St Orland's Stone, Forfar, United Kingdom

St Orland's Stone is a Pictish Cross-Slab at Cossans, near Kirriemuir and Forfar. The stone is a worked slab of Old Red Sandstone and it is 2.4 metres tall. The slab is carved on both faces in relief and, as it bears Pictish symbols, it falls into John Romilly Allen and Joseph Anderson's classification system as a class II stone.

The cross face bears a ringed Celtic cross decorated with interlaced knotwork and spiral designs. It is surrounded in the lower two quadrants by interlaced fantastic beasts. The border appears to have once borne knotwork designs, but is weathered and difficult to interpret.

The rear face is bears crescent and v-rod and double disc and z-rod Pictish symbols. Below this is what appears to be a hunting scene, with four horsemen accompanied by two hounds, below this is a boat loaded with passengers and a depiction of a fantastic beast facing or attacking a bull. A quadrangular section between the Pictish symbols and figural carving is missing, and appears to have been cut out or a previously inlaid section has been removed. The carving is bordered by interlaced knotwork.

At some point, the stone has been broken and has been repaired using iron staples, formerly on the faces of the stone, now on the edges, to reinforce it.

Direct access to St Orland’s Stone is currently not possible due to conservation works. The stone can be viewed from a safe distance.

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User Reviews

Tyler Yates (2 years ago)
Very cool stone but difficult to get to. Recommended route: Park by the farm ruins at the end of the road. Continue on by foot until you are perpendicular to the stone on the map (you won't be able to see it yet). Cross the creek and climb over the fence stile. Continue along the fence until you reach the stone. Came in the winter when most plants were dead and easy to walk through. May be pretty tough during summer or spring.

Andrés Cedeño (3 years ago)
Rule 1: bring your wellies Rule 2: Not small children as 60-70cm deep water filled ditch forcibly has to be jumped. Rule 3: leave car where Google maps says walk straight ahead to a gate, turn right and then use common sense. The thing is visible from afar.

Clare Stewart (5 years ago)
Difficult to find

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