Loupin Stanes
{{Short description|Stone circle in Scotland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox historic site
| name = The Loupin Stanes
| native_name =
| image = The Loupin' Stanes stone circle - geograph.org.uk - 811307.jpg|
| caption =
| locmapin = Scotland Dumfries and Galloway
| map_caption =
| coordinates = {{coord|55.258263|-3.170489|display=inline,title}}
| location =
| area =
| built =
| architect =
| architecture =
| governing_body =
| designation1 = Scheduled monument
| designation1_offname = Loupin' Stanes, stone circle
| designation1_date =
| designation1_number = {{Historic Environment Scotland|num=SM637|short=yes}}
}}
The Loupin Stanes ({{gbmapping|NY25709663}}) is a stone circle near Eskdalemuir, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.
Description
Oval in shape, the site consists of twelve stones set on an artificial platform.{{Cite book|title = A Guide to the Stone Circles of Britain, Ireland and Brittany|last = Burl|first = Aubrey|publisher = Yale University Press|year = 2005|location = New Haven; London|pages = 123}}{{Cite book|title = The Stone Circles of Britain, Ireland and Brittany|last = Burl|first = Aubrey|publisher = Yale University Press|year = 2000|location = New Haven and London|pages = 255}} At the west-southwest portion of the circle are two large pillars, which are typical of the 'entrance circles' of south-west Scotland.{{Cite book|title = A Guide to the Stone Circles of Britain, Ireland and Brittany|last = Burl|first = Aubrey|publisher = Yale University Press|year = 2005|location = New Haven; London|pages = 309}}
The circle takes its name from the tradition of leaping between the tops of these two stones.{{Cite journal|url = http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archiveDS/archiveDownload?t=arch-352-1/dissemination/pdf/vol_031/31_281_289.pdf|title = 'The Girdlestanes,' and a Neighbouring Stone Circle, in the Parish of Eskdalemuir, Dumfriesshire|last = Christison|first = David|date = 1897|journal = Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland|page = 285}}{{Cite book|title = Langholm as it was: A History of Langholm and Eskdale from the Earliest Time|last = Hyslop|first = John|publisher = Hills and Company|year = 1912|location = Sunderland|pages = 19|url = https://archive.org/stream/langholmasitwashhysl#page/19/mode/2up/|last2 = Hyslop|first2 = Robert}}{{Cite book|title = A Guide to the Stone Circles of Britain, Ireland and Brittany|last = Burl|first = Aubrey|publisher = Yale University Press|year = 2005|location = New Haven; London|pages = 124}}
Nearby sites
There were two other circles nearby, which are now ruined and almost imperceptible. A line of stones leads south to the Girdle Stanes; it is possible that this is the remains of an avenue linking the two circles.
See also
References
Category:Stone circles in Dumfries and Galloway
Category:Scheduled monuments in Scotland
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