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Torhousekie

Torhouse Stone Circle Wigtown, Dumfries and Galloway

Large image (670x422 - 34k) Looking northwest towards the three central stones.
Large image (447x656 - 45k) One of the larger stones at the southwest of the circle.
Large image (685x436 - 22k) A view of the full circle, looking north.
Large image (692x372 - 31k) A view of the full circle, looking east.
Large image (646x436 - 37k) Stones on the southwestern arc.
Large image (904x619 - 74k) Looking northeast from the edge of the circle to the three central stones.
Large image (920x567 - 68k) Looking west towards the three central stones.
Large image (880x619 - 94k) The southeastern arc of the circle.
Large image (904x540 - 62k) Looking southeast.
Large image (880x629 - 78k) The northeastern arc.
Large image (880x467 - 63k) The same stones in colour.
Large image (896x522 - 70k) The southern arc.
Large image (888x483 - 65k) Stones at the east of the circle.
Large image (864x615 - 113k) The central stones.
Large image (696x483 - 52k) The nearby row of stones. The circle can be seen behind the stones and across the road.
Large image (816x401 - 38k) The stone row.
Large image (904x403 - 62k) The stone row.
Large image (840x555 - 79k) The stone row.
Large image (752x475 - 51k) The stone row.

This fabulous circle is often likened to the recumbent stone circles of Kincardineshire and Aberdeenshire; Burl has described it as a link between the circles of southwest Ireland and northeast Scotland.

The ninteen stones that make up the circle are graded in height with the tallest (around five feet tall) in the southeast and the smallest (about two feet tall) in the northwest. The "recumbent and flankers" are three stones towards the centre of the circle -- in a Kincardine recumbent circle the recumbent and flankers would be on or close to the southeast sector of the circle arc.

The circle is a little over sixty feet in diameter and set on a raised platform of smaller stones.

Legend has it that the three stones in the centre of the circle form part of King Galdus' Tomb. However, legend also has it that King Galdus was buried at Cairnholy II!

Just across the road from the circle and on a low ridge is a row of three stones.

External Links:

Find Torhousekie (or the nearest known site) at the Megalithic Portal