Rudston Monolith

On assembling round the monolith, the Rev. E. M. Cole, M.A., gave an interesting description of this massive monument of the past. He stated that there were numerous theories put forward to account for the presence of the stone, the most prevalent opinion being that it is "a thunderbolt dropped from the clouds, which stuck in the ground point first." Others think that it was thrown at the church by the devil - and just missed the chancel!

The parish register contains a quaint description of the monolithwritten by one of the parish clerks. After a rough pen-and-ink sketch of the monolith appears the following:-

This is nearly the form of a stone wch stands at ye east end of Rudston Church, within ye churchyard, which is situated on an high hill. There are no authorities to be depended upon in regard to either the time, manner, or occasion of its erection. It is almost quite grown over with moss from top to bottom.
In the year 1773 its top being observed to decay through the rains descent upon it, Mrs. Bosville ordered a small cap of lead to be put on it in order to preserve it, wch was accordingly done.
Its dimensions within ground are as large as those without, as appears from an experiment made by ye late Sr. Wm. Strickland, of Boynton.