Two surviving stones now sit in a field wall near Ellon, the last visible pieces of a ruined prehistoric ring. Hill of Fiddes stone circle was a recumbent stone circle, a north-east Scottish type with a horizontal principal stone set into the ring.
The pack is brief, but the place has a second historical layer: the nearby Old House of Fiddes was a Forbes castle or tower-house complex with yards, service buildings, and chapel repairs recorded in 1624.
What follows is drawn from published sources, with each claim labelled by how firmly it is established.
History
Hill of Fiddes stone circle is situated near Ellon in Aberdeenshire.
Only two stones survive: the recumbent and an upright stone on its western side.
The surviving stones now form part of a field wall.
The original circle had a diameter of approximately 14 metres.
The remains are a designated scheduled monument.
The nearby demolished Old House of Fiddes belonged to the Forbes family.
In 1624 the Fiddes yard included service buildings such as a kitchen, brewhouse, stable, store, womanhouse, school house, and chamber.
People
-
Forbes family
owners of the demolished castle or tower house at Fiddes.
Plan your visit
- Location
- 57.3094°N · 2.1095°W
- Access
- Visible from a public way
- Terrain
- Easy going
Opening & admission
The source pack does not provide reliable current admission details; verify before travelling.
- The surviving stones form part of a field wall; the pack gives no entry route details.
Nearby places
Fortified place · Medieval
Tolquhon Castle
Aberdeenshire
A well-preserved example of a Scots Renaissance courtyard mansion, built more for domestic comfort and display than for defence.
Carved stone · Pictish & early medieval
Dyce Symbol Stones
Aberdeen City
- Near Dyce
- 1 min walk from car park
- Easy path
Questions people ask
- What survives at Hill of Fiddes stone circle?
- Only the recumbent stone and one western upright survive, and both are now part of a field wall.
- What is a recumbent stone circle?
- It is a stone ring with a large horizontal stone forming a key part of the perimeter.
- How is it protected?
- The remains are a scheduled monument.
- What was the Old House of Fiddes?
- It was a demolished Forbes castle or tower house near the stone circle, with service buildings recorded in 1624.
Sources
Explore more: Tomb or burial places · Prehistoric · Aberdeenshire
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