Ancient Stones
A Guide to Standing Stones & Stone Circles in the South of Scotland.


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020 Stone Circle, Harestanes, Kirkurd.

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Description
This small stone circle sits at the south-west corner of the garden at Harestanes Cottage garden and consists of four large conglomerate boulders with a fifth broken off at low level and with a diameter of about 4.00m. A sixth stone can be seen 2.00m east of the broken one and may have been moved in recent times. The thin sandstone slab standing on end is unlikely to be an original part of the circle. The circle is partly overgrown the garden plants and would have had a commanding view of the surrounding area prior to the construction of the present housing.

Directions
Kirkurd is on the A72 Biggar to Moffat road just to the south of Blyth Bridge. Take the minor road at the junction with the A721. The stones are in the garden of the houses on the right.

Parking
On verge beside house. Note: please ask permission before entering the garden.

Folklore
No specific folklore or other traditions have been found associated with this stone circle but the circle's name, Harestanes, is of some interest. The circle's name does hint at the association with the hare and witchcraft. There are many traditions about how a witch could "shape-shift" from human form into that of a hare and back again at will. Numerous stories of hares disappearing after being shot can be found in all parts of the Country and in many cases an old woman is found soon after with gun shot or arrow wounds.

Fieldnotes
I thought, stone circle, big stones, should be easy to find. Well, I walked right past it initially and went to the wrong house (actually Old Harestanes) where the newly moved-in occupants had never heard of a stone circle in the area. Anyway, backtracking took me to the correct house and with permission sought from the occupant, found Harestanes Stone Circle almost hidden by vegetation in their garden. Its easy to miss from the road unless you know its there.

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Quick Info
Type: Stone Circle
Nearest Town: Biggar
Nearest Village: Blyth Bridge
O.S.
Landranger Sheet 72
O.S. Explorer Sheet 336
Grid Reference: NT 1240 4431
GPS Reference: HARESC

Symbols Key | Stone Types

Other Sites Nearby
057 Stone, Dreva Craig, Broughton.

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