Rock Carvings on the North York Moors
These adjoining moors form part of a large tract of open heather moorland stretching from the North sea coastline to the higher moorland areas further west. Scattered across this area are a number of tumuli, cairns, standing stones, small circular enclosures and other earthworks which together form (beneath the heather and bracken) a relatively well preserved ancient landscape and the largest concentration of rock carvings in the whole North York Moors area.
In the mid 1960's Mr Stuart Feather searched this area extensively (possibly when there was less heather cover) and reported 17 cup and ring marked stones. During the early 1970's the Ordnance survey tried to relocate and record the reported carved stones, but due to heather re-growth and slight inaccuracies in the original grid references, many could not be relocated. They did however find other unrecorded carved stones on the moors, increasing the total to over 20.
Recent extensive searches (1994-95-96) on the moors have located many of the 'missing' carved stones originally described by Mr Feather, and in the process several more unrecorded carved stones have been noted.
The motifs shown here are some of the more complex
carvings on these moors, unfortunately long exposure has left many in a
very eroded state.
(Clicking the cursor on the colour images with
blue borders brings up a different view or larger version of that image).
Note many peck marks over surface of this carved slab.
'Domino' arrangement of cup marks.
An eroded "X" ( or cross) with 3 cup marks
( Note Cup and ring marks on a vertical surface including rare comb-like or 'pan pipe' motifs).
Cup marks surrounded by a channel.
The elusive 'P' carving, first reported in 1936 then 1970 and finally tracked down in Dec 2002.
Eroded cup marks and two "horseshoe" ring marks.