Auld Bourtreebush

Auld Bourtreebush is a large Neolithic stone circle near Portlethen in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is also known as Old Bourtree Bush or Old Bourtreebush. This megalithic construction is situated near the Aquhorthies recumbent stone circle and the Causey Mounth, an ancient trackway which connects the Scottish Lowlands to the highlands. It is a scheduled monument.

Auld Bourtreebush
view of stone circle
Stones in 2020
Auld Bourtreebush is located in Aberdeenshire
Auld Bourtreebush
Shown within Aberdeenshire
Alternative nameOld Bourtree Bush, Old Bourtreebush[1]
LocationScotland
RegionAberdeenshire
Coordinates57°05′58″N 2°16′06″W
Typestone circle
Diameter25 metres
Identifiers
Historic Environment ScotlandSM980

Stone circle

Auld Bourtreebush stone circle lies 200 metres to the west of Old Bourtreebush in Aberdeenshire and within sight of the Aquhorthies recumbent stone circle.[2] It is a scheduled monument.[3] It is 25 metres in diameter and is thought to have been composed of up to 15 orthostats, of which only four remain standing, although several others are lying fallen. Inside the circle was a ring cairn which has been destroyed over time. Whilst it was thought in the past to have been a recumbent stone circle, current archaeological opinion refutes this.[2]

Area history

Subsequent to the prehistory related to the construction of this stone circle, there is considerable medieval history associated with this monument's position along the ancient Causey Mounth trackway. Auld Bourtreebush is situated quite near to this old drovers' road, which was constructed on high ground to make passable this only available medieval route from coastal points south from Stonehaven to Aberdeen. This trackway specifically connected the River Dee crossing (where the present Bridge of Dee is situated) via Portlethen Moss, Muchalls Castle and Stonehaven to the south.[4] The route was that taken by William Keith, 7th Earl Marischal and the Marquess of Montrose when they led a Covenanter army of 9000 men in the battle of the Civil War in 1639.[5]

See also

References
  1. "Old Bourtreebush | Canmore". canmore.org.uk. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  2. Welfare, Adam (2011). Great crowns of stone: The recumbent stone circles of Scotland. Edinburgh: Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Momuments of Scotland. ISBN 9781902419558.
  3. Historic Environment Scotland. "Old Bourtreebush,stone circle and cairn 250m W of (SM980)". Retrieved 8 March 2019.
  4. C.Michael Hogan, Causey Mounth, Megalithic Portal, ed. by A. Burnham, Nov 3, 2007
  5. Watt, Archibald, Highways and Byways around Kincardineshire, Stonehaven Heritage Society (1985)

57.0558°N 2.1606°W / 57.0558; -2.1606

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