Prominent cup-marked rock east of track, north east of Stanbury Hill

Reasons for Designation

Rombalds Moor is an eastern outlier of the main Pennine range lying between the valleys of the Wharfe and the Aire. The bulk of this area of 90 sq km of rough moorland lies over 200m above sea level. The moor is particularly rich in remains of prehistoric activity. The most numerous relics are the rock carvings which can be found on many of the boulders and outcrops scattered across the moor. Burial monuments, stone circles and a range of enclosed settlements are also known. Prehistoric rock carving is found on rock outcrops in several parts of upland Britain with one of the densest concentrations on Rombalds Moor. The most common form of decoration is the `cup and ring' mark in which expanses of small cup-like hollows, which may be surrounded by one or more `rings', are pecked into the surface of the rock. Other shapes and patterns, including some dominated by grooves or lines, are also known. Carvings may occur singly or in small groups, or may cover extensive areas of rock surface. They are believed to date to the Late Neolithic and Bronze Age periods (c.2800-500 BC) and provide one of our most important insights into prehistoric `art'. The exact meaning of the designs remains unknown, but they have been interpreted as sacred or religious symbols. Frequently they are found close to contemporary burial monuments. All positively identified prehistoric rock carving sites exhibiting a significant group of designs have been identified as nationally important.

The carvings on this rock survive well and will contribute to an understanding of the wider grouping of carved rocks.

Details

This monument includes a large gritstone rock 5m by 4m by 1.3m north east of Stanbury Hill, SSE of a derelict building and enclosure and a railway truck, and east of a track. The carving consists of a large number of cup marks, one of which is surrounded by an incomplete ring. The carving covers most of the upper surface and eastern face of the rock.

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:

25266

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Hedges, J D (ed), The Carved Rocks on Rombalds Moor, (1986), 44

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