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Threestone Burn

Stone Circle

Folklore

Stoney folklore:
On the top of "Hedgehope," the round-headed hill that is neighbour to Cheviot, there is a hollow in an incised stone, known as the "Bluidy Trough," on account of the colour given to the water by the orange-red moss or lichen covering the stone. It is lucky to make a wish here, and drop in a crooked pin - a great number can be seen clearly, lying in the bottom of the hollow, in the water.

Contributed by Mr. T--., Belford, Northumberland, estate agent.
From 'County Folk-lore' volume 4, Northumberland, by M C Balfour and N W Thomas (1904).
Rhiannon Posted by Rhiannon
10th June 2009ce
Edited 1st July 2018ce

Comments (1)

I've been meaning to go see if I can find the Bluidy Trough for a while. As far as I've been able to ascertain, that is the only reference to it in existance. Exactly how incised is tis incised stone I wonder. Unlikely to be rock art as seen elsewhere, as the top of Hedgehope has long been a border between landowners, so it's probably a boundary stone, but it's got to be worth going to have a look.

There is a BA cairn sitting right on top of Hedgehope, and one heck of a good view.
Hob Posted by Hob
10th June 2009ce
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