Myths and Legends

Meigle and its environs have many prehistoric artefacts such as standing stones and burial mounds. What is particularly intriguing, however, is how many have names that are associated with either Macbeth or King Arthur.

Those with Macbeth related names include Macbeth’s Stone, a large standing stone at the entrance to Belmont Camp; Seward’s Stone, a smaller stone in the meadow by Belmont Castle; Belliduff’s Mound, a round barrow or tumulus near to the entrance to Belmont playing field from the Dundee Road, and Duff’s Knowe, a largely destroyed mound at the Camno Crossroads.

Seward (or Siward) could relate to Seward, Duke of Northumberland, who led the army that defeated Macbeth’s at the Battle of Dunsinane; the Duke of Northumberland’s nephew, who was killed in that battle or the Duke of Northumberland’s son - who only exists in Shakespeare’s play, while Duff could relate to Macduff from the play or Isabella Duff, Macduff’s daughter who is said to have been imprisoned in Kirkhill Tower, a medieval tower which is now embedded within Belmont Castle.

The Arthurian names include Vanora’s (Guinevere’s) Mound in Meigle Churchyard and Arthurstone, named after a large standing stone which was blown up in 1791 to provide building material for Arthurbank Farmhouse. Barry Hill, which is above Alyth and visible from Meigle and Ardler, is said to be where Guinevere was imprisoned by Mordred.

It is unclear why these names were adopted but one theory is that they appeared at the time of the Scottish Reformation to stop John Knox’s followers from destroying ancient artefacts which remained important to the local community.

Belliduff's Cairn

Belliduff’s Cairn is a low earth mound near to the entrance to Belmont Estate from the Dundee Road in Meigle. It is a round barrow or tumulus and a stone kist was discovered at its centre when it was excavated in the mid-1800s, though no bones were found in it.

Seward's Stone

In the paddock adjacent to Belmont Castle is a smaller granite standing stone of just under one metre in height. The site was excavated in the mid-1800s but no artefacts were found.

Macbeth's Stone

Sited just off the Ardler Road at the entrance to the Belmont Centre, Macbeth’s Stone is a 3.6 metre high standing stone said to be about twenty tons in weight. It is the largest of several in the area.

It is decorated with cup marks on all sides, with around 40 on the east face and 24 on the west, as well as a further two cupmarks low down on the south face and a single cupmark on the north face. This implies that the stone was always intended to be placed upright and to be viewed on all sides.

Duff's Knowe

Duff’s Knowe was also a burial mound close to the Camno crossroads. Unfortunately the tumulus was destroyed and only some stones from the structure remain, although no longer in situ.

Knights Templar

The Knights Templar, or to give them their full name the Poor Knights of Christ of the Temple of Solomon, was one of the oldest orders of knights in the world, their history going back to the early years of the 12thcentury.

However, by the beginning of the 14th century, the Templers had become extremely wealthy having been given lands, sometimes large estates, throughout Christendom to support their work.

Their power and influence had become so strong that by the beginning of the 14th century it was greatly resented by King Philip IV of France, who made false allegations against them and persuaded Pope Clement V to suppress the Order and have all Templars arrested. The Pope dissolved the Order on 22 March, 1312, transferring all their possessions to the Hospitaler Knights of St John.

But what does this have to do with Meigle and Ardler?

In Meigle at the start of Forfar Road there is a house named Temple Hall. This house marks a piece of land which stretched along the north side of Forfar Road approximately as far as Fullarton Farm House, then across the field towards Meigle Burn. At its north end there was a large strip of land which curled to its left towards Cardean on the other side of the burn (this probably followed the original line of the burn). This piece of land was one which had been given to the Knights Templar, and thus the name has been retained in the name of the house built upon it.

Vanora's Cairn

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