‘New’ Pictish Symbol Stone now on display in Aberlemno Village Hall
A recently discovered Pictish stone is now on display in the newly created Flemington Room in Aberlemno Village Hall from Sunday 19 April 2026.
The discovery of a stone slabbed floor of a large building in 2022 led to a small project team comprising Aberlemno Village Hall, ANGUSalive, Aberdeen University and the Pictish Arts Society to be formed.
Aberlemno is a well-known as the site of a Pictish settlement and a 2022 excavation led by Professor Gordon Noble from Aberdeen University uncovered more evidence of this.
The excavation revealed an entrance to a building, with an elaborate threshold incorporating several flag stones, of which three were carved; one with cup-marks, another with a faint spiral, and the third a Pictish symbol stone with seven different symbols. Known as the Flemington Stone II, the symbols of this stone were carved at different times, suggesting that the stone had multiple phases of use. The symbols include the triple oval symbol, double-disc and Z-rod, crescent and V-rod, and mirror and comb. The meaning of these symbols is now lost – the motifs could record an individual’s name or status, mark land ownership, or indicate a group identity of some kind.
The Picts, first mentioned during the Roman campaign of Emperor Severus in 210 AD, were a Celtic people who ruled over much of eastern and northern Scotland, and laid the foundations for the medieval kingdom of Scotland. Therefore the location of these 3 stones, clustered around the entrance, suggested that reusing these ancient carvings was a deliberate element of the design as Radiocarbon samples indicate the building was constructed around 1000-1200 AD.
Through the Treasure Trove system, the assemblage was allocated to ANGUSalive to be cared for. A grant application to Angus Council secured the necessary funding to display the symbol stone in Aberlemno Village Hall. This project – “Bringing History Home – and to the World” received £32,000 from the UK Government through the Community Asset Capital Grant. The grant was awarded by the Angus Council’s Policy and Resources Executive Sub-Committee from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) Communities and Place Priority Funding Scheme.
This grant has allowed modifications to the entrance of the Village Hall and provides an opportunity to improve facilities for visitors.
Isabelle Davies of Aberlemno Village Hall Committee says: “We are so pleased this wonderful collection of carved stones is being displayed in Aberlemno and thank all those involved in making this happen. People come from all over the world to visit the Aberlemno stones and now there is even more to enjoy.”
Emma Gilliland, ANGUSalive Museums & Galleries Collections Lead said: “It is exciting to see this project come to fruition through strong partnership working. We’re delighted to add this assemblage of Pictish stones to the Angus Collections and for them to be on display in Aberlemno, close to their original home.”
Come along to Aberlemno Village Hall on Sunday 19 April between 12 noon and 3pm to see the Flemington Stone in all its glory. The Hall will then be open for visitors on further select days throughout the year. For further information, the Village Hall can be contacted via their website at www.aberlemno.org/.
The ANGUSalive collections team can be contacted by emailing collections@angusalive.scot