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Craighead is a Bronze Age stone circle situated 70 metres north-north-east of Hilltop Lodge in Kincardineshire. The monument stands upon bedrock of the Argyll Group, a Neoproterozoic formation composed of psammite, semipelite and pelite—metamorphic rocks that underlie much of the northeast Scottish landscape. This geological foundation would have been familiar to the Bronze Age communities who selected this location, likely chosen for its visibility across the surrounding terrain and accessibility to the underlying stone resources.
Stone circles of this period typically served ceremonial, ritual or communal functions, their construction representing considerable investment of labour and social organisation. The precise diameter and number of remaining stones at Craighead would have determined its formal classification within the regional typology of Bronze Age monuments. The site's preservation on higher ground in the Mearns region reflects a common pattern of such circles occupying prominent positions in the landscape.
Craighead is protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM975, ensuring its preservation as an archaeological resource. The monument contributes to the broader understanding of Bronze Age settlement patterns and ceremonial practice in eastern Scotland, forming part of the wider distribution of such sites across Kincardineshire and the northeast.
Craighead,stone circle 70m NNE of Hilltop Lodge is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM975. View the official record →
Craighead is a Bronze Age stone circle situated 70 metres north-north-east of Hilltop Lodge in Kincardineshire. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM975.
Craighead,stone circle 70m NNE of Hilltop Lodge dates from the bronze age period, and is classified as a stone circle 70m nne of hilltop lodge. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Craighead,stone circle 70m NNE of Hilltop Lodge is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic Environment Scotland — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Scotland. The official designation reference is SM975.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Aquhorthies, stone circle,cairn and platform 200m NNE of (1.7 km), Old Bourtreebush,stone circle and cairn 250m W of (1.8 km), Auchlee, stone circle 275m NNE of (1.9 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Craighead,stone circle 70m NNE of Hilltop Lodge's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Craighead,stone circle 70m NNE of Hilltop Lodge stands on Argyll Group, bedrock that formed in the Neoproterozoic. The rock here is psammite, semipelite and pelite.