Site type STONE CIRCLE, FIGURINE (BRONZE)
Canmore ID 65647
Site Number NX97NW 19
NGR NX 94700 79400
Council DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY
Parish HOLYWOOD
Former Region DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY
Former District NITHSDALE
Former County DUMFRIES-SHIRE

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Archaeological Notes

NX97NW 19 94700 79400.

(NX 9470 7940) Twelve Apostles (NAT) Stone Circle (NR)
OS 6" map (1957)

Eleven stones, the highest standing to 6 ft above ground level, remain, They form a circle 260 ft in diameter, a size appropriate to such a monument as a henge.
R W Feachem 1963; RCAHMS 1920, visited 1913

A 4 ins bronze figure of an ecclesiastic was dug or ploughed up at the stone circle some years before 1882.
Proc Soc Antiq Scot 1882

The stone circle is as described above. Several of the stones bear natural water-worn "cup-marks". Nothing was seen to further the theory that this might be a henge.
Visited by OS (WDJ) 1 July 1964

The bronze figure dug up at the stone circle is in Dumfries Museum. It has been identified by C A R Radford as the figure of St Norbert, founder of the Premonstratensian order (see NX97NE 1 - Holywood Abbey) and is of 12th century date.
Information from A E Truckell, Dumfries Museum

This is a large example of a flattened circle of Prof Thom's Type B. Half of the ring is a true circle with a diameter of 89 m; the other side is composed of an arc of a much larger circle drawn from a point on the circumference of the first one.
E W MacKie 1975

Geophysical survey was undertaken at the Twelve Apostles stone circle (NX 947 794). This produced no indication of cut features within the circuit of the stones.
Sponsor: Historic Scotland
J Thomas 1998

Notes and Activities

28 May 1912

FIELD VISIT

Notes 284. Stone Circle , "Twelve Apostles," Holywood.
Extending into two fields, on the north side of the road between New Bridge and the farm of Kilness, are the remains of a very large stone circle (fig. 82). It now consists of eleven stones, of which only five remain upright. They are for the most part great masses of rock, whinstone, and coarse granite, with one or two boulders. The largest stone is that nearest to the gate into the field from the road on the west; it is wholly exposed, and measures 10 feet 6 inches in length, 7 feet 9 inches in greatest breadth, and from 3 feet 6 inches to 4 feet in thickness at base. On the lower end, which has originally been underground, are several natural cup marks. The highest of the upright stones — that diametrically opposite the last, and the sixth from it following the course of the sun — stands some 6 feet 3 inches in height above ground, and at 3 feet up measures in circumference16 feet 3 inches. The stones have seemingly been placed with their flat faces in the line of the circumference .
See Proc. Soc. Ant. Scot .,xxviii. p. 84.
OS Map (Sheet xlix . S.W.).
Visited by RCAHMS 28 May 1912.


Further details

8 August 1994

AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Project 1994 RCAHMS Aerial Survey

Further details

10 July 1995

AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Project 1995 RCAHMS Aerial Survey

Further details

10 September 1997

AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Project 1997 RCAHMS Aerial Survey

Further details

Books and References

Crowe, C J (2002) 'Holywood, an early medieval monastery: problems and possibilities', Trans Dumfriesshire Galloway Natur Hist Antiq Soc, 3rd, vol.76
Page(s): 114 Held at RCAHMS P.7

Feachem, R (1963b) A guide to prehistoric Scotland, London
Page(s): 75 Held at RCAHMS E.2.FEA

MacKie, E W (1975a) Scotland: an archaeological guide: from the earliest times to the twelfth century, London
Page(s): 46 Held at RCAHMS E.2.MAC

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