Nestled in the heart of Aberdeenshire, Scotland, Auld Bourtreebush stands as a silent sentinel of ancient times. This Neolithic stone circle questions the sands of time with its mysteries. It sits 200 meters west of Old Bourtreebush and remains within sight of the Aquhorthies recumbent stone circle. However, while it was thought in the past to have been a recumbent stone circle, current archaeological opinion refutes this.
Auld Bourtreebush, a scheduled monument, is approximately 25 meters in diameter. It was once composed of up to 15 orthostats, of which only four remain standing today, although several others are lying fallen. Inside the circle was a ring cairn which has been destroyed over time. The site lies near the Causey Mounth, an ancient trackway that once connected the Scottish Lowlands to the Scottish Highlands.
The Causey Mounth saw a significant passage in 1639, with William Keith, 7th Earl Marischal and the Marquess of Montrose leading a Covenanter army of 9000 men through the area, on their way from Stonehaven to Aberdeen. Auld Bourtreebush was situated near this old drovers' road, which was constructed on high ground to make passable the only available medieval route from coastal points south from Stonehaven to Aberdeen. The trackway specifically connected the River Dee crossing, via Portlethen Moss, Muchalls Castle and Stonehaven to the south.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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