Aberlemno Village Hall

18/06/2025

Pictish symbol stone coming back to Aberlemno

In summer 2022 an excavation near the Angus village of Aberlemno, led by Professor Gordon Noble from Aberdeen University, uncovered the stone slabbed floor of a large building. Excavation revealed its entrance, with an elaborate threshold incorporating a number of flag stones, of which three were carved: one with cup-marks, another with a faint spiral, and the third was a Pictish symbol stone with seven different symbols. The stones’ location, clustered around the entrance, suggested that reusing these ancient carvings was a deliberate element of the design. Radiocarbon samples taken in 2001 and 2003 indicate the building was constructed around 1000-1200 AD.

A small project team comprising ANGUSalive, Aberdeen University and the Pictish Arts Society supported Aberlemno Village Hall Committee. Through the Treasure Trove system the assemblage was allocated to ANGUSalive to be cared for.

A grant application to Angus Council then secured the necessary funding to display the symbol stone in Aberlemno. The symbol stone will be displayed within the Village Hall and be available to view when the other carved stones along the road and in the churchyard are uncovered from April to October. This has required modifications to the entrance to the Village Hall and has provided an opportunity to improve facilities for visitors. After a lot of hard work we are now awaiting the installation of the magnificent monument in its new home.

This project - “Bringing History Home - and to the World” has received £32,000 from the UK Government through the Community Asset Capital Grant. The grant was awarded by the Angus Council’s Policy and Resources Executive Sub-Committee from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) Communities and Place Priority Funding Scheme.

Emma Gilliland, Museums & Galleries Collections Lead said, ‘It is exciting to see this project come to fruition through strong partnership working. We’re delighted to add this significant Pictish stone in the Angus Collections and through a loan agreement it will be on display at its home in Aberlemno which is well-known as the site of a Pictish settlement.’

For further information please contact the Village Hall via our website at
https://aberlemno.org/

The ANGUSalive collections team can be contacted on [email protected]

Project Partners:
ANGUSalive; Aberlemno Village Hall Committee; Aberdeen University Department of Archaeology; Pictish Arts Society; Monikie Rock Art’

17/06/2025

A message from Brian June 2025

In my study at home I have a set of notebooks dating back to my days in Jedburgh when I started out as a minister. They keep a record of the services I have taken; hymns, lessons and themes.

If I look back it is not difficult for me to spot the favourite hymns and readings. Outside of the Gospels, St.Paul’s letter to the Philippians has always been a favourite. In chapter 4 he writes; “Whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- Think about these things.”

I think it is an inspiring passage, full of great expressions of faith, especially when we remember St.Paul wrote these words when he was a prisoner in Rome, chained day and night and waiting to be tried for treason, a crime with a death penalty- and yet he speaks over and over again about God’s peace.

It is a message I think our world needs to hear today; to fill our minds and our hearts with good and positive thoughts.

Life will always bring problems and challenges but the greatest way we can face up to them is by thinking about the good things we can do and the positive things we can remember . That will not only help us but help us to help others.

The Christian faith is not perfectionist but encourages us to do our best and to focus on those things that are caring and loving.

May God bless you and your loved ones,

Brian

17/06/2025

Heavenly Father,

Help us to remember that Your Son Jesus brought us encouragement and hope and showed us that in our lives we can show these qualities too.

We thank You for the gift of friendship. Help us to remember that we do not need great wisdom to be a good friend but only need to care, give time and be ready to listen.

We pray for those who are struggling because of the circumstances they find themselves in, that they may find strength and courage and that we may be shown ways that we can support them.
Bless our neighbours, friends and our loved ones and keep them safe we pray.

In Jesus’ name.

Amen

17/06/2025

Making Angus buildings more energy efficient

Whether it's your home, rental property, community building or business - learn how to make them more energy efficient at our free webinars.

We’re holding a series of free webinars from Monday 23 to Thursday 26 June in association with Home Energy Business Energy Scotland and Local Energy Scotland designed to to help Angus residents improve the energy efficiency of their buildings.

As part of the Council's Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES), these free events are tailored to help you, your community and/or your business reduce energy bills and carbon emissions. Each of the webinars has been themed for a specific focus - on businesses, communities, home renewables and landlords.

They are –

Business Energy Scotland – Monday 23 June at 2pm.
Local Energy Scotland – Tuesday 24 June at 6pm.
Home Energy Scotland home renewables – decarbonising your home and making it more energy efficient – Wednesday 25 June at 12.30pm or at 6pm.
Home Energy Scotland for Landlords – decarbonising your rental home and making it more energy efficient – Thursday 26 June at 12.30pm or 6pm.

Go to our website to find out more about each webinar and to book your place – you can sign up to any or all of the webinars – Making our buildings more energy efficient

https://www.angus.gov.uk/the_environment/sustainable_angus/making_our_buildings_more_energy_efficient

10/06/2025

https://RSE-FarmerandLandowner.eventbrite.com

01/06/2025

25/05/2025

Aberlemno School Nursery – Community Survey

As Chairperson of the Aberlemno School Parent Council, I’m helping to spread the word that our nursery is at risk of being mothballed.
This means it would be formally closed, with no option to apply for a nursery place in the future.

No children have attended since 2022, and while there have been a few applications, they haven’t coincided — meaning the nursery hasn’t been able to open.

If you:
• Are considering Aberlemno Nursery for your child in the next two years
• Previously applied without success
• Or want to support the continuation of this important local facility

Please take 5 minutes to complete this short survey.
Your feedback is vital in helping us demonstrate that there is still interest and need for a nursery in our community.

👉 https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=7t-YN2zBekiIoixtpi261-yZEQStW-hMtE-87TLzFylUNzFPOUNLTUlROUNTQUtMMUtMT0FGMlRHRS4u

Thank you for your support.

Kind regards,
Heather Watson
Chairperson, Aberlemno School Parent Council

20/05/2025

⚔️ (20 May) in 685, the Battle of Nechtansmere took place between Bridei Mac Bili, King of the Picts, and Ecgfrith, King of the Northumbrians. The battle has traditionally been thought to have been fought near the village of Dunnichen.

After sieges of neighbouring territories carried out by the Picts, Ecgfrith led his forces against them, despite advice to the contrary, in an effort to reassert his power over the Pictish nations.

A feigned retreat by the Picts drew the Northumbrians into an ambush at Dun Nechtain, near the lake of Linn Garan. The battle site has long been thought to have been near the present-day village of Dunnichen. Recent research has suggested an alternative site near Dunachton, Badenoch and Strathspey.

The battle ended with a decisive Pictish victory which severely weakened Northumbria's power in northern Britain. Ecgfrith was killed in battle, along with the greater part of his army. The Pictish victory marked their independence from Northumbria, who never regained their dominance in the north.

📸 MS747/33/152 Battle of Nechtansmere re-enactors.

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