<< Our Photo Pages >> Aberlemno - Standing Stones in Scotland in Angus

Submitted by cosmic on Saturday, 12 March 2022  Page Views: 29405

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Aberlemno
Country: Scotland County: Angus Type: Standing Stones
Nearest Town: Montrose  Nearest Village: Aberlemno
Map Ref: NO52245586  Landranger Map Number: 54
Latitude: 56.692015N  Longitude: 2.781369W
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
 4 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
 4 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.
 5 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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X-Ice coin eirrac5 Lucianne would like to visit

aolson visited on 30th Jun 2024 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 5 A highlight of our trip to Scotland. After seeing many Pictish stones in museums, it was great to see some in almost their natural setting.

LenGilbert visited on 10th Aug 2015 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 5 At the car park across the street, you have easy access to the three stones. Mind the traffic as you cross and remember to continue to the kirk to see the stone there.

SandyG visited on 31st Aug 2013 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 5

jeffrep visited on 13th May 2013 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 5

megalithicmatt visited on 30th May 2005 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 5 Picturesque setting despite being right by the road!

Andy B visited #4 in our rundown of favourite standing stones (and pairs) in Britain

DrewParsons h_fenton rldixon hamish AngieLake have visited here

Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 4 Ambience: 4.4 Access: 5

Aberlemno
Aberlemno submitted by dodomad : A carved Pictish symbol stone uncovered in a field in Aberlemno in 2022. Only 200 Pictish symbol stones are known to exist Photo Credit: University of Aberdeen (Vote or comment on this photo)
The village of Aberlemno in Angus was apparently an important Pictish centre and boasts four Pictish stones along with one recently rediscovered in 2022. One is in the Churchyard at NO522556 whilst the other three, including the one labelled the Mourning Angel, are at the side of old Forfar-Brechin road (B9134) at NO5228 5592, 400 yards away to the NNW.

The one in the churchyard is a CII slade orientated North-South whlst the other three have their major sides facing East-West. From October to Easter they are all covered by wooden boxes to protect them from frost so save your visit untll the summer!

Additional Information supplied by Drew Parsons after a September 2012 visit: There is a car park opposite the three stones on the B9134. There is also a car park just past the church for the churchyard stone. The latter is located in the church grounds between the church and the road. The GPS / Ordnance Survey grid reference on this page is for the 3 stones on the B9134. That for the Churchyard Stone is NO 5223 5555 Another stone was found by a local farmer during ploughing and is now held at the McManus Galleries in Dundee ( see the Megalithic Portal page for McManus Galleries for a photo of that stone).

For more information see:
Canmore ID 34861; Canmore ID 34862; Canmore ID 34806; Canmore ID 34860, and Canmore ID 34863.

Two lovely new 3D models - one of this archetypal Pictish symbol stone, also one of Barlgarthno stone circle - try them out further down our page.

Note: Archaeologists rediscover a Pictish symbol stone close to the location of some of the most significant carved stones ever uncovered in Scotland. Photos, video and more on our page
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Aberlemno
Aberlemno submitted by SandyG : The wonderful Class I stone beside the road. Imagine being lucky enough to have something as wonderful as this on your doorstep (21st August 2013). (Vote or comment on this photo)

Aberlemno
Aberlemno submitted by TheYellowDart07 : (Vote or comment on this photo)

Aberlemno
Aberlemno submitted by pasckal : Personal view of the megalith (Vote or comment on this photo)

Aberlemno
Aberlemno submitted by rldixon : Aberlemno stone taken in Infra red 2007 (Vote or comment on this photo)

Aberlemno
Aberlemno submitted by rldixon : Aberlemno standing stone this is the one in the Kirkyard taken july 2007 (Vote or comment on this photo)

Aberlemno
Aberlemno submitted by rldixon : Aberlemno pictish stone 2007

Aberlemno
Aberlemno submitted by AngieLake : The reverse (south side) of my favourite Pictish stone at Aberlemno seemed to have cup-marks carved in the lower part of it. This shot taken 5th July 2001. This is one of the finest Class I Pictish stones. It is of sandstone and stands on the roadside to the north of the church. The design shows a snake, double-disc and Z-rod with a mirror and comb below (9 comments)

Aberlemno
Aberlemno submitted by DrewParsons : The reverse side of the churchyard stone viewed towards the church. The stone stands between the church and the lane inside the church grounds. Parking is available a few metres past the church.

Aberlemno
Aberlemno submitted by DrewParsons : The stone in the churchyard. September 2012.

Aberlemno
Aberlemno submitted by h_fenton : Aberlemno II, a Class II pictish stone which stands in Aberlemno Kirkyard. 4 May 2011

Aberlemno
Aberlemno submitted by rldixon : Aberlemno stone taken in Infra red july 2007

Aberlemno
Aberlemno submitted by DrewParsons : The southernmost stone on the B9134. September 2012.

Aberlemno
Aberlemno submitted by TheYellowDart07 :

Aberlemno
Aberlemno submitted by rldixon : Aberlemno kirkyard standing stone rear view taken july 2007

Aberlemno
Aberlemno submitted by rldixon : Aberlemno pictish stone 2007

Aberlemno
Aberlemno submitted by cosmic : The village of Aberlemno in Angus was apparently an important Pictish centre and boasts four Pictish stones. Three are at the side of old Forfar-Brechin road at NO-523559 including the one labelled the Mourning Angel (2 comments)

Aberlemno
Aberlemno submitted by Antonine : Aberlemno I, 2008

Aberlemno
Aberlemno submitted by dodomad : A carved Pictish symbol stone uncovered in a field in Aberlemno in 2022. Images such as a mirror can be found carved into the stone Close up detail of a mirror carved into a Pictish symbol stone uncovered in a field in Aberlemno Photo Credit: University of Aberdeen

Aberlemno
Aberlemno submitted by jeffrep : Front of the Largest and One of Three Alberlemno Stones Near the Roadway, Angus, Scotland.

Aberlemno
Aberlemno submitted by DrewParsons : The northernmost stone on the B9134 at Aberlemno. This one is my favourite! September 2012.

Aberlemno
Aberlemno submitted by DrewParsons : Detail from the southernmost stone on the east side of the B9134 at Aberlemno. September 2012.

Aberlemno
Aberlemno submitted by DrewParsons : The base of the churchyard stone. September 2012.

Aberlemno
Aberlemno submitted by Sunny100 : The reverse side of the Aberlemno Pictish class II stone. It is 2 metres high and dates from the 7th-9th century. A battle scene is depicted which is generally thought to be the 'battle of Nechtansmere' which was fought close by in 685 CE. There are many warriors on horseback, others with long spears, a Z-rod and a three chain symbol. Notice also a hole near the top which is thought to be more rec...

Aberlemno
Aberlemno submitted by Sunny100 : Aberlemno Pictish symbol stone stands next to the B9134 road outside the village. At 5 feet tall it is carved with symbols, a double-disc, serpent and Z-rod. It was probably a boundary stone that was Christianised in the 6th-8th century. On the reverse side there are cup-marks which could mean the stone itself is prehistoric.

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 1.7km W 260° Finavon* Vitrified Fort (NO506556)
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 2.2km S 182° West Mains 1 & 2 (Turin Hill) Rock Art (NO52145369)
 4.0km SSE 159° Westerton (Aberlemno)* Stone Circle (NO53645210)
 4.6km SSW 201° Reswallie House rock art* Rock Art (NO50535154)
 4.7km SW 222° Rob's Reed Stone Fort or Dun (NO49065243)
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 5.7km WSW 247° Baggerton Class I Pictish Symbol Stone (NO469537)
 6.1km S 174° Girdle Stane of Dunnichen* Rock Art (NO5280849737)
 6.2km E 80° St Murdoch's Well (Brechin) Holy Well or Sacred Spring (NO58405682)
 6.3km S 185° Dunnichen* Class I Pictish Symbol Stone (NO516496)
 6.4km WSW 250° Carse Gray* Stone Circle (NO462538)
 6.4km NE 37° Killievair* Standing Stone (Menhir) (NO562609)
 6.9km NE 53° Pictavia* Museum (NO578599)
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 7.2km ENE 63° St Ouret's Well (Brechin) Holy Well or Sacred Spring (NO58695904)
 7.9km NE 53° Dubton Farm Iron Age settlement and Souterrain Souterrain (Fogou, Earth House) (NO58616062)
 8.3km ENE 59° Aldbar* Class III Pictish Cross Slab (NO594601)
 8.5km SSE 159° Dumbarrow Hill Stone Fort or Dun (NO55154791)
 8.5km ENE 59° Brechin Cathedral* Sculptured Stone (NO596601)
 8.5km SW 231° Meffan Institute* Museum (NO45525062)
 8.6km N 7° Menmuir Pictish Cross Slab Class III Pictish Cross Slab (NO534644)
 8.7km SE 132° Guthrie Cursus Cursus (NO587500)
 9.0km N 358° Hill of Menmuir* Rock Art (NO52096489)
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Aberlemno Rare Pictish Symbol Stone found by Runemage on Friday, 11 March 2022
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07 March 2022 The University of Aberdeen

"Archaeologists have uncovered a Pictish symbol stone close to the location of one of the most significant carved stone monuments ever uncovered in Scotland.

The team from the University of Aberdeen hit upon the 1.7metre-long stone in a farmer’s field while conducting geophysical surveys to try and build a greater understanding of the important Pictish landscape of Aberlemno, near Forfar.

Aberlemno is already well known for its Pictish heritage thanks to its collection of unique Pictish standing stones the most famous of which is a cross-slab thought to depict scenes from a battle of vital importance to the creation of what would become Scotland - the Battle of Nechtansmere.

The archaeologists were conducting geophysics surveys of the ground early in 2020 in an effort to better understand the history of the existing stones as part of the Leverhulme Trust funded Comparative Kingship project.

Taking imaging equipment over the ground, they found anomalies which looked like evidence of a settlement.

A small test pit was dug to try and establish whether the remains of any buildings might be present but to their surprise, the archaeologists came straight down onto a carved Pictish symbol stone, one of only around 200 known.

Their efforts to establish the character of the stone and settlement were hindered by subsequent Covid lockdowns and it was several months before they were able to return to verify their find.

The team think the stone dates to around the fifth or sixth century and, over the last few weeks, they have painstakingly excavated part of the settlement and removed it from its resting place - finding out more about the stone and its setting.

Professor Gordon Noble who leads the project says stumbling upon a stone as part of an archaeological dig is very unusual.

“Here at the University of Aberdeen we’ve been leading Pictish research for the last decade but none of us have ever found a symbol stone before,” he said.

“There are only around 200 of these monuments known. They are occasionally dug up by farmers ploughing fields or during the course of road building but by the time we get to analyse them, much of what surrounds them has already been disturbed.

“To come across something like this while digging one small test pit is absolutely remarkable and none of us could quite believe our luck.

To come across something like this while digging one small test pit is absolutely remarkable and none of us could quite believe our luck"
Professor Gordon Noble
“The benefits of making a find in this way are that we can do much more detailed work in regard to the context. We can examine and date the layers underneath it and extract much more detailed information without losing vital evidence.”

Research fellow Dr James O’Driscoll who initially discovered the stone describes the excitement: “We thought we’d just uncover a little bit more before we headed off for the day. We suddenly saw a symbol. There was lots of screaming. Then we found more symbols and there was more screaming and a little bit of crying!

“It’s a feeling that I’ll probably never have again on an archaeological site. It’s a find of that scale.”

Like the other stones at Aberlemno, the new discovery appears to be intricately carved with evidence of classic abstract Pictish symbols including triple ovals, a comb and mirror, a crescent and V rod and double discs. Unusually the stone appears to show different periods of carving with symbols overlying one another.

The stone has now been moved to Graciela Ainsworth conservation lab in Edinburgh where more detailed analysis

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3D model of the Serpent Pictish Symbol stone by Andy B on Sunday, 01 July 2018
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A Class 1 Pictish stone which sits opposite the Aberlemno Primary School beside the B9134. The top of one face features a serpent, below is a Z rod with double disc set, and at the lower right a mirror and comb. The stone also features cup marks on its rear of possible bronze age origin. It is thought that these monuments may have been colourised at some point in their past.




Serpent Stone, Aberlemno, Angus.
by Model by Darren Eyers FSA Scot
on Sketchfab



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    Re: 3D model of the Serpent Pictish Symbol stone by peigimccann on Tuesday, 03 July 2018
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    Thank-you for sharing this, what a treat - even the lichens are there!
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Re: Aberlemno by DrewParsons on Monday, 29 October 2012
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There is a car park opposite the three stones on the B9134. There is also a car park just past the church for the churchyard stone. The latter is located in the church grounds between the church and the road. The GPS / Ordnance Survey grid reference on this page is for the 3 stones on the B9134. That for the Churchyard Stone is NO 5223 5555

Another stone was found by a local farmer during ploughing and is now held at the McManus Galleries in Dundee ( see the Megalithic Portal page for McManus Galleries for a photo of that stone).

At some stage it would be a good idea to split these sites between the B9134 three stones and the churchyard stone. However, there are lots of photos to rename if that is done. I don't have time to do that but maybe someone else would be prepared to do it?
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Re: Aberlemno by coldrum on Tuesday, 13 April 2010
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Street View


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Re: Aberlemno by cosmic on Monday, 19 April 2004
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Condition:4
Ambience:4
Access:5
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    Re: Aberlemno by MatTheCat on Sunday, 06 June 2004
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    These stones are are very impressive to look at. However, they have been transported from there original positions and are no longer positoned upon energy leys (as far as I am aware). The most important megalithic site in the area is the vitrified hillfort on Finavon hill. It is quite likely that at least one of the stones was dislodged from the hillfort and transported to the roadside at Aberlemno. Whilst these stones are quite impressive and well worth checking out, I would advise the 'hidden landscape' tourist to go and check out Finavon Hillfort.
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Re: Aberlemno by Anonymous on Wednesday, 21 May 2003
I have been to see these stones the serpent I think
is best ,don't forget to drive down the road and stop at the church, the carving on the Pictish Cross in the churchyard is amazing as well.
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