Well spotted. It looks like a low-grade rock carving. I'm in the field maybe nine miles NNW of here and have some (vaguely) similar 'cupmarks' on an upland boundary stone there. See also Duddo main rock and one or two in Smithills - and your wobbly triangle. Proto-Runic script perhaps. I suspect that many of the obviously carved rocks have been destroyed by the 'Puritans' (hello, Gandalf) and that we're left now with the obscurities.

(Hob is doing an excellent job of unravelling those obscurities further north, but has yet to find the rock near 'Homer's Lane, Hexham'. It's here and on the SMR. I've found a good notch, Hob, at lunar maximum set, but have still not configured 'send' email.)

White Sultan has me under 12 hr surveillance - it's starting to wear a bit thin - if only his shooting agent would send a large cheque (etc).

Gone !

Saw it in August and photographed it. Looks modern to me though.

I'll try and post my photo up tomorrow.

K x

http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/post/32067

There's some stuff at the bottom of this photo (is it of the stone next to the entrance?). Three (maybe four) small holes (one looks countersunk), two with circles round them and something that looks like a 1 or a 4 amongst them. All modern looking.

Do they help clarify what the groove might be? Or do they just add to the mystery?

I would say I am 99% sure this is modern. Reminds me of the quarry markings on the Chatton Park fort rockart panel http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/post/12207 only not as obvious of course!!

It's too straight and - erm - boring to be prehistoric IMHO

Sharp eyes youse.

I wouldn't want to hazard as guess as to when it was done, but that looks like it was made by a metal tool, so not contemporary with the usual rock art on monuments (like the carvings on Meg). Might it have something to do with the 17th C (?) survey? I'd rather think this as opposed to the possibility that it's evidence of someone trying to split the stone.