history

Synton Mossend, Ashkirk, Selkirkshire

10/08/202411/08/2024 megalithix

Cup-and-Ring Stone (lost): OS Grid Reference – NT 482 214

Also Known as:

Blackcastle Hill

Getting Here

Archaeology & History

Despite there being a number of references to this carving, it would seem to have been lost. First described by James Elliot (1967) in the Discovery & Excavation journal , albeit briefly, he told that,

“A cup-marked stone which was found on this farm several years ago, has been recently identified as a “cup within a cup” type. (It was) retained by finder.”

But there was some initial confusion about its general whereabouts when Ron Morris (1967) gave a brief note of what seemed to be an additional carving in the same edition of the 1967 journal, telling us that at nearly Blackcastle Hill there existed the following:

“Small gritstone boulder, truncated-cone-shaped, having on its top surface a “cup-and-ring”, composed of a “saucer” 4½in diameter, within its centre a much deeper and clearly defined “cup”, 2in diameter. Depth 1¼in. Now removed for safety by J. W. Elliot to Whinfield Sawmill yard, Whinfield Road, Selkirk.”

As it turned out, both Elliot and Morris’s separate entries were talking about the same stone. Morris subsequently clarified this when he came to describe the petroglyph in his survey of Southern Scotland. (1981) He reported then that the carving was “beside the house’s porch in the sawmill’s yard” — but it hasn’t been seen since. Does anyone know what’s become of it, or where it might be? If you happen to find it, see if you can get a good photo or two and let us know on our Facebook group.

References:

Elliot, James W., “Synton-Mossend, near Ashkirk: Cup-Marked Stone,” in Discovery & Excavation, Scotland, 1967.
Morris, Ronald W.B., “Blackcastle Hill: Cup Marks,” in Discovery & Excavation, Scotland, 1967.
Morris, Ronald W.B., “The Cup-and-Ring Marks and Similar Sculptures of Scotland: A Survey of the Southern Counties – part 2,” in Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries, Scotland, volume 100, 1968.
Morris, Ronald W.B., “The Cup-and-Ring and Similar Early Sculptures of Scotland; Part 2 – The Rest of Scotland except Kintyre,” in Transactions of the Ancient Monuments Society, volume 16, 1969.
Morris, Ronald W.B., The Prehistoric Rock Art of Southern Scotland, BAR: Oxford 1981.

Almscliffe Crag carving, North Rigton, North Yorkshire

28/05/202428/05/2024 megalithix

Cup-and-Ring Stone: OS Grid Reference – SE 26777 48952

Also Known as:

Ormscliffe Crags

Getting Here

This is an outstanding site visible for miles around in just about every direction – so getting here is easy! If you’re coming from Harrogate, south down the A658, turn right and go thru North Rigton. Ask a local. If you’re coming north up the A658 from the Leeds or Bradford area, do exactly the same! (either way, you’ll see the crags rising up from some distance away) As you walk to the main crags, instead of going to the huge central mass, you need to follow the line of walling down (south) to the extended cluster of much lower sloping rocks. Look around and you’ll find it!

Archaeology & History

On the evening of May 27, 2024, I received a phone call from a Mr James Elkington of Otley. He was up Almscliffe Crags and the wind was howling away in the background, taking his words away half the time, breaking the sentences into piecemeal fragments. But through it all came a simple clarity: as the sun was setting and the low light cut across the rocky surface, a previously unrecorded cup-and-ring design emerged from the stone and was brought to the attention of he and his compatriot Mackenzie Erichs. All previous explorations for rock art here over the last 150 years had proved fruitless—until now!

On the east-facing slope of the stone, just below the curvaceous wind-and-rain hewn shapes at the very top of the boulder, is a singular archetypal cup-and-ring. It’s faint, as the photos show, but it’s definitely there. What might be another cup-and-ring is visible slightly higher up the sloping face, but the site needs looking at again when lighting conditions are just right! (you can just about make it out in one of the photos) But, at long last, this giant legend-infested mass of Almscliffe has its prehistoric animistic fingerprint, bearing fruit and giving watch to the countless heathen activities going back centuries. Rombald’s wife Herself might have been the mythic artist of this very carving! (if you want to read about the many legends attached to the major Almscliffe rock outcrop, check out the main entry for Almscliffe Crags)

References:

Bennett, Paul, “Almscliffe Crags, North Rigton,” Northern Antiquarian 2010.

Cat Nab, Brotton, North Yorkshire

19/02/202419/02/2024 megalithix

Tumulus (destroyed): OS Grid Reference – NZ 6692 2154

Archaeology & History

This long lost burial mound was first located by the local antiquarian William Hornsby in the early 20th century. It had been constructed close to the summit of the prominent rise of Cat Nab, immediately east above Saltburn. Its position was shown on the 1930 OS-map of the area. Destroyed by quarrying, it was thankfully excavated by Hornsby in 1913; and although his finds were never published, he left notes which told us that,

“there were two cremations and the sherds of at least three vessels: a collared urn, a pygmy cup and a vessel with an everted rim.” (Crawford 1980)

Crawford (1980) told that these finds could been seen in the Middlesborough Collection.

References:

Crawford, G.M., Bronze Age Burial Mounds in Cleveland, Cleveland County Council 1980.

Acknowledgements: Huge thanks for use of the Ordnance Survey map in this site profile, reproduced with the kind permission of the National Library of Scotland.

Holy Well, Allerton, Bradford, West Yorkshire

01/02/202401/02/2024 megalithix

Holy Well (lost): OS Grid Reference – SE 134 331 (approximation)

Archaeology & History

This site is both interesting and frustrating at the same time. Interesting inasmuch that as early as 1258 CE, “the Knights Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem in England, had in Allerton a manor called the manor of Crosley.” The Hospitallers, as some will know, were the immediate successors of the more famous Knights Templars. As their name suggests, their patron saint was St John, whose festival date was summer solstice and had his name given to many holy wells. But this one has left us with no name and its location has long since been lost. In J.H. Bell’s (1888) essay on the early medical history of the area he told that local people with certain afflictions, “were wont to resort to them to drink their waters for their supposed medicinal virtues: there was one between Cemetery Bridge and Crossley Hall”. But he doesn’t give its exact position. In John James’ (1841) classic History of Bradford he thinks that near the place where the local stream known as the Hebble, “there was undoubtedly in former times a Holy well,” but is unable to cite a location. No well is shown on the early maps between the old Hall and the cemetery and the only definitive reference to wells close by are in the early boundary perambulation record, which describe a Brock Well and a Cold Well. Perhaps the the most probable contender and location is cited in Harry Speight’s (aka Johnnie Gray) Pleasant Walks (1890) where, taking a route between Great Horton and Allerton, he told us to,

“go through fields on to Necropolis Road, opposite Scholemoor cemetery, turn down lane left outside cemetery, ½ mile, descending steps, cross beck (here used to be the Spa Beck public gardens, now removed higher up) and ascend, at second field, leaving the forward path and turn left, following beck with Crosley Hall and trees to right.”

The location of the said Spa Beck gardens is very close to where Mr Bell described the medicinal spring and is/was the most likely position of what James (1841) thought to be a long lost holy well. If we could get more information about the history of the Spa Well, we may be able to make more definitive statements about the place.

References:

Bell, J.H., “Some Fragments of Local Medical History,” in Bradford Antiquary, volume 1, 1888.
Gray, Johnnie, Where to Spend a Half-Holiday: One Hundred and Eighty Pleasant Walks around Bradford, Thomas Brear: Bradford 1890.
James, John, History and Topography of Bradford, Charles Stanfield: Bradford 1841.
Shepherd, Val, Historic Wells in and Around Bradford, HOAP: Wymeswold 1994.

Gala House Museum (2), Galashiels, Selkirkshire

03/01/202403/01/2024 megalithix

Cup-and-Ring Stone: OS Grid Reference – NT 49165 35897

Archaeology & History

One of two petroglyphs housed in the Gala House Museum, whose background is somewhat of a mystery. When the northern antiquarian Paul Hornby visited the museum, his enquiries regarding its history and place of origin drew a blank. This small squared block of stone has obviously been broken from a larger piece, but the whereabouts of its adjoining fragments are unknown. The section that remains that we see here is somewhat more complex than it’s companion petroglyph, comprising as it does (in the photo on the right) a concentric cup-and-two-rings,with another arc above it that has a carved line running vertically into it. An elongated cup-mark sits to the side of this line. On the lower-left side we can see where a fragment of the stone has been broken off and here is a cup marking with a double arc above it, that may originally have been another cup-and-two rings. The curious angular lines at the bottom of the stone look like more recent scratches, perhaps from an industrial machine (tractor?) created when the stone was moved from its place of origin. If anyone knows anything about this carving, please let us know.

Acknowledgments: Big thanks to Prof Hornby for use of his photo.

Gala House Museum (1), Galashiels, Selkirkshire

03/01/202403/01/2024 megalithix

Cup-and-Ring Stone: OS Grid Reference – NT 4917 3590

Archaeology & History

A curious stone, inasmuch as nothing seems to be known about it! When the northern antiquarian Paul Hornby visited the Gala House Museum he was pleasantly surprised to find this multiple-ringed petroglyph on display. Upon enquiring as to its history and original location, he was informed that it had been donated locally but nothing was known about it. Incredible! One of two carvings in the museum (the origin of the other carving is equally mysterious), this portable petroglyph has three rings surrounding the central cup, which has a short line running out of it and to the edge of the third ring. The petroglyph may have come out of a nearby prehistoric tomb. If anyone knows anything about this carving, please let us know.

Acknowledgments: Big thanks to Prof Hornby for use of his photo. 🙂

St. Giles’ Well, Lightcliffe, West Yorkshire

17/10/202317/10/2024 megalithix

Holy Well (lost): OS Grid Reference – SE 134 245

Archaeology & History

In times gone by there was a singular St.Giles’ Well in the old village of Lightcliffe, but the only reference we have of it is from one of James Parker’s works (1904) where, in his description of St. Giles’ House, he tells, “It derives its name from an ancient well, called ‘St. Giles’ Well,’ which once existed near to the house, and was dedicated to St. Giles”: an 8th century Greek prince who left everything to become a hermit. He lived on wild herbs and developed the ability to cure rheumatism (perhaps a curative aspect of the well), cripples and help beggars. He is the patron saint of woodlands and his symbol is the arrow gained after he healed a wounded doe shot by one (the mass of Robin Hood folklore in this area may have something to do with this symbolism). His date is September 1.

A.H. Smith (1963) cites the “local tradition that it is named from a well dedicated to St. Giles,” but thinks this attribution to be an unlikely one. As can be seen on the accompanying map, a great number of wells are in this area, none of them named, with one just below the said Giles House.

References:

Parker, James, Illustrated History from Hipperholme to Tong, Percy Lund: Bradford 1904.
Smith, A.H., The Place-Names of the West Riding of Yorkshire – volume 3, Cambridge University Press 1961.

Acknowledgements: Huge thanks for use of the Ordnance Survey map in this site profile, reproduced with the kind permission of the National Library of Scotland.

Brackendale Mills, Thackley, Bradford, West Yorkshire

19/08/202320/08/2023 megalithix

Cup-Marked Stone (missing): OS Grid Reference – SE 1687 3868

Archaeology & History

This carving was originally located somewhere close to the old disused Brackenhall Mills on the edge of Thackley, just before you drop down to Thackley tunnel. It was uprooted sometime in the 1950s and taken several miles away to the Cartwright Hall Museum at Manningham, Bradford, where it sat outdoors behind some fencing for many a-year, accompanied by the large fossil of an ancient tree.

I first saw it there when I lived close by in 1981, in the days before I had such a thing as a camera. Hence I only have this scruffy old sketch of the design, which I did without adding any notes to help remind me which carving it was! So this sketch has sat, all-but-forgotten, on a scrap of paper since then, until I recently sussed out which carving it was!

The stone itself was akin to a very large portable rock, with a simplistic design consisting of at least nine cup-marks cut into one of the rounded faces. One account of the stone suggested there may have been a possible incomplete ring around one of the cups. When I went back to see the stone about 20 years ago, it had gone. So I called into the adjacent museum to inquire what had become of it. The curator (or whoever it was) that I spoke with told me that the stone had been put into a box and placed in the cellars, but refused to let me see it. I asked to make an appointment to see the stone and he refused that too. It has not been seen since. Does anyone know what’s become of it?

References:

Keighley, J.J., “The Prehistoric Period,” in Faull & Moorhouse’s, West Yorkshire: An Archaeological Survey to AD 1500 (WYMCC: Wakefield 1981).
Yorkshire Observer, January 17, 1953

Little Almscliffe Crags, Stainburn, North Yorkshire

12/06/202313/06/2023 megalithix

Legendary Rocks: OS Grid Reference – SE 23237 52275

Also Known as:

Little Almes Cliffe
Little Almias Cliff Crag

Getting Here

Little Almscliffe Crag (photo – James Elkington)

Coming from Harrogate, take the B6162 and B6161 road to Beckwithshaw, through the village and, 4-500 yards on, turn right onto Norwood Lane. 2 miles along, keep your eyes peeled on your left for a gravelled parking spot and you’ll see the large rock outcrop 200 yards south of the road. …Otherwise, from Otley: go over the river bridge and turn right up Farnley Lane and follow the B6451 for a few miles, thru Farnley village up the Washburn valley, past Norwood and at Bland Hill, turn right along Broad Dubb Road for 1¾ miles where you’ll reach that same gravelled parking spot.

Archaeology & History

Very much the ‘little brother’ of Great Almscliffe, 3 miles (4.83km) to the southeast, this site would be more of interest to the travelling geologist, perhaps, than to antiquarians. But that depends what tickles y’ fancy I s’ppose.

In 1702 when the northern antiquarian Ralph Thoresby mentioned this and its big brother to the southeast, he described the “two famous crags of Almes Cliff—in some old writings called Aylmoys ut dicitur—but have seen nothing memorial of it, saving its remarkable lofty situation.” He missed the cup-and-ring carving on the east-side of the crags, obviously, which indicates that it had some form of animistic sanctity in ancient times.

Little Almscliffe was one of many impressive places located within the ancient Forest of Knaresborough; and although it wasn’t on the original boundary line, a perambulation (i.e., annual ritual walking to the old stones, trees and wells defining the region) of the area written in 1770, in what Mr Grainge called “the Copyhold Forest”, was undertaken by the Enclosure Commissioners. It differed from the more ancient perambulation rite, in that the newer one included a mention of,

“five bounder stones also marked F to an earth-fast stone, lying northeast of Little Almes Cliffe, marked also with an F; (and) from thence by other four bounder stones marked F to Sandwith Wath…”

The letter ‘F’ here signifying the word ‘forest’, as in the Forest of Knareborough.

William Grainge (1871) also believed these crags to have been a place of druidic worship. He wasn’t the only one. Many other writers of the time thought the same thing; and although we have no concrete evidence to prove this, it is highly likely that these rocks would have served some ritual purpose in pre-christian days. Certainly in more recent times (during the 1980s and ’90s) we know that ritual magickians used this site for their workings. On a more mundane level, the crags were previously used as a site for for beacon fires. One was erected here in 1803 when the first Bonaparte threatened to invade England; but I can find no written accounts of earlier beacons here.

References:

Bennett, Paul, The Old Stones of Elmet, Capall Bann: Milverton 2001.
Bogg, Edmund, From Eden Vale to the Plains of York, James Miles: Leeds 1895.
Bogg, Edmund, Higher Wharfeland, James Miles: Leeds 1904
Cowling, E.T., Rombald’s Way, William Walker: Otley 1946.
Grainge, William, History & Topography of Harrogate and the Forest of Knaresborough, J.R. Smith: London 1871.
Parkinson, Thomas, Lays and Leaves of the Forest, Kent & Co.: London 1882.

Holy Well, Nether Heyford, Northamptonshire

01/06/202301/06/2023 megalithix

Holy Well (lost): OS Grid Reference – SP 66 59 (approximate)

Archaeology & History

In George Baker’s (1822) massive regional history work he spoke of the village being “well supplied with springs, one of which, called Holywell, is medicinal.” But it would seem to have fallen foul of that thing called progress, as no one has spoken of it since then. When the Northampton historian, Beeby Thompson, looked for the site early in the 20th century, his enquiries drew a blank and he reported simply that “at the present time no one in the village appears to know of such a well.” A field-name survey of the area may prove worthwhile…

References:

Baker, George, The History and Antiquities of the County of Northampton, J.B. Nichols: London 1822.
Harte, Jeremy, English Holy Wells – volume 2, HOAP: Wymeswold 2008.
Thompson, Beeby, “Peculiarities of Waters and Wells,” in Journal Northamptonshire Natural History Society, volume 17, 1914.