In true Monty Python style have you ever asked -So What has Dumfries and Galloway ever done for us?
If you can’t really think of an answer you better read on!
Over the next few weeks we hope to show you how much this undiscovered area of Scotland has to give and highlight its significant role in the development of Scotland! We love to show off local sites and bring guests to see the wonderful scenery that Dumfries and Galloway has to offer.
The largest Neolithic Stone Circle in mainland Scotland at Newbridge.
The Twelve Apostles
We have taken many different guests to the 12 Apostles yet we never really bump into many people who have had the same idea. We have had guests who are obsessed with the Outlander series who love any links to Scotland’s many stone circles but they are surprised when they find out that the largest in mainland Scotland is actually in the South West. When people visit this site they thoroughly enjoy the mystique, the solitude and the lack of any definitive answers about what actually went on here!
This 88 metre wide stone circle is the largest on the Scottish mainland, originally thought to comprise 18 stones, but today only 11 survive. However there were 12 stones in the flattened circle as late as 1837. Five of the stones are still standing with the tallest being 1.9m high. The largest surviving block is 3.2m long and 2.3m wide. A hedge that ran through this ring was removed and recently a new sign and entrance gate has been built.
Only the Ring of Brodgar, shown above, is larger than the 12 Apostles yet the Dumfries circle gets fewer visitors than the Orkney site. It is thought that the 12 Apostles site is at least 4000 years old however what exactly it was used for during the late Neolithic period is probably less easy to understand. What is certain is that the stone circle is part of a much larger site that stretches for miles around Holywood village. Several cursus are clearly visible from the air in the fields around the village which suggests a Neolithic site of some importance. The purpose of these strange earthworks is relatively unknown but it does suggest communities meeting together in a form of celebration of some kind. The term “community centre” does come to mind at Solway Tours when we consider the purposes of stone circles during the Stone Age.
There are two local legends both connected with the missing stone, the twelfth one having gone missing sometime in the 19th century. One local custom has it that Judas Iscariot was responsible for its loss. A slightly different version of the same reads “There is a story about how a farmer was rebuked for removing one of the stones… But the farmer answered that it was only Judas that had been removed”. Another legend relates to early map making when an errant ink spot was mistaken for the twelfth stone.
Whatever the site was used for it is on the doorstep of Dumfries and it is a place that we should be proud to celebrate its history in the local area. Get along when you can and consider what the local Neolithic people got up to?
What do you think went on at this stone circle? Please feel free to leave a comment below and if you are interested in being guided to some of the best Neolithic sites in Scotland then please have a look at the tours section of our website and check out our latest video below of Mark at the Twelve Apostle Stone Circle in Dumfries.
In next weeks blog we will share will you another reason why we believe Dumfries and Galloway has a lot to shout about, so please sign up below if you want to be sent our next blog directly! Thanks Lesley and Mark.