| Rock carvings in western Yorkshire |
The GREYSTONE - Harewood
This large boulder (over 3 metres in height) stands isolated on a
hill top in the grounds of Harewood House. On its north-west face
a flattened area has an eroded carving consisting of seven
concentric rings, without a central cup mark, however there are
several cup marks elsewhere on the boulder. This unusual carving
appears to mark the eastern limit of exposed carvings in the West
Yorkshire group.
It may be worth noting that the carving "faces out"
across the Wharfe valley directly towards Almescliffe Crags - a
massive rock outcrop on the horizon. It has also been calculated
that when viewed from the Greystone the midwinter full moon would
set behind Almescliffe crags at the major lunar standstill around
1800BC.
SPOFFORTH
A line of 7 cup marks (2 with rings) can just be made out along
the top of this large boulder. This stone is actually the eastern
most carving in the west Yorkshire group but it looks as if it
may have arrived here through field clearance.
Early ordnance survey maps show an "Ancient Mound"
approximately 750 metres west of the stones present location, so
the carved stone may have come from a barrow in the area.