Twelve Apostles Stone Circle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Twelve Apostles |
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The largest of the stones
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| Designated | 1 April 1924 |
| Reference no. | SM641 |
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The Twelve Apostles is a huge stone circle found in Scotland. It sits between the villages of Holywood and Newbridge. These villages are close to the town of Dumfries.
This stone circle is very important. It is the seventh biggest stone circle in all of Britain. It is also the largest one on the mainland of Scotland. The design of the Twelve Apostles is much like other stone circles in Cumbria. It is thought to be connected to that group. The way the stones are placed points towards the midwinter sunset. This shows ancient people knew a lot about the sky.
The Twelve Apostles is a protected ancient site. This means it is kept safe for everyone to learn about.
Contents
What Are the Twelve Apostles?
This stone circle was once made of twelve large stones. Today, only eleven stones are still standing. Five of these stones are firmly set in the ground.
How Many Stones Are There?
In 1789, a drawing by Francis Grose showed twelve stones. A report from 1791 also said there were twelve. But by 1837, one stone had been taken away.
An old map from 1850 seemed to show twelve stones. However, this was just a mistake. A tiny ink spot on the original map made it look like another stone.
Stories About the Stones
People in the 1800s had interesting stories about the stones. They believed the stones were linked to the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. One story said the missing twelfth stone was like Judas Iscariot. He was the apostle who betrayed Jesus.
Another story, written down by W. C. Lukis, said the apostles themselves set up the stones. These stories show how important the site was to local people.
Size and Shape of the Circle
The tallest stone at the site stands about 1.9 meters high. That's taller than most people! The longest stone lies on the ground. It measures 3.2 meters long.
The entire circle is very wide. It measures 89 meters across at its widest point. It's not a perfect circle, though. It's a special shape called a 'flattened circle'. This shape was studied by a person named Alexander Thom.
What Are the Stones Made Of?
Most of the stones are made from a type of rock called Silurian rock. But one stone is different. It is made of Porphyry.
Four of the stones, including the Porphyry one, are natural boulders. This means they were found as they were. The other stones were cut from a quarry. The closest place to find Silurian rock is about two miles away.
Nearby Ancient Sites
The Twelve Apostles stone circle is not the only ancient site in the area.
Other Stone Circles
The Easthill stone circle is about 3¾ miles southwest of the Twelve Apostles. There was another stone circle nearby, too. It was about a mile east, near the River Nith. But this circle was destroyed long ago. Its stones were used to build other things.
Ancient Paths
There are also two ancient paths called cursuses nearby. One of these paths, if it were longer, would lead right towards the Twelve Apostles circle. This suggests these sites were connected in ancient times.
Bronze Figure Discovery
In 1882, a small bronze figure was found at the circle. It was about four inches tall. Experts later identified it as Saint Norbert. They believe it was made in the 1100s. Today, this interesting figure is kept safe at the Dumfries Museum.
