Alternative Names Skelfie; Bachilton Farm
Site type MOUND, STONE CIRCLE
Canmore ID 26950
Site Number NO02SW 4
NGR NO 0015 2411
Council PERTH AND KINROSS
Parish METHVEN
Former Region TAYSIDE
Former District PERTH AND KINROSS
Former County PERTHSHIRE

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Archaeological Notes

NO02SW 4 0015 2411

For Bachilton Farm (NO 0002 2396), see NO02SW 94.

There was supposed to have been at one time a stone circle on 'what appeared to be an artificial and quite distinct mound which is still visible' in a field called Skelfie nearly 1/4 mile ENE of Bachilton farmhouse at 160 ft. OD. (ie. at approx. NO 005 241). The ploughman who gave this information said that the stones had been buried, out of the way of the plough, close to their respective sites. (Area: NO 005 241).
F R Coles 1911.

(Located at NO c.005 244). The field called 'Skelfie' was indicated to me by Mr Scott, Farmer, Bachilton, as being the field centred on NO 0054 2449. In this field, towards its SE corner, there is a broad, fairly steep-sided, natural ridge running approx. north-to-south. If there was an artificial mound in the field it probably stood somewhere on this ridge but there is no trace of such a mound to be seen, and no information or trace was found of the stone circle.
Visited by OS (W D J), 27 October 1965.

In 1911 F R Coles published a short account of a possible stone circle at Bachilton. Following a visit to the farm in 1965, the OS recorded the possible site of the stone circle at NO c. 005 244, in a large field some 600m NE of Bachilton farmhouse (NO02SW 94). However, a pencil annotation on a copy of the 1st edition OS 6-inch map (Perthshire, sheet xcvi, 1867) held in the NMRS places the site at NO 0015 2411, in the adajcent field to the W and only 190m NE of the farmhouse. The annotation, which was apparently written by Coles, includes the name 'Mr Ross' in brackets, in apparent reference to the Mr Ross, architect, who provided Coles with the information from a ploughman, Mr Lawson of Meckpen. The annotation also states that the field is called Skelfie. Coles describes the location as being 'in a field called Skelfie nearly 1/4 mile ENE of Bachilton farmhouse' and this proposed location for the site corresponds more closely with Coles' description than that suggested by the OS.
Information from RCAHMS (JRS), 13 February 1996.
F R Coles 1911; OS 6-inch map held in NMRS, Society of Antiquaries of Scotland first edition loan set.

Coles, F R (1911a) 'Report on stone circles in Perthshire principally Strathearn, with measured plans and drawings (obtained under the Gunning Fellowship)', Proc Soc Antiq Scot, vol.45
Page(s): 103-4