The Barden Fell Rocking Stone

  Barden Fell is an area of high moorland 2 miles to the north of Bolton Abbey, and 14 miles to the west of Harrogate.

  After the disappointment of finding the Thornthwaite Rocking Stone had been destroyed by Victorian quarrymen, a visit to Barden Fell also failed to identify the rocking stone marked there on the old OS map. A couple of large rocks at the location seemed likely candidates, but no amount of pushing and shoving could get either rock to move. On that occasion it was suspected that the rocking stone was the longer of the two rocks, and that it had been pushed off its pivot point. However, a return visit in October 2022 had more success, and identified the adjacent 3 metre long ‘anvil’ shaped boulder as the rocking stone (SE 08055 58520). Standing on top of this rock at its highest point, and using body weight, it was quite easy to set the boulder in motion. As with other rocking stones in this region the movement is not particularly dramatic – but this is still moving a rock weighing several tons. It is possible that pushing the ‘nose’ end of the rock may also set it moving, but this was not tried on that occasion.

Somewhere a little different – the Lycian Way

  The royal tombs in the hill top necropolis at Simena in southern Turkey date to around 500 bc. From these raised up sarcophagi, winged spirits carried souls to the afterlife.
The archaeological remains in this region really are a wonder to behold.

Return to Hood Hill – another Hill of Odin?

  A previous post described the Altar Stone which used to stand on the top of Hood Hill near Sutton Bank, 5 miles to the east of Thirsk.

  Local folklore records that the large block of stone was originally a Druid altar, which was dropped on the hill by the Devil, but unfortunately the rock was totally destroyed in the 1950’s when a jet aircraft crashed into it.

  In the early 1900’s, Edmund Bogg noted another piece of folklore connected with the rock …
“when the dinner-bell rang at Osgodby Hall the stone rolled down for its repast, and regularly returned to the crest after the meal.” (Bogg, 1906).

Roseberry Topping – the high altar of Odin ?

Beneath the shade the Northmen came,
Fix’d on each vale a Runic name,
Rear’d high their altar’s rugged stone,
And gave their Gods the land they won.

  The mountain like peak of Roseberry Topping is located 5 miles to the south east of Middlesborough, and forms part of the Cleveland Hills range running along the northern edge of the North York Moors.

  At over 1000 feet in height Roseberry can be classed as a mountain, and its distinctive shape has seen it referred to as the Yorkshire Matterhorn. Being such an imposing landmark, it is no surprise to find this hill features in the folklore, and even the ancient mythology of the region.

  When the hill starts to appear in land documents during the 12th century its name is recorded as Othenesburg, meaning ‘Odin’s Hill’. This name points to the early Anglo-Scandinavian settlers in this area having dedicated the mountain to their chief god Odin. Some confirmation of this being a holy hill may also come from the Airy-Holme placename, which is marked on the first edition OS map (1856) as a location on the east side of the hill, and half a mile to the north of Airy Holme farm.

Airyholme – the Hovingham Horg?

  Airyholme is located on the Howardian Hills, 1.5 miles to the south of Hovingham, and 6 miles west of Malton.

  “Airyholme with Howthorpe and Baxton Howe” is the rather long winded name of a township in the Hovingham parish. The township consists of just 4 farms, and its name appears to be derived from the ancient burial mounds in this area. In the early 1900’s, the author Rev. Arthur St Clair Brooke described the Hovingham parish, and specifically mentions Airyholme …
“Airyholme. This last is an interesting word. It is written Ergunholme in Domesday, and is derived from Horgum, plaural of Horg, old Norse for a sacrificial stone. The word is seen in transition in Dodsworth’s Notes where it is written Arg-holme. Airyholme is therefore the holme near the sacrificial stones. Opposite the place, to the north, is a knoll of green grass, called Hollin Hill, on the side of which are some huge flat stones, the upper- most resting on a roller of old oak. They have all the appearance of having once formed a heathen altar, and the fine old oaks which grow on the hillside help to confirm the impression. “ (Brooke,1904).