Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Aberlemno

The following stones stand on the B9134 (road) from Forfar to Brechin. Aberlemno 3 (also known as the "road cross") has a ring cross on the front. This is the back. Below a large Z-bar is a picture of a hunt. Two men are blowing their horns, a couple of mounted hunters are on the move. Below a centaur holding a tree.

The following stones stand on the B9134 (road) from Forfar to Brechin. Aberlemno 1 (also known as the 'Snake Stone') is a misshapen standing stone with Pictish symbols engraved on it. The symbols on one side: the serpent, double disc and Z-rod, and the mirror and crest. The meaning of these symbols is unknown. They are deeply engraved in a bold, confident line, and this stone is considered to be one of the finest and best preserved Pictish symbol stones still standing in or near its original position. The other side of the stone has prehistoric bowl impressions, suggesting it was reused.

The Aberlemno Churchyard Cross Slab (aka Aberlemno II) was produced by Pictish carvers in the 800s. The cross is very precisely decorated with complex interlacing at top and bottom. The rear side has a rectangle-with-Z-rod symbol and a triple disc. Below the symbols are four scenes from a battle--it is widely accepted that this is the Battle of Nechtansmere fought in AD685, which took place less that ten miles from Aberlemno. The Northumbrian King Ecgfrid and his warriors invaded northwards, but were defeated by the Pictish leader Brude mac Bili. The top scene shows two horsemen: a Pictish swordsman chases his helmeted foe who has thrown away his weapon and shield. The long nose-guard on the helmet identifies the fleeing warrior as an Anglian. The undocked tail of the fleeing horse and the large saddle blanket suggest a warrior of some importance--possibly King Ecgfrid himself. The middle scene shows three Pictish foot-soldiers standing against an Anglian horseman. The right-most Pict protects himself with his shield and has his sword ready to slash; behind him stands a spearsman uses his lance to protect the swordsman. A second spearsman stands at the ready to the rear. Bottom-left, an Anglian horseman is at the point of throwing his spear at a Pict who directs his own horse with his knees. Bottom-right, a dead Anglian is prey for the symbolic raven.

The Aberlemno Churchyard Cross Slab (aka Aberlemno II) was produced by Pictish carvers in the 800s. The cross is very precisely decorated with complex interlacing at top and bottom. Interlaced animals decorate the slab to either side of the cross and there is a perfectly executed triquetra knot above the tails of the fish-tailed horses to the bottom-right.

The church was rebuilt in 1722 on the site of a pre-Reformation church, extended to a T-plan in 1820 and remodelled in the Gothic style in the late 19th century.