Standing stones crown Parkhouse Hill near Old Deer, with the heavy recumbent slab still anchoring the circle’s south-western side. Aikey Brae is a recumbent stone circle, a Bronze Age ring where the largest stone lies horizontally between upright flankers.
The site is one of the Buchan examples of this north-east Scottish monument tradition. Excavation by Chris Ball and Richard Bradley found a ring bank with alternating red and white kerbstones, worked stone, quartz flakes, and flint scrapers, while earlier researchers considered possible astronomical alignments.
What follows is drawn from published sources, with each claim labelled by how firmly it is established.
History
Aikey Brae stands on Parkhouse Hill near Old Deer and is also known as Parkhouse Hill stone circle.
The circle preserves five upright stones, including the recumbent, with five more fallen.
The recumbent stone is among the largest in Aberdeenshire.
The circle is surrounded by a ring bank.
Aikey Brae became a scheduled monument in 1925.
Clive Ruggles and Aubrey Burl assessed the site for archaeo-astronomical significance in the 1980s.
Chris Ball and Richard Bradley excavated the site in 2001 and found alternately red and white kerbstones.
Finds included worked stone, quartz flakes, and flint scrapers.
People
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Chris Ball
co-excavator of the 2001 investigation.
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Richard Bradley
co-excavator of the 2001 investigation.
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Clive Ruggles
researcher who assessed possible astronomical alignments.
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Aubrey Burl
stone-circle specialist who assessed the site.
Plan your visit
- Location
- 57.5140°N · 2.0704°W
- Access
- Open access
- Terrain
- Moderate walking
Opening & admission
The source pack does not provide reliable current admission details; verify before travelling.
- The pack identifies a scheduled hilltop monument but gives no facilities or route details.
Nearby places
Building or ruin · Medieval
Deer Abbey
Aberdeenshire
A rare surviving medieval Cistercian ruin in Buchan, carrying the name recorded in the margins of the celebrated Book of Deer.
Questions people ask
- What is Aikey Brae?
- It is a recumbent stone circle on Parkhouse Hill near Old Deer in Aberdeenshire.
- What is a recumbent stone circle?
- It is a stone ring in which the largest stone lies horizontally, usually between two taller upright flanker stones.
- What did excavation find?
- The 2001 excavation found alternating red and white kerbstones in the ring bank, along with worked stone, quartz flakes, and flint scrapers.
- How is the site protected?
- Aikey Brae is a scheduled monument.
Sources
Explore more: Tomb or burial places · Prehistoric · Aberdeenshire
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