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Ringing Stone is a Bronze Age standing stone located 275 metres north-northwest of Johnston in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The monument stands on bedrock formed from an unnamed Ordovician to Silurian igneous intrusion, specifically a felsic rock body that crystallised during the Silurian period. This geological foundation of acid igneous rock is typical of much of the Aberdeenshire landscape in this region and would have been visible and worked by Bronze Age communities.
As a standing stone, the monument belongs to a widespread tradition of ritual and ceremonial monument construction that flourished across Scotland during the Bronze Age. Such stones often served functions connected to territorial markers, burial sites, gathering places, or ceremonial activities, though the precise purpose of individual examples frequently remains unclear. The Ringing Stone's specific name may relate to acoustic properties that users recognised in the stone itself, a characteristic noted in some Bronze Age monuments.
The monument is protected by Historic Environment Scotland under the reference SM11509, ensuring its preservation and the continued study of Bronze Age monumental practice in Aberdeenshire. Its position within the local landscape and association with Silurian bedrock contribute to understanding how Bronze Age communities engaged with and marked their natural environment.
Ringing Stone, standing stone, 275m NNW of Johnston is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM11509. View the official record →
Ringing Stone is a Bronze Age standing stone located 275 metres north-northwest of Johnston in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM11509.
Ringing Stone, standing stone, 275m NNW of Johnston dates from the bronze age period, and is classified as a standing stone, 275m nnw of johnston. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Ringing Stone, standing stone, 275m NNW of Johnston 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 SM11509.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Hill of Newleslie, hillfort, 400m N of Cotetown (0.5 km), Johnston, unenclosed settlement 400m E of (0.5 km), Loanend,stone circle,200m N of (2.7 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Ringing Stone, standing stone, 275m NNW of Johnston'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.
Ringing Stone, standing stone, 275m NNW of Johnston stands on Unnamed Igneous Intrusion, Ordovician To Silurian, bedrock that formed in the Silurian. The rock here is felsic-rock.