Ancient Scotland - Castle Frazer Stone Circle

Castle Frazer Stone Circle

Inverurie, Aberdeenshire

Stone Circle

Also known as Castle Fraser; Balgorkar; Balgorar; West Mains

This recumbent circle of red and grey granite boulders stands atop a natural mound. Broken urns under some of the stones suggest that this site dates from around 1500BC.

Burl reports that the mound was leveled around the recumbent stone - presumably in order to render the top of the stone horizontal. Much smaller stones were set in the interior of the circle and also around the outside of the stones to give a "paved" surface.

As with many recumbent stone circles in the northeast, the recumbent stone is aligned on a particular moonset position - in this case, the position of moonset at the major standstill.

There are a recumbent stone, two flankers, and seven other stones arranged in a 25-metre diameter circle. Three of the stones are fallen. The tallest stones are about 2 metres in height.

Red granite stone on the north side of the circle with the recumbent stone and flankers behind on the far side of the mound.

1/9 Red granite stone on the north side of the circle with the recumbent stone and flankers behind on the far side of the mound.

The grey granite recumbent and flankers, looking west.

2/9 The grey granite recumbent and flankers, looking west.

Looking along the horizontal top of the recumbent.

3/9 Looking along the horizontal top of the recumbent.

Red granite boulder on the northeastern arc.

4/9 Red granite boulder on the northeastern arc.

Looking across the circle to the southwest.

5/9 Looking across the circle to the southwest.

The outer side of the recumbent and flankers. The greater height of the inside of the circle can be easily seen.

6/9 The outer side of the recumbent and flankers. The greater height of the inside of the circle can be easily seen.

The outer side of the recumbent and flankers, face on.

7/9 The outer side of the recumbent and flankers, face on.

The inner side of the recumbent and flankers, looking south.

8/9 The inner side of the recumbent and flankers, looking south.

Another red granite stone on the eastern arc.

9/9 Another red granite stone on the eastern arc.

Nearby Sites

0km Castle Frazer Stone Row Stone Row

6km Midmar Kirk Stone Circle (Recumbent)

6km Sunhoney Stone Circle (Recumbent)

7km Tillyfourie Stone Circle (Recumbent)

8km Easter Aquhorthies Stone Circle (Recumbent)

10km Cullerlie Stone Circle

12km Maiden Stone Pictish Stone Class II

14km Glassel Stone Circle

16km Loanhead of Daviot Stone Circle (Recumbent)

18km Cairnfauld Stone Circle Stone Circle

20km Eslie the Greater Stone Circle (Recumbent); Ring Cairn

(NB: All distances are as-the-crow-flies. Lochs, mountains and beautiful winding roads will make it further. Sometimes much further.)