Rudston Monolith
Nearest Town: Bridlington, North Yorkshire
OS Grid Reference: TA 097 677
Directions: On the B1253 between Sledmere and Bridlington, in the village of Rudston. Park by the church, and you can find it in the churchyard.
Site Notes: Wow. What a monster, the tallest megalith in the UK, just over 25 feet high, with at least another 10 feet below ground this is something special. You can only wonder what this was the centre of. Another stone stands in the churchyard, white on one side from the lichen, while the churchyard has a circular aspect to it (fanciful? maybe), and 4 major ceremonial earthworks (cursus) have been traced in the area. A Roman villa was also just down the road. What have we lost? Appreciate what we still have.
Re-visit July 2007: Well the weather is certainly better this time around as you can see from the photos. This monolith never ceases to amaze, it’s sheer size dwarfing everything around it, even overpowering the church built so horribly close. In the time it took me to circle the stone, taking photographs and just looking at this monster, another couple arrived, looked and left. If you visit, take your time.
A question of scale.....
The small stone in the trees
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Visited Rudstone monolith today. Very impressive. I know very little about these stones. Somebody had left a candle at its base. There was also a jam jar containing a tied bunch of ivy and a piece of honeycomb. Any suggestions as to why? Small coins had also been placed into the little holes of the stone. Offerings?
Hi Di, thanks for visiting (both here and the monolith!).
I don’t profess to know what significance the items have, but yes they will be offerings of some kind. I can’t help but feel they are massively disrespectful – we have no idea why the monolith is there, and who or what it’s builders worshipped. Furthermore heat (even candles & tealights) does significant damage to the stones and a jam jar isn’t exactly biodegradeable either. It’s trash pure & simple, and just as bad as nailing a cross to the top of the stone.
Anytime I see stuff like this I collect and put it where it belongs – the bin.
Sorry for the rant, but this wilful littering winds me up…..
So sorry about how you feel.
I agree the stone is so beautiful as it stands, and for me that is enough.
I think though when I go there, it is so very moving to see those little tangible ways in which the great stone and it’s small sister, comforts and speaks to people of today.
Please be kind and not angry in this place.
I’ll stop being angry when people stop littering these sites, or trying to impose their own beliefs upon them. Enjoy them for what they are and leave nothing behind.
This monolith is trully awe inspiring, it has such a pagan power it makes you wonder why they didnt destroy it when they build the church.
As an aside my mothers uncle and cousin are buried here.
My family history tell of the vast lake that stretched from York to Scarborough these stones were nothing more than a guide to the boat people, an old type of lighthouse (without the light). If you wanted a slice of the business then you had to go the extra mile to get it. Why people mix these up with the circles I dont know.