Falls of Monzie (7), Crieff, Perthshire

Cup-Marked Stone:  OS Grid Reference – NN 88737 26366

Getting Here

The site in the landscape

A couple of miles east of Crieff, take the A822 road from the Gilmerton junction towards the Sma’ Glen.  After literally 1¾ miles (2.8km)—just 100 yards before the track up to Connachan Farm—you’ll reach a dirt-track on your left that leads into the hills.  Go on here and after an easy walk of 400 yards or so, you’ll reach the conspicuous boulder known as the Falls of Monzie (6) stone.  Two or three yards to its side is a large flat stone.  That’s it!

Archaeology & History

This large flat smooth earthfast rock, is possessed of a number of very faint cup-marks.  Altogether there are at least nine cup-marks, most of which are closing in to the middle of the stone, with other single cups near the western and southern edges.

The faint cupmarks
Close-up of cups

Near the middle of the rock, one cup has an equally faint semi-circular arc, just visible on the photos here.  Close-up photos of this semi-circle seem to suggest it was more complete in ages gone by, but the erosion is such that it’s difficult to say with any certainty. (possibly the computer-tech kids could give us a bit more certainty).  The nearest other carving with more definite cup-and-rings can be found on the Falls of Monzie (8) stone, about 200 yards to the west.

© Paul BennettThe Northern Antiquarian

 

Falls of Monzie (3), Crieff, Perthshire

Cup-Marked Stone:  OS Grid Reference – NN 88793 26304

Getting Here

Falls of Monzie-3 design

Follow the same directions as if you’re visiting the Falls of Monzie (2) carving; but instead of walking off the track to see that particular carving, keep to the track for about another 60 yards then go up the slight slope on your right.  The stone is pretty much overgrown, but if you’re patient you’ll find it.

Archaeology & History

It is difficult to say with any certainty whether or not this petroglyphs has previously been reported.  A somewhat confusing series of descriptions by several writers would indicate that is has not been recorded; but I’m happy to be shown otherwise…  It’s nowt much to look at if truth be had.  Heavily eroded by the elements, this elongated flat stone possesses seven very shallow cups, with a possible eighth, as you can see highlighted in the photo.

© Paul BennettThe Northern Antiquarian

Falls of Monzie (2), Crieff, Perthshire

Cup-and-Line Stone:  OS Grid Reference – NN 88831 26261

Getting Here

Falls of Monzie (2) stone

A couple of miles east of Crieff, take the A822 road from the Gilmerton junction towards the Sma’ Glen.  After literally 1¾ miles (2.8km)—just 100 yards before the track up to Connachan Farm—you’ll reach a dirt-track on your left that leads into the hills.  Go along here for 250 yards (230m) yards (the track has straightened out here) and then walk into the reeds on your right.  About 15 yards in, look around!

Archaeology & History

Another one of those fascinating carvings that had me here for an hour, maybe more, poring over more and more features as the light, shadow and rock gave more and more depending on how I looked at it.  Tis the same with many petroglyphs, of course… But I liked this one.

On initial impression it didn’t seem up to much: maybe a few faint cups—some certain, others no so much.  But the more attention we gave this stone, so more of those unlikely faint cups became much more real.  At first there were a dozen; then 15 or more; but as we gave it more and more attention, so more of the petroglyphic design showed its original form.  They do that, these stones!  When George Currie rediscovered this carving in 2008 he found 17 cup-marks on the stone, but at least thirty of them go to make up this petroglyph.  There may even be a very faint, albeit incomplete ring around one of them, but I’ll let the computer-tech kids work that one out!

Natural cracks with cups & carved extensions
Natural cracks with cups & carved extensions

This carving has that peculiar and not-too-infrequent element of having some cups carved into the natural cracks in the stone.  In this case, at least four of them can be seen etched into the large deep crack that runs along its more northern edge.  They’re quite distinct once you get your focus on them.  In this case—albeit it to a much lesser extent—this feature reminded me of the impressive West Strathan carving in Sutherland.  But where this natural crack finishes, it has been artificially extended until it reaches the eastern edge of the stone.  You’ll also notice in the photos highlighting this feature, that another artificial line has been carved at right-angles to it, heading south, until it meets another natural crack in the stone.  It’s quite distinct.  And along this second artificial line, you’ll notice another cup or three—one of which has been cut into the line.  These two man-made extended cracks in the stone, give the simple impression of an early cross symbol.  Features such as this, whilst seemingly trivial to the bog standard explorer, possess some very curious myths in some living traditions elsewhere in the world; but such things are beyond the remit of this site profile.

References:

  1. Currie, G., “Falls of Monzie, Perth and Kinross (Crieff parish), Cup-marked rock”, in Discovery & Excavation Scotland (New Series) volume 9, 2008.

© Paul BennettThe Northern Antiquarian

Falls of Monzie (6), Crieff, Perthshire

Cup-Marked Stone:  OS Grid Reference – NN 88740 26366

Getting Here

The rock in the landscape

A couple of miles east of Crieff, take the A822 road from the Gilmerton junction towards the Sma’ Glen.  After literally 1¾ miles (2.8km)—just 100 yards before the track up to Connachan Farm—you’ll reach a dirt-track on your left that leads into the hills.  Go on here and after an easy walk of 400 yards or so, you’ll reach a conspicuous large boulder just by the track-side, on your left.  It’s impossible to miss!

Archaeology & History

Immediately adjacent to the Falls of Monzie (7) carving, this petroglyph was located by Paul Hornby on a recent visit to the Falls of Monzie cluster.

The 3 cups numerated

More than halfway up its south-sloping face are two very distinct cup-marks, some two inches across and up to half-inch deep: one near the western-edge and the other closer to the middle of the rock face.  You can’t really miss them.  They seem to be accompanied by a third about 2 feet further across to the right on its more eastern side.  In formation, the three of them form a small raised arc.  With the naked eye they’re very easy to make out, but were difficult to photograph due to the daylight and angle of the stone; hence in the photo here, I’ve numerated them.

© Paul BennettThe Northern Antiquarian