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Standing Stone / Menhir
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Visited 17th April 2003: The Harold Stone is on private land, with no public right of access. Having said that, I've never been made to feel so welcome visiting a site on someone else's land before. To cap it all, this stone is in the back garden of a bungalow. The couple who own the bungalow have got used to people visiting the stone, and they have a very easy going attitude to the wide variety of beliefs held by those who come. They told us numerous stories about people visiting the stone, including archaeologists, coach parties of tourists, Ley Line hunters and stone hugging Pagans. After we'd seen the stone we were invited in for a cup of tea in their kitchen while the boys slept in the car.
Apart from the warm reception, it was a warm and sunny day, and I was very pleased to see the Stone. It's a striking lump of rock, almost white with lichen, except for the upper surface which is green with beautiful hairy lichen. Before she left us to look at the stone on our own, the lady who lives at the bungalow pointed out some distinct fluting at the base of the stone. She has been told that the fluting may have been carved into the stone by the people who put it up to ease the process of fixing it into the ground.
The stone is up above the sea cliff, apparently visible from the coastal footpath that runs between the garden and the cliff edge. There are beautiful views from the garden out into St. Bride's Bay, but the gentleman who owns the bungalow told me the weather can be a problem because the plot is so exposed (something we talked about for a while because I live on top of a mountain, and we had numerous anecdotes to swap). What a pleasant visit! We'll definitely be going back as soon as we get the opportunity.
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Posted by Kammer
15th May 2003ce
Edited 27th October 2003ce
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