Rudston Monolith, E Yorkshire - Megalithic Monuments on Waymarking.com

According to various sources (eg [1],[2]) this is the tallest standing stone in the UK. It is 7.6 metres above ground, and its underground depth is unknown, but may be ([1],[2]) as much as its above ground height.

The stone is of a type that occurs in the Cleveland Hills to the North, and it must have been transported a significant distance (various sources give between 10 and 20 miles - about 15-30 km)

A church (All Saints', Rudston) has been built nearby, and the stone is now within the churchyard.

People have forced coins into the creases of the rock, presumably as a wishing tradition.

The village of Rudston is said to be one of the oldest, or the oldest, inhabited village in England ([1],[4])

There is a plaque that reads:

This monolith standing almost 26ft above ground level was hewn and brought here in the late neolithic period, possibly circa 2000BC
It consists of a slab of moor grit conglomerate as found in a widespread area of the Cleveland Hills inland of Whitby.

More information

1. The Megalithic Portal
2. Wikipedia
3. The Modern Antiquarian
4. Driffield Online

Type: Menhir Parking: N 54° 05.657 W 000° 19.378 Number: 1.00 Size: 7.6m tall Source: Cleveland Hills Purpose: The tallest standing stone in Britain, at just under 8 m in height. An oft-quoted legend says that the Devil threw the stone at the church and missed. Poor Shot!

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Date Logged Log User Rating   06/24/2011 ultimaedge visited it