ancient monuments

Dane’s Stone, Moulin, Pitlochry, Perthshire

28/07/200930/07/2019 megalithix

Standing Stone: OS Grid Reference – NN 9425 5942

Also Known as:

Pitfourie Stone

Dane's Stone under a brilliant sky — Dane’s Stone under a brilliant sky

Going thru Pitlochry town, turn up the A924 road for about a mile till you hit the Moulin Inn on your left-hand side. Just past here, take the road left and continue for 2-300 yards until the stone in the field stands out on your right-hands side. Y’ can’t really miss it!

Archaeology & History

I should mebbe have this site entered as a ‘stone circle’ and not just an old monolith, as numerous other standing stones were in close attendant not too long ago and it was said to have been a circle. Certainly when the great Fred Coles (1908) talked about this place, he

“was informed by the tenant, Mr Reid…that many years ago, in his grandfather’s time, “there were several more stones standing”, all smaller than this monolith and that, upon the orders given by Mrs Grant Ferguson of Baledmund, some of these were saved from total demolition, and are supposed to be lying half-buried in the field to this day.”

...and here's the big man close-up — …and here’s the big man close-up

Though I imagine these remnants have now been removed. Aerial images, when conditions are just right, might prove fruitful here.

But the solitary stone still standing here is quite a big fella. Heavily encrusted with quartz and more than 7 feet tall, it’s a nice fat chunky thing, with its lower half being somewhat slimmer than the top. Well worth having a look at!

Folklore

Once an old moot site, folklore also tells that an old market was once held here (there was some other folklore I had of this place, but can’t for the life of me find it at the moment!).

References:

Coles, Fred R., ‘Report on Stone Circles Surveyed in Perthshire,’ in PSAS 42, 1908.
Liddell, Colin, Pitlochry: Heritage of a Highland District, PKPL: Perth 1993.
Reid, A., ‘Monumental Remains in Pitlochry District,’ in PSAS 46, 1912.

Links:

Stravaiging Round Scotland

Balnakeilly Stone, Moulin, Pitlochry, Perthshire

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Standing Stone: OS Grid Reference – NN 9463 5943

Getting Here

As you go through Pitlochry’s main street, watch out for the right-turn up the A924 road. Go up here for perhaps a mile. You’ll know you’re getting close as you pass the Moulin pub and the seeming avenue of trees opens on either side of the road. A coupla hundred yards up into the trees, there’s the left-turn up the Balnakeilly driveway. Stop! It’s on your left.

Archaeology & History

Knocking on for nine-feet tall, there’s some debate as to the archaic authenticity on this standing stone. Ian Armit and his mate (1998) certainly wondered whether this was an ancient stone or not and, gotta say, when I came up here a coupla weeks back, I got the same impression. It doesn’t have that feel about it which comes from the real olde ones; but this could be due to it having been moved in the not-too-distant past. Though when Alan Reid wrote about it in 1911 he told us that,

“it bears marks of having been…worked slightly into shape by some pointed tool whose traces are plainly seen on several of its angles.”

Not something you’d find on monoliths that are a few thousand years old! But if this stone was moved when the entrance to Balnakeilly drive was done, or the road widened, this could account for such markings. We could do with digging into any archives that may exist about Balnakeilly or the Pitlochry roads to see if there’s any record of this stone to end the debate once and for all. Tis a good site to visit though – check it out!

References:

Armit, I. & Johnson, M., ‘Balnakeilly (Moulin parish), ‘modern standing stone’,’ in Discovery and Excavation in Scotland, 1998.
Reid, Alan, ‘Monumental Remains in Pitlochry District,’ in PSAS 46, 1911-12.

Hollin Tree Hill, Askwith Moor, North Yorkshire

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Standing Stone: OS Grid Reference – SE 16611 50818

Getting Here

Follow the directions to reach the Man Stone carving. Walk up the sloping hillside from there until you reach the top. From there, walk down the slope heading slightly to your left. You’ll find it!

Archaeology & History

A small upright stone, less than three feet tall, but once a little taller as you’ll see that it’s head has been knocked off in the not-too-distant future and lies on the ground by its side. A small scatter of what seems like possible cairn-material lies around its base, but not enough to imply that a tomb of any sort was ever here (aswell as that, the position on the slope seems wrong).

A curious little thing, without archaeological companions. When we came here the other day, we explored the ground all round the stone as all the heather had been burnt back; but there was nothing anywhere near it to give a hint as to why it stands here, alone, at what seems like a strange spot two-thirds the way up a moorland slope. It’s been speculated that in the middle of its more north-facing side there is a cup-mark on it, but this is very dubious and, in my opinion, should be discounted as such. The marking is a gun-shot wound – and more recent ones have just been added, as seen in the photo.

Netherurd Mains, Kirkurd, Peeblesshire

11/07/200926/12/2024 megalithix

Cross: OS Grid References – NT 1041 4403

Also Known as:

Canmore ID 50098
Swastika Stone

Archaeology & History

Swastika X, Netherurd — Netherurd’s Swastika Cross Stone

This supposedly 10-12th century carving — found in the early 1940s and handed to the Scottish National Museum in Edinburgh by Mr A. Sanderson — took my interest by virtue of the distinct swastika design carved on the face of the stone.* The fact that it’s etched onto what’s thought to be the remains of an old christian cross shouldn’t be too surprising: we find it on numerous other old stone crosses, church bells and other religious remains.

This example was only carved on one side of the stone, which measures some 18-inches high and just 9 inches across. The top of the stone has a design typical of many early crosses from between the 9th to 14th century; whilst the curvaceous line on the lower-right also typifies imagery found on many crosses from this period — some of which appear to be based on cup-and-ring imagery. However, no such cup-and-rings seem to have been in evidence where this cross-remain was found. Very little else is known about its history.

Although it aint quite as old as Ilkley’s Swastika Stone, this is still a fascinating carved stone indeed!

References:

Royal Commission on the Ancient & Historical Monuments of Scotland, Peeblesshire – volume 1, HMSO: Edinburgh 1967.
Stevenson, Robert B.K., ‘The Inchyra Stone and some other Unpublished Early Christian Monuments’, in PSAS 92, 1961.

* To those who don’t know, the swastika symbol has been used by people from around 20,000 BC onwards and has only very recently gained a bad press. It’s a symbol that needs to be reclaimed, through education, and put back into its proper mythic place where it belongs – away from any Nazi dip-shits, whose retarded actions pale into insignificance when it comes to the primal archaic nature of this old form.

Yarmer Head, Nidd, North Yorkshire

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Standing Stone (destroyed): OS Grid Reference – SE 299 612

Also Known as:

Temple Yarmer

Archaeology & History

It was the legendary Harry Speight who described this in his monumental historico-topographical exploration of the Nidd valley in the 1890s. Nothing else, it seems, has been said of the place, though something of considerable archaeological importance was once here. Not only does he tell of the previous existence of “a large circular enclosure…the outer ditch having a circumference of nearly 1000 yards” at Yarmer Head, but,

“In the hollow on the east side of this hill was formerly a large natural marsh or lakelet, near which remains the base of an immense menhir or standing monolith, erected doubtless in heathen days to commemorate a great victory, or perhaps a treaty.”

The stone is not shown on the early OS-maps (although they did miss quite a lot of sites), and whatever its reason for being here might never be known as all traces of this giant monolith appears (yet again) to have vanished. There is an ancient boundary line immediately below the hill, on its eastern side, so perhaps the stone was an ancient marker along this. Do any local folk round Nidd know owt more about this once important megalithic site?

References:

Speight, Harry, Nidderdale and the Garden of the Nidd, Elliot Stock: London 1894.

Dump Stone, Holden, Silsden, West Yorkshire

06/07/200922/10/2019 megalithix

Cup-Marked Stone: OS Grid Reference – SE 0705 4490

Getting Here

Follow the same directions as to reach Holden’s Buttock Stone, then north over the field and through the gate towards the Rough Holden Carving. As you approach here, keep your eyes peeled for a clump of boulders a little further down the field which stand out. That’s where you wanna be!

Archaeology & History

Found by the old Keighley volunteer, Michala Potts of Bracken Bank, a few weeks back (Friday, June 12, 2009), this previously undiscovered cup-marked boulder is amidst a scatter of boulders piled-up with each other following a field-clearance in recent years. It doesn’t seem to be in its original position, but obviously came from the fields hereby.

Cup-Marks on vertical face — Side view of cup-marks

The first view we got indicated 2 or 3 cup-markings on its upper surface; but then as we wandered round it and the adjacent rocks, it seemed that several others appear to have been etched on the vertical face, as shown in one of the photos. The light wasn’t too good by the time we found this (it was one of those days where cloud and sun kept the cup-marks hidden at times!) and then a drizzle came along and stopped a sketch of the stone. But it’s obvious there are 3-4 cup-markings on the upper surface and at least 3 carved on its side. Next time up there we’ll hopefully get better light!

One of the land-owners or tenant farmers hereby has little respect for the prehistoric remains in this area and, in all honesty, I’d expect a number of the petroglyphs to be destroyed in the coming years.

Torrisholme Barrow, Morecambe, Lancashire

24/06/200929/04/2025 megalithix

Tumulus: OS Grid Reference – SD 4596 6425

Getting Here

Various ways up this old hill, visible from all angles it seems. I came up via the housing estate near where us friend lives, near Bare Lane Station, through the houses and up the footpath. But you can just as easy (if not easier) walk up from the country lane and fields beneath its eastern side. Much nicer!

Archaeology & History

As many northerners will tell: gerrin information from the Lancashire archaeologists about prehistoric sites is troublesome (must be Southerners running the show!). There’s tons of stuff in this good county, but archaeo-info is pretty poor on the ground. This great old tomb for example, is designated as a “round barrow” on the Lancashire County Council monuments and records listing, but there’s no other info telling when it was dug, who by, the size of the tomb, what was found here, etc. Pretty poor to be honest (c’mon chaps – get yer fingers out!). The best info on-line comes from the more dedicated amateur enthusiasts.

A local historian told us that there was nowt up here, but my nose told me otherwise — so up we tramped! It was pretty obvious once we’d got to the top here, that some ancient mound had been built up.

“This has all the hallmarks of a tomb,” I said.

The spirit of the ancestor herein (whoever s/he was) had excellent views and flights to numerous important hills 360° all round here. A perfect place for a tomb! And when we returned into the Darklands of our Yorkshire abodes, we found this notion to be true. Marked on early OS-maps as a tumulus, next to the tell-tale giveaway route of Barrow Lane, there are passing mentions of it in a couple of old local history books I’ve come across, but I’ve yet to find much more about it. It’s a fine mound and of decent size, well worth checking out if you’re in the area. Once I get more details of the archaeological finds from here, I’ll add the data to TNA (but based on past performances and responses from Lancashire archaeo’s, I wouldn’t hold your breath…)

And for any Morecambe historians who might be able to find more: what — if anything — is known of the ‘Fartle Barrow’, now swallowed by the encroachment of the sea, just a few hundred yards west of here?

Folklore

In days of olde, this site was an old moot or meeting hill: one of the northern Law or council meeting hills. Quite how far back this gathering tradition up here goes, aint known. We do know however that there was a christian tradition enacted here, at Easter, of local church doods taking a cross up the top of the hill (does anyone know the story behind the old Cross Hill, half-a-mile south of here?). There’s obviously quite a lot more pre-christian activities occurrent round here than has been previously thought.

Robin Hood’s Stone, Riddlesden, West Yorkshire

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Legendary Rock: OS Grid Reference – SE 06228 44470

Getting Here

Dead easy! If you come from Silsden, take the Holden Road up onto the moor edge, all the way up the wooded hill. As you reach the top, keep your eyes peeled for the stone in the slope to your left. Otherwise, coming from Riddlesden, take the moor road upwards (to Silsden Road) as if you’re gonna visit Peggy Mawson’s Well, the Baldwin Stone or some of the Rivock carvings. Keep on the road to where you see the microwave tower on Pinfold Hill to your right. It’s just below it!

Archaeology & History

RH Stone, Rivock02 — Robin Hood’s Stone from above

Flints have been found on the slopes above here, but records of this stone only go back — as far as I’ve found — to 1850 (this seems to typify records around the Keighley district, which only seems to record anything post-1500 AD). In mid-Victorian times, plans were afoot to use the rock for building material, but local people objected and so the stone kept its position overlooking the valley. There are a number of very defined ‘cups’ on the sloping face of the stone, but several (though not all) of these have all the likeness of the holes dug into the rock by climbers — though why climbers would even think to cut foot-holes into this easy rock beggars belief!

Folklore

One of several sharp well-defined 'cups' on the rock — One of several sharp well-defined ‘cups’ on the rock

Not too surprisingly, folklore tells that this stone was one of the places where our old hero Robin Hood sheltered, when being chased by god-knows-who in one of his many exploits. We’ve no way of proving this of course, but the sparse woodland remains above here also bear the hero’s name. What seems to be a more modern piece of industrial folklore alleges that this stone was actually put here by workers in the Victorian times! The boulder allegedly lived near Barden, Bolton Abbey, but was blocking construction work, so was uprooted and moved all the way to where it now sits! In bygone times the rock was a local meeting place – perhaps around Beltane, in line with Robin Hood festivities.

References:

Gray, Johnnie, Through Airedale from Goole to Malham, Elliot Stock: London 1891.

Peggy Well, Silsden, West Yorkshire

13/06/200929/10/2019 megalithix

Healing Well: OS Grid Reference – SE 0655 4413

Also Known as:

Peggy Mawson’s Well
Peggy’s Well

Getting Here

From Riddlesden, take the road up to the moorland and Rivock Edge. When you reach the top (Silsden Road), turn left. Go on for about 600 yards till you reach the lovely tree-hidden old cottages of Holden Gate, on your right. Stop — and walk down the footpath opposite from here. As the wall goes down, you’ll notice a stream in the next field to your left, emerging from a clump of large rocks. That’s it! (there’s a footpath in the next field from the roadside)

Archaeology & History

Shown on the first OS-map as ‘Peggy Mawson’s Well,’ little else seems to known of this place; though it obviously got its name after the local lady, Peggy Mawson. I can find no further information about this lady, nor why the site was named after her. Any help here would be hugely appreciated!

Peggy Mawson’s Well – now drained-off through pipes

Sadly the waters from beneath the rocks have been channeled into a couple of pipes and the well no longer runs. All that’s left is a small boggy region just in front of the boulders. You have to walk about 100 yards further down the field where the water emerges from a modern pipe. It doesn’t taste as nice as it originally did when coming straight from the ground, but it’s still quite drinkable (certainly beats any of the chlorinated stuff* that customers are forced to pay for, whether we want it or not – and most people don’t want it).

Folklore

This site has acquired modern folklore, but sadly no early traditions have been found. Whelan & Taylor (1989) thought that Peggy Well’s “dedication suggests a connection with St. Margaret,” which unfortunately isn’t the case. Several years later another writer, Val Shepherd (1994), spun the speculation even further, not checking the historical background to the site, and thought that “the well’s name may be derived from the water spirit, ‘Peg,’ who gave her name to other wells.” Sadly neither idea holds any sway.

References:

Shepherd, Val, Historic Wells in and Around Bradford, HOAP: Loughborough 1994.
Whelan, Edna & Taylor, Ian, Yorkshire Holy Wells and Sacred Springs, Northern Lights: Pocklington 1989.

* Anyone know about this: surely because the water companies chlorinate and add other undesirable toxins into our tap water, what we’re actually drinking is a very weak solution and not actually water. Isn’t that a trading standards violation?

Robin Hood’s Wood (3), Silsden, West Yorkshire

13/06/200912/05/2025 megalithix

Cup-Marked Stone: OS Grid Reference – SE 06530 44898

Also Known as:

Holden CR1

Getting Here

Follow the same directions to reach the Robin Hood’s Wood Stone, but head from there to the dirt-track about 30 yards away. This stone is just 10-15 yards on the south-side near the bend in the track. Look around!

Archaeology & History

If you can find this stone, the 2-cupped Robin Hood’s Wood Stone carving is only about 15 yards SW. But this poor example is a mere single cup-mark sitting near the centre of a large flat rock, half-covered in vegetation like its nearby compatriot. There’s a faint possibility of a second cup-mark on the rock, but it’s pushing it a bit! Thanks to the vegetation cover on the majority of the rock, the cup’s in a good state of preservation. Nowt much to shout about unless you’re a real cup-and-ring nut!