The Carrick Stone is a remarkable survival in Cumbernauld (North Lanarkshire), located a mile (1.6 km) north of the town centre. This much-eroded stone has been identified as a Roman altar, and stands on the summit of a small hill, near an Ordnance Survey triangulation point, next to a pair of water storage towers and now surrounded by a housing development. It is 1m (3 feet) in height and is protected by iron railings. The only Roman altar remaining in situ in Scotland, it is shaped and carved although the original inscription has been lost. Tradition suggests this is where Robert the Bruce (1274 - 1329) rallied his troops before the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 and he is said to planted his standard in a hole in the stone. Bruce was Earl of Carrick giving rise to the name. In turn the stone gives its name to the surrounding area. It is protected by Historic Environment Scotland as a Scheduled Ancient Monument.
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