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Wallington Hall

Wallington stone

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fitzcoraldo F
fitzcoraldo Apr 30, 2005 07:55:26
Replying to StoneLifter

I've been thinking about this erosion vs carving issue.
It would be useful to find a standing stone that is of an igneous composition, e.g. granite, that displays the same characteristics. So far all the examples given have been sedimentary rocks and therefore prone to natural erosion.
If igneous examples cannot be found then I would say that these features are highly likely to be erosion.

N nigelswift
nigelswift Apr 30, 2005 08:27:00
Replying to fitzcoraldo

The trouble is, if by sedimentary you mean either soft OR stratified then that would make both erosion and human alteration easier - so it's an argument in favour of both I suppose.

e.g. this -
http://www.wyenot.com/queenstn.htm

In terms of hardness, sarsen could be classed as equivalent to igneous, and such marks in that are often genuinely human.

I'd love to know how many hours of work it would take to produce a "polisher" stone out of sarsen. I've tried to rub sarsen, and based on that it must have been a mind-boggling amount of effort.

H Hob
Hob Apr 30, 2005 10:43:40
Replying to fitzcoraldo

I think the nearest non-sedimentary stones near these Northumberland ones (those with the grooves) is:
http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/2010

No grooves. Similarly the ones up the other end of the county, such as the batlle stone near Yevering, and the stones of Hethpool, are igneous, and have no grooves.

H Hob
Hob Apr 30, 2005 10:44:14
Replying to fitzcoraldo

I think the nearest non-sedimentary stones near these Northumberland ones (those with the grooves) is:
http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/2010

No grooves. Similarly the ones up the other end of the county, such as the Battle Stone near Yeavering, and the stones of Hethpool, are igneous, and have no grooves.