The Rudston Monolith is the tallest example of a standing stone in Britain. It’s 25’ 9” high, though was probably 28’ before it lost its point. Now it sports a lead hat, supposedly to protect it from the elements. Perhaps there was a cross put on top of it at one time – it seems to have been very tolerated by the church! – and in fact Rudston might come from Rood/Cross and Stan/Stone in Old English. It’s also been known as the Grandmother of the Church. One theory about its origins has the devil throwing it here, but this 40ton giant could also have been dragged 10 miles from the nearest obvious source of gritstone. It stands right near the Gypsey Race.