is an incised cross and a small hollow in the centre, possibly once used for baptisms.

In 1124 the Knights Hospitallers (Knights of St John) built a preceptory here and they used the ancient stone to mark the site as a place of sanctuary or refuge. The stone would mark the centre of the area of sanctuary around their church covering one mile - this being the so-called Scottish mile.

A second standing stone at nearby Westfield (Os grid ref NS.9437 7211) which has a Maltese cross on it, marks the outer limit of the one mile of sanctuary around the church. Again, this second stone is thought to be prehistoric.

For more information see Canmore site no. 47929. This site is also featured on The Ancient Stones: A Guide to Standing Stones and Stone Circles in the South of Scotland - see their entry for the Refuge Stone, Torphichen Preceptory, which includes a descriptions, directions for finding this site with nearby parking, folklore and fieldnotes. The Journal of Antiquities also includes an entry for the Torphichen Sanctuary Stone, West Lothian, Scotland, which includes an antiquarian drawing of the stone, a description, background information about the possible age, origin and use of the stone, plus a list of reference sources for more information.
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Torphichen Churchyard Stone
Torphichen Churchyard Stone submitted by tjyukito : 9/Feb/2020 heavy windy day (Vote or comment on this photo)

Torphichen Churchyard Stone
Torphichen Churchyard Stone submitted by tjyukito (Vote or comment on this photo)

Torphichen Churchyard Stone
Torphichen Churchyard Stone submitted by tjyukito (Vote or comment on this photo)

Torphichen Churchyard Stone
Torphichen Churchyard Stone submitted by AstroGeologist : Facing SE (25.08.18) : On the Northern edge at the top of the Menhir is a cross, added by the Knights Hospitaller. It is debated by some - as to who carved the Cup Mark at the top of the Menhir, l beleive it was already on the Menhr when the Knights carved their cross into it, when you are there looking at it, it;s plain to see they were carved in 2 different era's) (Vote or comment on this photo)

Torphichen Churchyard Stone
Torphichen Churchyard Stone submitted by AstroGeologist : Facing NW (25.08.18) : On the Northern edge at the top of the Menhir is a cross, added by the Knights Hospitaller. It seems they also deepened the pre-existing Cup Mark (Why they done this - nobody know's, yet) (Vote or comment on this photo)

Torphichen Churchyard Stone
Torphichen Churchyard Stone submitted by AstroGeologist : Facing SW (25.08.18) : General view of the Cup Marked Menhir

Torphichen Churchyard Stone
Torphichen Churchyard Stone submitted by AstroGeologist : Facing SW (25.08.18) : The NE sides of the Menhir (Can you make out vague traces of patterns carved into the North face of this weathered Menhir?)

Torphichen Churchyard Stone
Torphichen Churchyard Stone submitted by AstroGeologist : Facing S (25.08.18) : The North face of the Menhir (Looks like this had some carvings on it previously, but now it looks really weathered, almost water worn)

Torphichen Churchyard Stone
Torphichen Churchyard Stone submitted by AstroGeologist : Facing SE (25.08.18) : Showing the NW sides of the Menhir (The Menhir is now set at an unusual angle)

Torphichen Churchyard Stone
Torphichen Churchyard Stone submitted by AstroGeologist : Facing W (25.08.18) : Showing the shape of the The East face of the Menhir

Torphichen Churchyard Stone
Torphichen Churchyard Stone submitted by AstroGeologist : Facing W (25.08.18) : The East face of the Menhir contains at least 5 Cup Marks (The 3 top Cup marks are arranged in an Orion's belt type pattern)

Torphichen Churchyard Stone
Torphichen Churchyard Stone submitted by AstroGeologist : Facing NE (25.08.18) : Small Menhir like stone right at entrance of the Graveyard to Torpichen Preceptory. (Could THIS have been the Sanctuary marker stone? and not the Cup Marked Menhir 25m away?)

Torphichen Churchyard Stone
Torphichen Churchyard Stone submitted by AstroGeologist : Facing N (25.08.18) : Small Menhir like stone at entrance of the Graveyard has a bowl like depression at the top (For holy water ?)

Torphichen Churchyard Stone
Torphichen Churchyard Stone submitted by AstroGeologist : Facing S (25.08.18) : Small Menhir like stone at entrance of the Graveyard

Torphichen Churchyard Stone
Torphichen Churchyard Stone submitted by AstroGeologist : Facing W : The Templar Bar across the street from the Menhir

Torphichen Churchyard Stone
Torphichen Churchyard Stone submitted by Anne T : Standing virtually under the tree to get a photo of the fourth (northern) side of the Sanctuary stone, also showing the side with cup marks. Still couldn't make out any faint Celtic style carvings.

Torphichen Churchyard Stone
Torphichen Churchyard Stone submitted by Anne T : Another side of the Torphichen stone is supposed to have some faint Celtic style carvings. I photographed the different sides, but couldn't really make out anything. This is the side facing the nearest tombstone and tree (south side).

Torphichen Churchyard Stone
Torphichen Churchyard Stone submitted by Anne T : One of the sides of the Torphichen stone is supposed to have some faint Celtic style carvings. I photographed the different sides, but couldn't really make out anything. This is the side facing the footpath from the road to the church.

Torphichen Churchyard Stone
Torphichen Churchyard Stone submitted by Anne T : The top of the Sanctuary stone, which has a cross-shape incised in it, together with a small hole/socket/bowl. Canmore says these 'probably have no connections with the cup marks'.

Torphichen Churchyard Stone
Torphichen Churchyard Stone submitted by Anne T : The Sanctuary stone sits in the part of the churchyard nearest to the road, tucked under a big yew tree and very near a modern grave marker.

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 1.4km ENE 62° Gormyre* Standing Stone (Menhir) (NS98067311)
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Re: Torphichen Churchyard Stone by Anne T on Thursday, 12 October 2017
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On 30th September 2017, on our third visit, we finally found the small visitor centre open, and a guide present. We had a short guided tour of the Preceptory and were taken up to the exhibition on the first floor of the tower. This told us there was a cross inscribed stone in the church itself, but unfortunately they didn't have a key. Future visitors might be luckier than we were, and be able to see this stone as well as the central refuge stone in the churchyard. A really lovely site with a huge sense of history and the past.
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