Scheduled Monument
Two Pictish symbol-bearing stones, 170m NW of Leith HallSM8444
Status: Designated
Documents
Where documents include maps, the use of this data is subject to terms and conditions (https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/termsandconditions).
The legal document available for download below constitutes the formal designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The additional details provided on this page are provided for information purposes only and do not form part of the designation. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within this additional information.
Summary
- Date Added
- 08/11/1999
- Last Date Amended
- 07/11/2022
- Type
- Crosses and carved stones: inscribed stone; symbol stone
- Local Authority
- Aberdeenshire
- Parish
- Kennethmont
- NGR
- NJ 53913 29852
- Coordinates
- 353913, 829852
Description
The monument comprises two Pictish symbol-bearing stones, dating to the seventh century AD and known respectively as the Salmon Stone and the Wolf Stone. The symbol stones are each located in open stone enclosures forming part of the entrance walling to Leith Hall and its gardens, at approximately 180m above sea level.
Both stones are unworked and display incised Pictish symbols (such symbol-bearing stones where no cross is present are commonly referred to as Class I symbol stones). Each has been moved on several occasions. The Salmon Stone was originally found approximately four kilometres to the south in the area of Percylieu. It is a rectangular slab of whinstone, approximately 1.22m high by 0.61m wide. It was trimmed down in the 19th century when reused as a building stone and now shows two fins of a carved fish above a horse-shoe symbol ornamented with lines and dots. The Wolf Stone was originally found approximately seven kilometres to the southeast in the area of Newbigging. It is an irregular seven-sided slab of red granite, measuring approximately 0.7m high by 0.67m wide. Also damaged when found in the 19th century, it is incised on one face with a rectangle ornamented with curving lines terminating in spirals. Below and to its left, there is an incised wolf and to the right of this a mirror and comb symbol.
The scheduled area comprises two circles, each 2m in diameter and only includes the two Pictish symbol-bearing stones described above, as shown in red on the accompanying map. All stone walling around the symbol-bearing stones; their plinths; all supporting brackets; adjacent signage and the ground below are excluded from the schedule.
Statement of National Importance
The monument is of national importance as representing a pair of well-preserved symbol stones, which contribute to an understanding of the art, material culture and social customs of Scotland in the first millennium AD.
References
Bibliography
No Bibliography entries for this designation
About Scheduled Monuments
Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.
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Scheduled monument records provide an indication of the national importance of the
scheduled monument which has been identified by the description and map. The description and map (see ‘legal documents’ above) showing the scheduled area is the designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The statement of national importance and additional information provided are supplementary and provided for general information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within the statement of national importance or additional information. These records are not definitive historical or archaeological accounts or a complete description of the monument(s).
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