Torphichen Churchyard Stone (Torphichen)

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The Torphichen standing stone is located in the kirkyard of the parish church and preceptory. This site is at the eastern side of the village just to the north of the B792 road and some 3 miles north of Bathgate.

In the kirkyard a small square-shaped standing stone is believed to date from the Bronze-Age. Historians think the stone came from the nearby prehistoric site of Cairnpapple, but was perhaps reused in the 4th century by St Ninian and, later by the Irish St Feichin (Fechin) during the 6th-7th century. On the front the stone bears at least five cup-marks or pock marks, whilst the side has some faint Celtic-style carvings. On the top there is an incised cross and a small hollow in the centre, possibly once used for baptisms.

In 1124 the Knights Hospitallers (Knights of St John) built a preceptory here and they used the ancient stone to mark the site as a place of sanctuary or refuge. The stone would mark the centre of the area of sanctuary around their church covering one mile - this being the so-called Scottish mile.