<< Our Photo Pages >> Twelve Apostles (Dumfries) - Stone Circle in Scotland in Dumfries and Galloway
Submitted by drolaf on Saturday, 02 November 2002 Page Views: 38412
Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Twelve Apostles (Dumfries)Country: Scotland County: Dumfries and Galloway Type: Stone Circle
Nearest Town: Dumfries Nearest Village: Newbridge
Map Ref: NX9470079400 Landranger Map Number: 84
Latitude: 55.097804N Longitude: 3.651705W
Condition:
5 | Perfect |
4 | Almost Perfect |
3 | Reasonable but with some damage |
2 | Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site |
1 | Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks |
0 | No data. |
-1 | Completely destroyed |
5 | Superb |
4 | Good |
3 | Ordinary |
2 | Not Good |
1 | Awful |
0 | No data. |
5 | Can be driven to, probably with disabled access |
4 | Short walk on a footpath |
3 | Requiring a bit more of a walk |
2 | A long walk |
1 | In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find |
0 | No data. |
5 | co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates |
4 | co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map |
3 | co-ordinates scaled from a bad map |
2 | co-ordinates of the nearest village |
1 | co-ordinates of the nearest town |
0 | no data |
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I have visited· I would like to visit
SumDoood FrothNinja would like to visit
MarinerP27 visited on 14th Sep 2024 - their rating: Amb: 3 Excellent significant site. Smaller stones can be found in the hedge row
markj99 visited on 28th Aug 2021 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 4 The scale of the Twelve Apostles Stone Circle is impressive. There are however obvious gaps in the circle and an assortment of stones which diminishes its gravitas. That said, it is obviously worth a small detour if you are passing through Dumfries.
drolaf visited on 21st Jul 2020 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 4 apparently the largest circle in Scotland according to the plaque by the gate. some large gaps? so maybe originally up to 19 stones? A pleasant enough place for a picnic stop.
Greengirl visited on 3rd Feb 2020 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 4 The largest stone circle on mainland Scotland and only 5 miles from our front door, so we do probably take it for granted..It is easy to find and you can park just next to the field. There is a gate, and a signpost. Sheep in the field.
emerald visited on 19th Dec 2018 - their rating: Cond: 2 Amb: 3 Off a main road and parked by the field the stones are standing in.
Weird circle, once huge
Anne T visited on 19th Sep 2014 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 5 The Twelve Apostles, Dumfries: Shortly after we moved to Irongray in 1992 and my husband was touring the county to get to know it for his work with Dumfries and Galloway Enterprise, he came home one lunchtime and said we needed to go and see a stone circle. Being then only 6 miles from our house, we went off to look. I can still remember this visit really clearly. “It’s just in a farmer’s field, with a hedge running through it.” And it was.
The hedge has now been grubbed up, but the scar of where it was still remains in the field. My memory must be playing me slightly false, as we both remember the stones being smaller and the circle more compact, but this might be the result of part of the circle being cut by the hedge.
Following the A75 westwards around Dumfries, turn right at the Lochside roundabout onto the A76 (Glasgow Road). (Did anyone else spot the rhino on the right hand side next to the housing estate? This used to be on top of the bus shelter, but has been moved onto a plinth of its own now). Just past a garage on the left hand side, there is a left hand turn onto Irongray Road, and follow this until you go over a quaint little bridge over Cluden Water. Then take the next right hand turn. The stone circle is on your right, and there is now a stile over the fence, although I’m guessing that most people park further up at the road junction with the B729 and use the gate into the field (which is the next turn left along the A76 if you miss the first).
Sited in a gentle bowl, we wondered if the circle had been built where Cluden Water and the larger River Nith meet - the course of the rivers may have changed since the circle was built - this feels like a special place. We counted only 11 stones, but then one stone looked as if there were two next to each other. The stones are also not of the local Locharbriggs sandstone, being largely whinstone and course granite, and where they were brought from, I’ve not yet been able to identify. The RCAHMS notes say the circle is 260 feet in diameter, more in keeping with the size of a henge.
One of the stones had what I took to be cup marks in an odd pattern, but the RCAHMS notes say they are caused by natural weathering.
In walking up to the gate to take a few pictures to try and make into a panorama, I spotted another boulder by the roadside, next to the gate (grid reference: NX 94533 79488 – it can be seen on aerial photographs) and wondered if at one point this had been associated with the circle, and moved by the farmer in the past.
Richard13 visited on 1st Mar 2007 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 4
BolshieBoris visited on 1st Jul 1996 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 3 Access: 5
jeniferj visited - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 2 Access: 5
Runemage visited - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 4 Access from the road that runs beside it is over a stile, signposted at that point with a wooden marker.
Gongoozler have visited here
Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 3.22 Ambience: 3.5 Access: 4.38
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It is easy to find and you can park just next to the field. There is a gate, and a signpost. There are often sheep or even cows in the field.
For more information see Canmore ID. 65647.
Additional information by Greengirl.
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