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- Aug 15, 2001
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The Rudston Monolith, a few miles to the West of Bridlington, is the tallest prehistoric standing stone in Britain, at 25 feet high. From the look of the damage to the top, it may once have been even taller. The name "Rudston" suggests that it may have been christianised by having a cross added at some point (rood-stone) like several of the Carnac Menhirs in Brittany, but there's no trace of it now.
It can be found in the village churchyard, the legend being that it was flung by Old Nick in an attempt to destroy the church (a few feet away to the right of the photo). Of course, it was there long before the church. Rudston seems to have been an important religious centre; there are three cursus (now only visible as crop markings) all centred on the Monolith, and the surrounding Wolds are full of henges, other earthworks and burial mounds. Sadly, most of them were largely ploughed out when the Wolds were developed for agriculture in the 19th Century. One good remaining one can be seen a few miles up the road at Willy Howe. It probably survived because it was too big to plough; with a 130 foot diameter its reckoned to be the largest round barrow in Britain (seeing as no burials have ever been found a Silbury and Gop Cairn!) I'll have a quick Google and see if I can find a photo of it!
It can be found in the village churchyard, the legend being that it was flung by Old Nick in an attempt to destroy the church (a few feet away to the right of the photo). Of course, it was there long before the church. Rudston seems to have been an important religious centre; there are three cursus (now only visible as crop markings) all centred on the Monolith, and the surrounding Wolds are full of henges, other earthworks and burial mounds. Sadly, most of them were largely ploughed out when the Wolds were developed for agriculture in the 19th Century. One good remaining one can be seen a few miles up the road at Willy Howe. It probably survived because it was too big to plough; with a 130 foot diameter its reckoned to be the largest round barrow in Britain (seeing as no burials have ever been found a Silbury and Gop Cairn!) I'll have a quick Google and see if I can find a photo of it!
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