Standing stones in grykes around Ingleborough

[Pitlamp]

Many cavers will no doubt be aware of the existence of stones rammed into grykes in limestone pavements in the Dales, especially around Ingleborough and on Scales Moor. There has been a bunch of folk from the Ingleborough Archaeology Group studying these recently, and these "miniliths" are tentatively thought to be late neolithic to early bronze age. David Johnson gave a presentation on the topic a few evenings ago and it's now available on the AIG website:

http://ingleborougharchaeologygroup.org.uk/

It lasts about 50 minutes and is well worth watching, even if you only have a passing interest in archaeology.

 

[Pitlamp]

P.S. the picture above is one I took a few years ago up on Moughton (above the south end of Horton Quarry).

If any forum users come across anything like this in northern England which is NOT on either Ingleborough or Scales Moor, send me a PM please. I'm not directly involved with the IAG but happy to pass on information.

 

[mikem]

They could be boundary markers from any age (& single stones might be from last Tuesday...)

 

[2xw]

They could be boundary markers from any age (& single stones might be from last Tuesday...)

Did you watch the video

 

[braveduck]

Ha Ha ,sorry to disappoint all those historians out there ,but now that the perpetrator is no longer with  us
the story can be told . One afternoons work by idle hands with nothing else to do !Personal information
told to me by the perpetrator . Done  sometime in the 1960s I believe .

 

[Pitlamp]

They could be boundary markers from any age (& single stones might be from last Tuesday...)

I don't think so; the interpretation by some pretty competent archaeologists is rather different.

Braveduck; there is no way "one person with idle hands" could possibly have created the sheer number of these things across the Dales. Some of them are also too heavy to move by one person anyway. Many are well off the beaten track.

Those directly involved with the study have identified differences between the genuine articles and mere "work by idle hands".

There is a very detailed report available from the YDMT. Might be worth reading that first, if you're not convinced.

But I'm just passing on some information in this topic to fellow forum members which they might be interested in. I'm not directly involved.

 

[Fjell]

I mean, duh!

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwj30PGhz63uAhVdVRUIHWZ4Bm4QtwIwC3oECBIQAg&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DqvXKmffeMkU&usg=AOvVaw0JP_lWdzXrQ4agplWBAhCN

 

[mrodoc]

I suspect many of these features are of modern origin but imitating older stone. Re carrying heavy rocks about, I have a lovely limestone trough in my front garden that comes from Farleton Fell. My father and grandfather carried it about a quarter of a mile across the fell to the car about 70 years ago. It now resides in Somerset, home to nice Alpines having been inherited from my late aunt.

 

[Pitlamp]

I mean, duh!

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwj30PGhz63uAhVdVRUIHWZ4Bm4QtwIwC3oECBIQAg&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DqvXKmffeMkU&usg=AOvVaw0JP_lWdzXrQ4agplWBAhCN

I guess that sorts that one out then!

 

[Fulk]

I have a lovely limestone trough in my front garden that comes from Farleton Fell.

Sacrilege!

 

[braveduck]

A factual event took place in the 60s,and Pitlamp say I don't think so .
I am lost for words !

 

[mikem]

As I said, some are modern additions, but majority are much older - just disagreement about how old.

 

[Pitlamp]

A factual event took place in the 60s,and Pitlamp say I don't think so .
I am lost for words !

I suspect you misunderstand.

My words were:

"Braveduck; there is no way "one person with idle hands" could possibly have created the sheer number of these things across the Dales."

That doesn't mean what you alluded to didn't happen . . . 

 

[braveduck]

The event that was related to me all took place on Moughton .

 

[Pitlamp]

The event that was related to me all took place on Moughton .

Fair enough Braveduck - but you haven't told us about it yet 

 

[Stu]

Thanks for posting this up Pitlamp. Well worth 50mins of anyone's time.

 

[mrodoc]

I have a lovely limestone trough in my front garden that comes from Farleton Fell.

Sacrilege!

I thought somebody would post that. The past is a foreign country as LP Hartley memorably stated.

 

[Fulk]

The past is a foreign country as LP Hartley memorably stated.

So what? I've never really 'got' that.

 

[Pitlamp]

The event that was related to me all took place on Moughton .

Fair enough Braveduck - but you haven't told us about it yet 

Braveduck - if you're reluctant to relate the tale in public, could you email me? I can pass on anything useful to the proper archaeologists, with discretion. Thanks.

 

[andys]

P.S. the picture above is one I took a few years ago up on Moughton (above the south end of Horton Quarry).

If any forum users come across anything like this in northern England which is NOT on either Ingleborough or Scales Moor, send me a PM please. I'm not directly involved with the IAG but happy to pass on information.

There are plenty on the pavements of the Burren in Co Clare - but I approeciates thats not northern England!