05/07/2026
From our archives, The Lost Stones of Angus.
Compiled by Norman Atkinson for our newsletter 29 in 2003
1. Baggerton NO c 469 537 Fragment of a symbol stone with a 'sceptre and serpent' found shortly before 1867 and not seen since.
2. Balglassie cNO 538 577 Found about 1846 covering a cist, this stone had representations of a battle axe.
3. Elliot NO 621 398 Found built into a wall on the Peasiehill Farm Road in 1929. This was a small incised cross within a circle. Not seen in 1966 or since.
4. Farnell NO 6275 5542 Two disc-headed crosses, found in 1870 and described in 1910, but not seen since.
5. lnchbrayock NO 7093 5675 Fragment with a fine hunting scene, found in the old kirkyard and "kept at the Manse at Craig". Although recorded by Hubert Coutts as being there in 1970, this stone has not been seen since the death of Rev. Scott in 1908. One rumour was that it was built into the manse wall.
6. Linlathen N0466 338 A broken symbol stone with the Pictish beast was found in a cist at Carn Greg. Was moved to the nearby Linlathen House, where it was photographed .Sadly, this fine carving has not been seen within living memory.
7. Nevay NO 312 441 A second disc-headed cross was found in 1985 by Niall Robertson, at the same time as the one now in the Meffan. It was set aside for collection, but had disappeared within the day!
8. St. Vigeans NO 638 429 No 26, a triangular fragment with interlace and key pattern. Although moved into the museum in 1961, it seems to have disappeared I Two other fragments, photographed by A. Milne in 1885, alongside the others have never been reported. One has a 'keyhole' opening and the other is a ringheaded cross.
9. Strathmartine NO 378 352 Twelve stones were originally found at this ancient church site. The recumbent with its serpent. no.2, displayed in Dundee Museum, and no. 4, a fragment with spiral and interlace is in the National Museum of Scotland. Most of the others were moved to Baldovan House, but searches have failed to recover any.
10. Tannadice NO 4752 9807 A fragment with the figure of a man holding an animal in one hand and a dagger in the other, also with an inscription, was found in the foundations of a house adjacent to the kirkyard in 1797. Not found in 1885 or since.
Obviously we would love to find any of these...
