Dagon Stone

The Dagon Stone in Hasting's Square, Darvel, East Ayrshire, Scotland.

Photograph: 2007
Photographer:  ©Roger Griffith

Believed to be of paleolithic origins, the stone has been described an unhewn olivine monolith. It s general size and shape suggest a prehistoric standing stone. Some authorities claim that It has twelve small connected depressions spread over three of its sides. These have been said to link the stone to astronomical observations and to the noon-day sun height at mid-summer. If correct. this would link the stone to life-giving powers, fertility and prosperity.

This stone, which has been re-erected in Hastings Square, is an irregularly shaped monolith, 1.6m high, 1.9m in circumference at the base, tapering to 1.4m circumference at the top. A large stone ball is now attached to the top of the stone by a short iron bar. The stone used to stand in main street, at the end of Ranoldcoup Road, but was moved to the town square when the road was widened.

Documentation shows that prior to the 19th century move, newlywed couples and their wedding parties marched around it for good luck, accompanied by a fiddler.  Wedding processions also used to walk three times sunwise round the Dagon stone on the way to the bride's house.

The annual parade or "Prawd", originally held on old New Year's Day, headed by the village band used to walk sunwise round the Dagon stone as a mark of superstitious respect.

Dagon is the name of a Philistine god, who was half-man half-fish. But with a Scottish accent it no doubt derives from something much closer to home (assuming it is not just the romantic invention of a Victorian antiquary).

In 1962 a survey by RCAHMS noted that former suggestions that the stone has ancient carvings are erroneous; there are just weathering marks. The roundish boulder on top of the stone has been associated with it from at least 1821, when a local blacksmith fixed it with an iron bar stamped with this date.

In 1967 J Woodburn noted:

The Dagon Stone . . .  is much weathered and has no artificial marks or carvings. Its size and shape suggest that it may be a prehistoric standing stone. Local enquiries were made, without success, as to any tradition of it having a provenance prior to its first recorded position in East Main Street. However, there is a strong folklore tradition that before its 19th century history newly-wed couples had to walk around the stone for good luck.

The small boulder fixed on top of the stone is unmarked, little worn, and would appear to have no archaeological significance. Its long association would seem proved by the fact that two previous iron-bar stumps protrude from the top of the Dagon Stone.

Text based on information available from RCAHMS

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