Frederick Coles

Frederick Coles FSA Scot (1854–1929) was an archaeologist, artist, naturalist and musician. In 1881 he was married to Mary and living in Tongland near Kirkcudbright. After his first wife died he married Margaret Neilson Blacklock (sister of the artist) of Kirkcudbright and they had two daughters and three sons. Coles died in 1929. He conducted for the Kirkcudbright Musical Association and his interest in music may have influenced his son Cecil F.G Coles to become a musician.

Archaeology

He became interested in natural history and then field archaeology – in particular, castles, stone circles and cup markings on the stones. Eventually, he surveyed and drew over 130 stone circles and 60 castles across Scotland and from 1895 regularly published his surveys and drawings in the Proceedings of Scottish Antiquaries of Scotland – the journal of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland – producing the first detailed descriptive catalogue of stone circles in Scotland. His children were able help him with taking measurements. Coles was the first person to highlight the contrasting colour of some of the stones, caused by the differing petrology, which was then neglected again until recent years. He was also the first archaeologist to speak to local inhabitants to try to understand the histories of the circles, including those that had been damaged or destroyed in living memory.

Great Crowns of Stone, the 2011 RCAHMS book about the recumbent stone circles of Scotland is dedicated in memory of Coles. The author, Adam Welfare, considers Coles to be in the first rank of those investigating the Scottish stone circles, for example Tomnaverie stone circle. He says that Coles was disdainful of archaeoastronomy, and he did not take part in speculation on the purposes of the stone circles – he restricted himself to recording their details. He was able to secure repeated awards through his diligent work and prompt publication.

Gunning Fellowship publications

Coles (1910) includes an overall summary tabulating sizes of various circles, pages 163–168