Standing stones in grykes around Ingleborough

Pitlamp

Well-known member
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.
 

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Pitlamp

Well-known member
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

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

braveduck

Active member
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

Well-known member
mikem said:
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

Well-known member
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

Well-known member
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

Well-known member
Fjell said:
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

:LOL:

I guess that sorts that one out then!
 

mikem

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

Pitlamp

Well-known member
braveduck said:
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 . . . 
 

Pitlamp

Well-known member
Pitlamp said:
braveduck said:
The event that was related to me all took place on Moughton .

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

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

Well-known member
Pitlamp said:
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!
 
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