Stone alignment, 900m south-west of Holystone Grange
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Scheduled Monument
- List Entry Number:
- 1009448
- Date first listed:
- 26-Nov-1932
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Scheduled Monument
- List Entry Number:
- 1009448
- Date first listed:
- 26-Nov-1932
- Date of most recent amendment:
- 27-Jan-1994
Location
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Northumberland (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Harbottle
- National Park:
- Northumberland
- National Grid Reference:
- NT 95740 00102
Reasons for Designation
Stone alignments or stone rows consist of upright stones set in a single line, or in two or more parallel lines, up to several hundred metres in length. They are often sited close to prehistoric burial monuments, such as small cairns and cists, and to ritual monuments, such as stone circles, and are therefore considered to have had an important ceremonial function. Stone alignments were being constructed and used from the Late Neolithic period to the Middle Bronze Age (c.2500-1000 BC) and provide rare evidence of ceremonial and ritual practices during these periods. Due to their rarity and longevity as a monument type, all examples that are not extensively damaged will be considered worthy of protection.
The stone alignment near Holystone Grange is very well preserved and is a fine example of a prehistoric stone monument. It is the only surviving example in the county and will contribute to any study of prehistoric settlement and activity in Northumberland.
Details
The monument is a stone alignment, known locally as The Five Kings, situated on south-east sloping moorland, beneath a craggy outcrop. The alignment includes four substantial stones situated in a slight arc from south-west to north-east. The stones are located 4m, 7m and 6m apart and are 2m, 1.3m, 1.6m and 2.2m high. A fifth stone which completed the alignment was situated 7m beyond the fourth but was removed earlier this century; the site of this stone is also included in the scheduling. Local tradition says that the five stones represent five brothers who owned adjacent areas of land.
MAP EXTRACT The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract. It includes a 2 metre boundary around the archaeological features, considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 20954
- Legacy System:
- RSM
Sources
Books and journals
Tomlinson, W W, Comprehensive Guide to Northumberland, (1916), 344
Dixon, D D, Upper Coquetdale, (1903), 122-123
Other
NT 90 SE 03,
Legal
This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 03-Jun-2026 at 23:41:31.
Download a full scale map (PDF)© Crown copyright [and database rights] 2026. OS AC0000815036. All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number 100024900.© British Crown and SeaZone Solutions Limited 2026. All rights reserved. Licence number 102006.006.
End of official list entry