The Lochmaben Stone (grid reference NY 3123 6600) is a megalith standing in a field, nearly a mile west of the Sark mouth on the Solway Firth, three hundred yards or so above high water mark on the farm of Old Graitney in Dumfries & Galloway in Scotland.

The principal stone or megalith, referred to as the Lochmabonstone by Logan Mack[1] in 1926, has, in the Borders context, an unsurpassed extent of history attached to it.

The 1845 'New Statistical Account' also relates that a ring of large stones once stood here, enclosing an area of around half an acre, most of which were removed shortly before that date to facilitate ploughing of the site.

However, a sample of mixed Oak and Hazel charcoal taken from the lower fill of the stone-pit yielded a radiocarbon date of approximately 3275 BC according to Aubrey Burl.

[2] He is said to have been the divine patron of the Kingdom of Rheged[citation needed] and dedications to his cult have so far been found at Birrens, Brampton, Chesterholm (Vindolanda), Corbridge and Ribchester.

[10][11] The Lochmaben Stone was a well known, well recognised and easily located 'marker' on the Scottish Marches and as such it performed a number of functions prior to the Union of the Crowns,[1] such as arrangements for truces, exchange of prisoners, etc.

[7] Raiding parties met here before launching expeditions into England and Scottish armies assembled here before major incursions or defence operations took place.

In 1398 the agreement was reached that "The men of Galloway, Nithsdale, Annandale and Crawford Muir, shall meet with the Wardens of the West March for redress of claims at Clochmabanstane.

"[4] In 1473, the Scottish and English Ambassadors met to agree that more frequent meetings of the marcher Wardens were to be held at the six recognised sites on the marches.

On 26 March 1494 the commissioners of both countries met at the Lochmaben Stone to finally settle the long running dispute over the 'Fish Garth' across the River Esk.

In the 16th century a reference is recorded "Loughmaben Stone standyng in Scotland, wher we have beyn accustomyd to keipe days of marches.

Estimated Scots losses range from a low of 26 to a high of 600, the most serious of whom was Sir John Wallace of Craigie, Sheriff of Ayr, who was mortally wounded, dying some time after the battle.

The upper stone of a rotary quern was found about 1976 when ploughing some 350 m SSW of Old Graitney farmhouse, where it is still held by the finder, Mr S Smith.

Slightly oval in shape it measures about 30 cm in maximum diameter and is made of granite or a similar rock; there are both central and side-holes.