Meigle Sculptured Stone, Meigle (Perthshire)

Pictish stones.

Summary Art and sculpture Gift shop Free car parking (on site)

Introduction

The Museum at Meigle displays 26 pictish carved stones dating from the late eighth to the late tenth centuries.

Making up one of the most important collections of early medieval sculpture in Western Europe, they are all that survives of a centre of Pictish wealth and patronage.

Open 1st April - 30th September Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun 9.30 am to 5.30 pm.

History to the present day

The Picts were a confederation of tribes who lived in eastern Scotland until around 850. They were converted to Christianity in the 6th and 7th century.

The architectural fragments on display suggest that the Pictish church at Meigle was a sophisticated building. Meigle was an important centre of power in early medieval Scotland. The villa, or royal estate, at Migdele (Meigle) is mentioned in the time of King Pherath (839–42), shortly before the Picts were united with the Scots under Kenneth mac Alpin.

Many of the carved stones may have been gravemarkers for members of the warrior élite. Some of them are portrayed on the stones with their weapons, or engaged in their favourite pastime of hunting. We know remarkably little about the Picts, and most of what we know of their beliefs comes from the iconography of carved stones, such as those housed in the museum. All the sculpture is made from local sandstone and is overtly Christian. 

The majestic cross-slab known as Meigle 2 dominates the collection. It stands 2.5m high and probably stood beside the entrance to the churchyard. The stone features a wheel-headed cross with raised bosses, resembling the rivet heads of metalwork, and interlaced images of beasts on the shaft. The reverse features Daniel in the lions’ den, at the centre of other scenes showing hunting scenes.

There is a local tradition that Meigle 2 marked the grave of Vanora. She is better known as Queen Guinevere, wife of King Arthur, who was abducted by King Mordred and held captive on Berry Hill, near Meigle. When she returned to her husband, he sentenced her to death by being torn apart by wild beasts. The scene showing Daniel and the lions was believed to depict this tragic event.