Sheldon stone circle facts for kids
The Sheldon Stone Circle is a very old stone circle. It was built long, long ago, even before history was written down! You can find it in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, near a town called Oldmeldrum.
What is the Sheldon Stone Circle?
This special place is known by a few different names. People sometimes call it Sheildon, Shelden, Shieldon, Sheldon of Bourtie, or Sheldon of Bourtree. It sits on a small hill, which is called a knoll. This makes it easy to spot!
The Sheldon Stone Circle is a "scheduled ancient monument." This means it's a very important historical site. The government protects it so it won't be damaged. This helps us learn about people who lived here thousands of years ago.
What Does It Look Like?
Today, you can see five large stones still standing in the circle. There are also two other stones nearby, called "outliers." The whole circle is about 24 metres wide. That's like the length of two school buses!
For a long time, experts thought Sheldon was a "recumbent stone circle." These circles have one very large stone lying down, with two tall stones next to it. But new research from Historic Environment Scotland suggests it might not have been one of these special circles after all. Even without a recumbent stone, it's still a fascinating place to visit.
