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Upper Borgue Standing Stone is a Bronze Age upright stone located in Caithness in the far north of Scotland. The monument stands on bedrock of Middle Old Red Sandstone, a conglomerate of sandstone, siltstone and mudstone laid down during the Middle Devonian period. This geology is characteristic of Caithness, where such ancient sedimentary rocks form the underlying landscape across much of the county.
Standing stones of this type were erected during the Bronze Age and served significant ritual or ceremonial purposes within prehistoric communities. Their exact function remains debated by archaeologists, though many are thought to have marked boundaries, served as territorial markers, or held religious significance. Upper Borgue's position within the wider Caithness landscape may relate to Bronze Age settlement and land use patterns in the region.
The monument is protected as a scheduled ancient monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM502, recognising its archaeological importance and Bronze Age heritage value. Standing stones are among the most enduring monuments from prehistoric Britain, and those surviving in Caithness represent a crucial record of Bronze Age activity in the Scottish Highlands.
Upper Borgue,standing stone 410m SSE of is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM502. View the official record →
Upper Borgue Standing Stone is a Bronze Age upright stone located in Caithness in the far north of Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM502.
Upper Borgue,standing stone 410m SSE of dates from the bronze age period, and is classified as a standing stone. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Upper Borgue,standing stone 410m SSE 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 SM502.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Rinsary, broch and post-medieval farmstead 300m SSW of, Berriedale (3.4 km), Cnoc Fionn,hut circle 250m SW of (3.8 km), Langwell Castle or Achastle,230m E of Langwell House (4.1 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Upper Borgue,standing stone 410m SSE of'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.
Upper Borgue,standing stone 410m SSE of stands on Middle Old Red Sandstone (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.