Twelve Apostles Stone Circle Dumfries

Whilst compiling a list of places to see on a visit to Dumfries, I noticed the Twelve Apostles Stone Circle to the north west of the town. As I hadn't visited a stone circle in a while, I thought I'd check this one out.

Where the edge of town meets the start of the countryside, is where you will find this stone circle. As with all stone circles, it has a mystical and spiritual quality, even though it is next to a main road. It is the seventh largest stone circle in Britain and the largest on the mainland of Scotland.

The circle has eleven stones, although there were originally twelve. In 1789, a fella called Francis Grose recorded the stone circle having twelve stones.

The twelfth stone was removed sometime before 1837, when the New Statistical Account entry for Holywood recorded only eleven stones. One of the theories of the stone's removal is linked with the association to the twelve apostles of Jesus. Folklore tell of its removal being linked to the betrayal of the twelfth apostle, Judas Iscariot.

The stones are arranged to align it with the midwinter sunset. It measures a huge 89m at its widest, with the tallest upright stone measuring 1.9m high and the longest vertical stone measuring 3.2m long.

A little bit of geology now for you. Ten of the stones are Silurian rock, which was formed over 400 million years ago, generally in marine environments. The other is Porphyry, which is a durable and decorative stone, filled with crystals such as quartz.

There are two parallel ditches known as cursuses, which are Neolithic enclosures which would be best captured from above.

There is no doubt that the stone circle could do with a visit from Red5 to capture an aeriel shot, but until then the photos of my misty late autumn visit will have to do.

There was a fantastic four inch bronze figure discovered here sometime before 1882. It was identified as Saint Norbert, who was the founder of the Premonstratensian order (Roman Catholics also known as Norbertines or White Canons), and can now be found in the Dumfries Museum.

The Twelve Apostles Stone Circle is designated a Scheduled Monument with Historic Environment Scotland.

From the parking area, you can either hop over the double gate, or if you walk along the road to the south west of the field, there is an access gate around 200m down.

Once you have visited the stone circle, why not head to the amazing ruins of Lincluden Collegiate Church, another spiritual place in the most unlikely of places.