A 2.7-metre standing stone holds its original hilltop position, where monument, sky and distant landscape remain powerfully connected.
Quick facts
- Date
- Late Neolithic or Bronze Age, probably late third or second millennium BC
- Architect / designer
- Prehistoric community unknown
- Type
- Prehistoric standing stone
- Designation
- Scheduled monument (SM125)
- OS grid reference
- NO 39172 54634
Architecture, archaeology and continuing use
The upright stone rises about 2.7 metres and spreads to roughly 1.9 metres at its base. Its simple mass, original socket and prominent setting are the essential fabric; a six-metre scheduled circle protects archaeological evidence around the base.
Its story
A late Neolithic or Bronze Age community erected the stone for ritual or ceremonial purposes. It was scheduled in 1935, and the documentation was modernised in 2015. The surrounding Hill continues as common-good recreation ground with paths and public access routes.
Why it is included
Scheduling recognises an impressive, well-preserved monument whose original position and buried deposits may illuminate prehistoric ritual, belief and landscape choice.
What to notice
- The broad base anchoring the upright slab.
- Its prominence on the hilltop skyline.
- The relationship between the stone, nearby dyke and long views.
Reading the surroundings
Approach by established Hill paths and observe local signs. Do not climb, carve, lean objects against the stone or disturb soil around its base; keep dogs controlled and respect adjoining recreation and cemetery use.
Timeline
- Late 3rd–2nd millennium BC A prehistoric community raised the stone in its hilltop socket.
- 1935 National scheduling first protected the monument.
- 2015 Historic Environment Scotland amended the documentation to modern standards.
- 2026 The surrounding common-good Hill remained dedicated to recreation and public access.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
No surviving evidence identifies the builders, exact date or ceremonies associated with the stone, and possible burials remain untested potential.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Hill of Kirriemuir Standing Stone, SM125 — Current designation status, official mapped location, date, fabric and architectural or archaeological interest.
- Trove designation: SM125 — Parallel national record identity and archival context.
- Angus Council: Kirriemuir common-good register — Current public recreation and access status of Kirriemuir Hill, including the standing stone.
Location
OS grid reference NO 39172 54634 · Location confidence: High: the current national designation supplies an exact mapped National Grid Reference; public text separately states access and current-use uncertainty. · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
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