Scheduled MonumentsScotlandDrumstone,ring ditch 270m SW of
Ring ditch

Drumstone,ring ditch 270m SW of

Scotland
HES SM6079
Site type
Ring ditch
Nation
Scotland
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic Environment Scotland

Overview

History & significance

Drumstone is a ring ditch located 270 metres south-west of the settlement of Drumstone in Aberdeenshire. The monument consists of a circular or near-circular ditch, a characteristic earthwork form dating to the Bronze Age, typically constructed around 2000–1000 BC. Ring ditches served as enclosures for domestic occupation, ceremonial gatherings or burial sites, and their preservation as archaeological features often reflects the slow infilling of their ditches over millennia.

The site lies on bedrock of the Argyll Group, Neoproterozoic psammite, semipelite and pelite, part of the ancient Dalradian metamorphic sequence that underlies much of north-east Scotland. This geology shaped the local landscape and would have influenced both the construction of the ditch and the suitability of the surrounding terrain for Bronze Age settlement.

Drumstone ring ditch is protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM6079, recognising its importance to understanding Bronze Age settlement patterns and land use in Aberdeenshire. The monument contributes to a wider archaeological picture of prehistoric activity across the region.

Drumstone,ring ditch 270m SW of is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM6079. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Drumstone,ring ditch 270m SW of?

Drumstone is a ring ditch located 270 metres south-west of the settlement of Drumstone in Aberdeenshire. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM6079.

Who is responsible for protecting Drumstone,ring ditch 270m SW of?

Drumstone,ring ditch 270m SW of 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 SM6079.

What other scheduled monuments are near Drumstone,ring ditch 270m SW of?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Leucharbrae Farmhouse, cairn 235m NNE of (4.9 km), "Cullerlie stone circle", Standing Stones of Echt (5.5 km), Standingstones, farmstead 260m SE of (5.7 km).

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Everything a full report reveals about Drumstone,ring ditch 270m SW of

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Drumstone,ring ditch 270m SW of's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman Britain
The Roman roads, forts and towns near here, and the Iron Age people who held the land before Rome arrived.
Stat Accounts
The parish Statistical Accounts of the 1790s and 1830s, describing life, work and population here.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
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The ground beneath

The bedrock under Drumstone,ring ditch 270m SW of

Drumstone,ring ditch 270m SW of stands on Argyll Group, bedrock that formed in the Neoproterozoic. The rock here is psammite, semipelite and pelite.