The Picts

Carved / sculpted stones, strongholds and settlements, and museums

From The Picts (Wee Guide)

List of places in the book: the full text of the The Picts (Wee Guide) includes location, description of the sculpted stone or museum and access to the places.

 

Links in white are to entries from the book, links in yellow to either Canmore or to the place's website, not all of which are relevant to the Pictish stones or all the stones at the site but should provide info on visiting. 

 

Inclusion of a site in the following list is no indication that the place can be or should be visited.

 

Where there are several stones at one site, if linked to Canmore only the first stone is linked.

Abdie Church

 

Aberdeen Marischal Museum

 

Aberdeenshire Council (Archaeology Service)

 

Aberlemno

 

Abernethy

 

Advie Church

 

Alyth

 

Ardlair

 

Arndilly House

 

Auquhollie Farmhouse

 

Balluderon (St Martin’s Stone)

 

Banchory House

 

Birnie Kirk

 

Blackford

 

Brechin Cathedral

 

Broch of Gurness (Aikerness)

 

Brodie Castle

 

Broomend of Crichie 

 

Brough of Birsay

 

Bruceton

 

Burghead (Headland Trust Museum)

 

Caiplie Chapel Cave

 

Cargill

 

Carn Liath Broch & Settlement 

 

Chapel of Garioch (Maiden Stone)

 

Clach Ard

 

Clatt

 

Clickimin

 

Collessie

 

Congash

 

Corrachree

 

Cossans (St Orland’s Stone)

 

Covesea Caves 

 

Craigmyle

 

Crail Parish Church

 

Dingwall

 

Dogton

 

Drimmies Farm

 

Dumbarton (Castle)

 

Dunachton

 

Dunadd

 

Dunblane Cathedral

 

Dundee Museum (The McManus)

 

Dundurn

 

Dunfallandy

 

Dunfermline Abbey

 

Dunino Den

 

Dunkeld Cathedral

 

Dunrobin Museum

 

Dupplin Cross (St Serf’s Church, Dunning

 

Dyce

 

Eassie

 

East Wemyss Caves

 

Edderton

 

Elgin Cathedral 

 

Elgin Museum 

 

Falkland Palace

 

Fetterangus

 

Fordoun Church, Auchenblae (St Palladius Stone)

 

Forres (Falconer) Museum

 

Fowlis Wester

 

Fyvie

 

Gairloch Heritage Museum

 

Glamis Manse

 

Glenferness House (Princess Stone)

 

Groam House Museum & Pictish Centre

 

Hawkhill (Parkmill)

 

Highland Council Chambers (Knocknagael Boar Stone)

 

Hill of Keillor

 

Hilton of Cadboll

 

Hunter’s Hill 

 

Inverallan

 

Inveravon Church

 

Inverness Museum & Art Gallery

 

Inverurie (Brandsbutt Stone)

 

Inverurie Old Church

 

Iona

 

Jarlshof 

 

Kettins

 

Kinblethmont House

 

Kinellar Church

 

Kinnell

 

Kintore

 

Kirkton of Bourtie (Bourtie Church)

 

Knockando Church

 

Largo

 

Latheron

 

Leith Hall 

 

Logierait

 

Meffan Museum and Art Gallery

 

Meigle Museum

 

Migvie

 

Moncrieffe House (Boar Stone of Gask)

 

Moniack Castle

 

Montrose Museum & Art Gallery 

 

Monymusk Church (St Mary’s)

 

Mortlach Church

 

Mounie Castle

 

Myreton Farm (Picardy Stone) 

 

National Museum of Scotland

 

Nether Corskie

 

Newton House

 

Nigg Old Parish Church

 

Orkney Museum

 

Pabbay

 

Park House

 

Perth Museum & Art Gallery

 

Pitcaple (Logie Elphinstone)

 

Poolewe

 

Raasay House

 

Rhynie (Craw Stane)

 

Rosskeen

 

Rossie Priory

 

St Andrews Cathedral Museum

 

St Vigeans Museum

 

Sandside House

 

Scone (Palace)

 

Shandwick

 

Shetland Museum and Archives

 

Strathmiglo

 

Strathpeffer Eagle Stone

 

Struan Church

 

Sueno’s Stone

 

Tarbat Discovery Centre

 

Thurso (Caithness Horizons)

 

Tillypronie House

 

Trusty’s Hill

 

Tullich Church

 

Turriff Manse

 

Tyrie Church (The Raven Stone)

 

Upper Manbeen

 

Urquhart Castle

 

Whitestones House

 

Whithorn Priory & Museum

Some other places to visit

 

Many sites on Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland are open to the public, including the impressive fort at Housesteads [01434 344363] and Chesters, near Hexham [01434 681379], which has a fine bath house. Both are in the care of English Heritage. Parts of the Antonine Wall can also be traced, the best section at Rough Castle (NS 835798), near Bonnybridge.

 

Hill forts occupied by the Picts include Dundarg (NJ 895649), Green Castle, Portnockie (NJ 488687), Castle Point, Troup (NJ 838661), Tap o’ Noth (NJ 485292), and probably Mither Tap o’ Bennachie, near Inverurie (NJ 682223), all in Aberdeenshire. Craig Phaidrig (NH 640452), Highland, may be where St Columba visited and converted the Pictish king Bridei, and excavation has confirmed occupation here in the 6th and 7th centuries. Other confirmed Pictish sites include Burrian, on North Ronaldsay; Buckquoy near the Brough of Birsay – now destroyed by the sea; and Howe, near Stromness, all in Orkney. Clatchard Craig, near Newburgh in Fife, was also used by the Picts but has been destroyed by quarrying. Other strongholds or centres are thought to include Dumyat (NS 832973) and Myothill (NS 782825), both Stirlingshire; Forteviot (NO 052175?) and Schiehallion (NN 714548), both Perthshire; Turin Hill (NO 513535) and Finavon Hill (NO 507557), both Angus; and Dunnottar Castle [01569 762173], Kincardine and Deeside.

 

There is a memorial to the Battle of Nechtansmere at Dunnichen (NO 509488).

 

Other sites of interest include Edinburgh Castle [0131 225 9846], now home to the Stone of Destiny; as well as Dunstaffnage, Argyll [01631 562465], where the Stone was once kept and a stronghold of Dalriada, the site now occupied by a medieval castle. Dunollie, Oban (NM 852314) was also a stronghold of Dalriada, was destroyed in 698, and the site is also now occupied by a medieval castle.

 

Fine examples of early stone crosses include the Kildalton Cross, Islay (NR 458508); Ruthwell Cross, Dumfriesshire (NY 100682); Barochan Cross, Paisley Abbey (NS 485639); Netherton Cross, Hamilton (NS 723555); and the Camus Stone, Panmure House, Angus (NO 519379). Other cross-slabs include that at Crieff (NN 868217).

 

Collections of sculptured stones, with early examples, include those at Keills Chapel, Argyll (NR 691805) and Kilmory Knap, Argyll (NR 702751); and Kirkmadrine, Galloway (NX 080483).

© Martin Coventry 2018