A granite monolith about three and a half metres high commands the southern approach to Kemnay from a small hill above the Don valley.
Quick facts
- Date
- Likely late Neolithic or early Bronze Age
- Architect / designer
- Prehistoric community unknown
- Type
- Earthfast granite standing stone
- Designation
- Scheduled monument (SM12108)
- OS grid reference
- NJ 72386 14944
Architecture, archaeology and continuing use
The earthfast stone measures roughly 1.15 metres across, 0.65 metres thick and 3.5 metres tall. It occupies the crest of a low hill, with a possible sunken way passing a short distance to the south.
Its story
A community erected the stone in later prehistory, probably during the late Neolithic or early Bronze Age. Tradition describes it as the last survivor of a stone circle, but Historic Environment Scotland records no evidence confirming that claim.
Why it is included
Scheduling recognises the monolith’s potential to preserve buried evidence around its base and its value within the unusually rich distribution of standing stones, cairns and circles across Strathdon.
What to notice
- The stone’s tall, narrow silhouette.
- Its hilltop relationship with views south and west.
- The ground around the base, observed without trampling or probing.
Reading the surroundings
The monument stands in a paddock. Follow current local directions and the Outdoor Access Code, avoid livestock and crops, leave gates as found and never dig, touch or climb the stone.
Timeline
- Late Neolithic–early Bronze Age People raised a substantial granite monolith on the hill crest.
- Later tradition Local accounts linked the survivor with an otherwise unproven stone circle.
- 2007 National scheduling protected the stone and potential archaeology around its base.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
No secure date, function or evidence for companion stones has been established, and the nearby hollow may not be ancient.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Lang Stane of Craigearn, SM12108 — Designation status, mapped location, date, fabric and architectural or archaeological interest.
- Trove designation: SM12108 — Parallel national record identity and archival context.
- Aberdeenshire Council: standing stones to visit — Official local identification, location guidance and broader standing-stone context.
Location
OS grid reference NJ 72386 14944 · Location confidence: High: the national designation supplies an official mapped National Grid Reference; an additional source confirms record identity and archival context. · 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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