Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum facts for kids

View of the Meigle museum including the backs of Meigle 4 at left and Meigle 2 at right, with one side of Meigle 26 in the foreground.

The Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum is a special place in the village of Meigle in eastern Scotland. It's home to 27 amazing carved stones made by the ancient people called the Picts. These stones are like ancient artworks and stories carved in rock! The museum is located in what used to be the village school, built way back in 1844. The many stones found here suggest that there was once an important church or even a monastery nearby. We know from old records that a monk named Thana was in Meigle (then called Migdele) in the mid-800s. He was probably a scribe, writing things down in a monastery that might have started in the 700s. All the stones in the museum were found close to Meigle, mostly in the churchyard or used in building the old church. The church building you see today was built around 1870, after the previous one burned down in 1869. Luckily, a man named William Galloway saved the stones right after the fire. These stones are Christian monuments, often marking the graves of important Pictish warriors. You can see them on the stones, holding their weapons or hunting.

The Museum's Story

The museum building used to be the village school. A local important landowner, Sir George Kinloch, bought the building in the late 1800s to keep the precious stones safe. In 1936, the museum became owned by the Scottish government. It was fixed up after World War II and opened its doors to visitors again in 1949. The building itself is considered a historic building.

Amazing Ancient Stones

About a third of the stones in the museum are "Class II" stones. This means they have Christian crosses carved on them, along with other Pictish symbols. Most of these stones were made in the 800s or 900s AD and were used as gravestones. The Picts carved them from local sandstone, which is a good stone for detailed artwork. Some of the designs on the stones show ideas from a region called Northumbria (in what is now England). The Pictish stones at Meigle have their own special style. You'll see fierce biting animals, crosses decorated with cool diagonal patterns, and crosses with rounded tops.

The sandstone used is called old red sandstone. It's soft enough for detailed carving but can wear away over time. The artists probably used iron tools like chisels and hammers. They might have even copied their designs from painted books made of vellum (animal skin).

Sadly, some stones have been lost over time, including Meigle 10. Some of the stones we still have are actually parts of bigger monuments. It's possible that more pieces are still buried in the churchyard or hidden in old walls. Before they were moved into the museum, Meigle 1 and Meigle 2 stood at the entrance to the churchyard, near a grassy mound called Vanora's Grave. Some stones were even trimmed and placed near this grave in the 1500s and 1600s to decorate it.

Meigle 1: The Ancient Cross-Slab

Meigle 1 is a cross-slab. This stone was actually used as a standing stone thousands of years before the Picts carved it! You can still see ancient cup and ring marks low down on its back. The cross on it is in a Greek style, with full circles where the arms meet the main part. The inside of the cross has cool woven patterns, and the center has spirals. Mythical beasts are carved on either side of the cross. The other side of the stone has a mix of symbols around a hunting scene. You might spot a winged figure (maybe a Persian god), a kneeling camel, a Pictish Beast, salmon, a snake with a Z-rod, a mirror, a comb, a dog's head, and people riding horses. This stone stood on the west side of the churchyard entrance, facing Meigle 2. Meigle 1 might be the oldest stone at Meigle, possibly carved in the late 700s.

Meigle 2: Daniel and Vanora's Grave

Meigle 2 is almost 2.5 meters (about 8 feet) tall. One side has a cross, and the other shows the Bible story of Daniel in the lions' den. The cross head is unique and might be based on a jeweled metal cross. The raised bump in the middle of the cross has eight smaller bumps around it. These probably represent the eight days of Holy Week, from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. The main part of the cross has three pairs of carved animals facing each other, with their tails and tongues woven together. Other beasts fill the space around the cross. This monument was made by a very skilled artist, with figures carved deeply and neatly arranged. Meigle 2 has parts that stick out, suggesting it might have fit into a screen or wall.

Local stories say that the scene of Daniel in the lions' den actually shows King Arthur's wife, Guinevere, who was known locally as Vanora. The legend says she was captured by King Mordred and sentenced by Arthur to be torn apart by wild animals. People believed this monument marked her grave. Meigle 2 was originally on the east side of the churchyard entrance, across from Meigle 1, and in front of the mound known as Vanora's Grave. Besides the Daniel scene, the back of the monument has other parts. At the top, there's a hunter on horseback with two dogs, and an angel floating above the dogs. Below that, there's a line of four horsemen, with three leading a fourth who has a large saddlecloth. The next part down is the Daniel scene. Below that, you'll see a centaur (half-human, half-horse) holding an axe in each hand, with branches behind him. The very bottom shows a beast grabbing an ox, and a person with a club behind the attacking animal. Some details on the stone are worn away, especially at the bottom of the cross, suggesting people often touched or rubbed that part.

Meigle 3: The Warrior Gravestone

Meigle 3, showing a Pictish horseman and details of his costume and weapons.

Meigle 3 was made in the 800s AD. One side has a cross, with part of a Pictish double-disc symbol below its arm. On the other side, there's a carved warrior on horseback. He wears a sword under his cape, and the sword's scabbard (sheath) has a special tip. The warrior sits on a striped saddle cloth and holds a spear. Meigle 3 is a low gravestone, and the warrior might be a picture of the person buried there. The stone was cut shorter at least twice long ago; it might have originally been about 0.6 meters (2 feet) tall.

Meigle 4: A Fragmented Masterpiece

The fragmented back of Meigle 4.

Meigle 4 is a broken cross-slab, with the middle part missing. But the pieces that are left are amazing sculptures! Animals are carved on either side of the top of the cross, with their heads curving up to bite two animals that form the edge of the design. Below the left arm of the cross, there's an animal with fancy woven tail and horns. Opposite this, below the right arm, is the upper part of a person fighting an animal. The inside of the cross is filled with woven patterns. The back of the monument has many figures and symbols packed together. A horseman is at the top, with two woven snakes behind him. Under the horse's hooves, there's another woven snake, a Pictish Beast, and another animal, with another horseman behind. A crescent with a V-rod symbol is at the very bottom.

Meigle 5: Cross with Animal Heads

Meigle 5, the base of the cross has the unusual embellishment of two upward-curving animal heads.

Meigle 5 has a cross carved deeply on one side. The bottom of this Greek-style cross has a very unusual decoration: two animal heads curving upwards! Each corner of the background has a single beast. Meigle 5 is a small monument and was carved as an upright gravestone. The back of the stone shows a single horseman with a decorated saddle-cloth. On one edge of the stone, two symbols are carved: the famous Pictish Beast and a mirror.

Meigle 6: Central Cross Fragment

Meigle 6 is the middle part of a cross-slab. The remaining part of the cross is decorated with a diagonal key pattern. The back of the stone has, from top to bottom, a horse and rider, a double disc symbol, a crescent, and a dog wearing a collar.

Meigle 7: Top of a Cross-Slab

The back of Meigle 7 showing Z-rod and discs.

Meigle 7 is the top part of a rounded cross-slab. The cross is decorated with a diagonal key pattern. The back of the monument has a double disc and Z-rod, and a comb.

Meigle 8: Small Animal Fragment

Meigle 8 is a small piece, about 0.22 meters (9 inches) across. It has a worn-out cross on one side and the upper part of two animals on the back. They face each other with their front legs in the other animal's mouth. A symbol above them might be a tool.

Meigle 9: Recumbent Tombstone

Meigle 9 is a flat tombstone that lies down. It has a shallow slot on top and carved panels on both long sides. One panel shows a griffin (a mythical creature), a woven pattern, a long animal tied in a knot, and two animals facing each other. The other panel has an animal, a sitting person with their limbs tangled with a bird's legs, another animal, some spiral patterns, and a final part that is very worn.

Meigle 10: The Lost Carriage Stone

Meigle 10 is now lost. It was a carved rectangular panel that showed a horse pulling a carriage with a driver and two passengers. The stone also had a crouching archer and several beasts. This sculpture probably was part of a low screen inside a church, maybe separating the chancel (the area around the altar) from the nave (where people sit). The stone had been moved inside the old church for safety but was destroyed in the fire of 1869.

Meigle 11: The Largest Recumbent Stone

Meigle 11 is another flat monument and is the biggest of the flat stones from Meigle. The long sides of the stone have deeply carved panels with wide borders that were once decorated but are now very worn. The top of the stone is plain and has a wide slot at one end. One side of the stone has carved images of three riders on horseback with a dog. Behind them is a human-like figure with an animal's head, holding two intertwined snakes. The other side of the monument has two intertwined animals, followed by a dog and a bear, one above the other, and an unknown object. To the right of these is a panel with twelve bumps surrounded by snakes. At the very right is a wheel of seven bumps set within a frame made of two upright animals with woven tails, holding the ends of a human figure in their mouths.

Meigle 12: Fish Monster and Charging Bulls

Meigle 12 is one of the later monuments from Meigle. It's a flat gravestone carved with a diamond pattern on its top surface. One side has a fish monster and another animal. The other side shows a dog biting a deer's leg and two bulls charging at each other. Both ends of this monument are damaged.

Meigle 14: The Cleric Fragment

Meigle 14 is a piece of a broken cross-slab. Another piece of the same monument was built into the old church and was destroyed in the fire. The remaining piece of the cross is filled with woven patterns and a diagonal key pattern. The back side shows a robed religious figure carrying a book and part of a second similar figure. The lost section had the rest of this second figure and a third figure almost identical to the first, facing the other way.

Meigle 15: Fighting Beasts

Meigle 15 is a piece from the main part of a small cross-slab. The shaft of the cross is filled with a woven pattern. On the left are two fighting beasts, and on the right side is another animal biting its own back.

Meigle 20: Rider Fragment

Meigle 20 is a piece from the center of a cross-slab. The main part is filled with woven patterns, and the fragment also has the carved image of a rider.

Meigle 21: Tall and Narrow Cross-Slab

Meigle 21 is a part of a cross-slab. It was tall and narrow. The head of the cross is filled with a diagonal key pattern, and the circle of the head was made of carved rope-like patterns. The main part of the cross is decorated with an interwoven pattern.

Meigle 22: Mythical Creature Frieze

Meigle 22 is a piece from a decorative architectural border. It has a sculpture that some think is the Pictish version of the Celtic god Cernunnos (who has antlers). Others think it's a siren (a mythical creature that lures sailors). This figure is sitting cross-legged, and its legs end in fish-tails. Two animals with big claws are on either side of the figure.

Meigle 23: Ringed Cross and Animals

Meigle 23 is a small tombstone with a ringed cross on one side, placed between two sitting figures. The back has two pairs of animals decorating it. The top pair of animals seem to have their heads joined together. The bottom pair are intertwined and each bites the other's tail.

Meigle 25: The Hogback Tombstone

Meigle 25 is a special kind of tombstone called a "hogback," dating to the late 900s. The sides of this monument are decorated with carved roof tiles. The top ridge of the stone, which lies flat, is carved with a long beast that has a fish tail. The stone gets narrower at one end. This stone looks similar in style to early hogback stones found near Glasgow. The creature's head on the ridge looks like the heads of animals on Meigle 1 and Meigle 5.

Meigle 26: Exceptionally Detailed Gravestone

Detail of one side of Meigle 26.

One end of Meigle 26, depicting a man and a manticore.

Meigle 26 is an incredibly detailed flat gravestone. It has a hole at one end to hold a vertical cross or stone. The top of the stone has three coiled snakes wrapped around each other at one end. In the middle, there's a design with twelve bumps, and at the lower end, two sea-horses face each other. The left and right edges have woven patterns that end in bird heads at one end. At the other end, animal jaws open to frame a hollow slot. The sides of the monument are also decorated. One side has a hunting scene and a griffin. The opposite side shows two animals consuming a figure, four intertwined human figures, and two more animals. The end of the stone is carved with a manticore (a mythical creature with a human head, lion's body, and scorpion's tail) and a human figure.

Meigle 27: Seated Figure and Servant

Meigle 27 depicting a figure seated in a chair with his servant sitting on the floor behind.

Meigle 27 is a piece from a cross-slab. It shows a figure sitting in a chair, with their servant sitting on the floor behind them.

Meigle 28: Spiral and Key Patterns

Meigle 28 is the bottom piece of a broken cross-slab. It has a horizontal base panel filled with a spiral pattern, and two vertical panels filled with a diagonal key pattern.

Meigle 29: Two Clerics

Meigle 29 is a fragment showing two religious figures, one of whom seems to be sitting on a chair. The more complete figure has two brooches on their shoulders holding their clothing.

Meigle 30: Coiled Beast

Meigle 30 is a fragment carved with a coiled beast.

Meigle 31: Cross-Slab Top

Meigle 31 is the upper part of a cross-slab, with woven patterns on either side of the cross head.

Meigle 32: Cross Arm Fragment

Meigle 32 is a piece from a cross-slab, containing the left arm of the cross and part of a panel with spiral patterns.

Meigle 33: Circular Pattern

Meigle 33 is a piece of sculpture with a circular pattern. It was made later than most of the other stones in the museum.

Meigle 34: Carved Scroll

Meigle 34 is a carved fragment with a scroll engraved on it.

See also

• Eassie Stone
• Kilry Glen