Balgarthno Stone Circle, also known as 'Farm of Corn', is a scheduled ancient monument, and measures 6.1m in diameter. Only one stone still stands and is 1.6m tall by 1.5m wide by 0.7m thick. There is evidence of a slight ditch around the circle, which appears to stand on a slight mound.
Balgarthno Stone Circle is part of a larger arrangement which included the circle at Mylnfield and the Druid temple in the grounds of Camperdown park.
An excavation of the circle in the middle of the 19th century uncovered a jet ring of a late prehistoric period which is now in the National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh.
North is up in this image 56.472188N Longitude: -3.051363 W
A prehistoric stone circle in Dundee which has been repeatedly targeted by vandals has been fenced off to protect it from further attacks. Graffiti has been sprayed on the Balgarthno stone circle in Charleston and surrounding grass set on fire on several occasions. Dundee City Council has now erected a fence around the ancient stones in an attempt to keep vandals away. An information board has also been put up to tell visitors more about the circle's history. It is thought the stone ring could have been used in prehistoric rituals, perhaps in processions. The tallest stone is about 5ft.
Balgarthno Stone Circle is a scheduled ancient monument, and measures 6.1m in diameter. Latitude: 56.472188N Longitude: -3.051363 W
The leisure convener, councillor Charles Farquhar, visited the site yesterday with representatives from Historic Scotland who helped provide funding for the new fence.
"The monument shows that the area has held a special significance for many generations of people. The decision to put a fence around the stone circle was not taken lightly but it was felt that the significance of the stone circle needed to be highlighted and the stones themselves protected. Now that the local citizens are aware of the age and the history of the stone circle, we hope they will feel a sense of ownership towards it and educate others about it and serve as its guardians" - Charles Farquhar.
Allan Rutherford, a Historic Scotland monuments inspector, said the organisation was pleased to back the preservation project.
"The stone circle has the potential to tell us a huge amount about prehistoric society and ritual. Although 19th-century antiquarians had the area searched, the monument may still embody an amazing amount of important archaeological information. Its survival at the edge of the city is also remarkable and shows how monuments and archaeological sites survive in what we consider modern urban centres" - Allan Rutherford.
