THE STANDING STANE. 



they occupied the Orkneys, Caithness, and Sutherland ; 

 others that they inhabited Mid-Scotland, between the 

 West Highlands and the Lowlands north of the Forth. 

 We hear of them at Brechin, at Galloway, and along the 

 Picts' Wall. Some say they were Celts, others Scandi- 

 navians. The riddle is as yet quite unsolved. 



The story goes that the Picts were totally defeated 

 by King Kenneth in the neighbourhood of Tullibody, or 

 Dunbodenum,* in the year 843, after five successive 

 battles. It is said that the final overthrow of the 

 Picts took place near the village of Logic, close under 

 Dunmyat; and others that it took place at Cambus- 

 kenneth Abbey, which " was built by David the Second 

 on the very spot where his royal ancestor gave the final 

 blow to the Pictish dominion." 



In commemoration of the event it is said that a 

 " Standing Stane " was first erected at Tullibody, a 

 usual method of distinguishing the site of a battle in 

 ancient times. The "Standing Stane" was, however, 

 demolished about fifty years ago, the broken fragments 

 being found useful in mending the roads. 



The Abbot of Cambuskenneth took Tullibody under 

 his charge, whether in connection with the victory of 

 Kenneth Macalpine over the Picts, or because the place 

 was in his immediate vicinity, does not appear. At all 

 events, a primitive place of worship was erected at 

 Tullibody, which long continued to be an appendage to 

 the wealthy Abbey of Cambuskenneth. 



* From Dun Buddran, the fort of Buddran, a celebrated Celtic 

 thief. 



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