As Julian says this must have been an important place once – the name, the views, the Roman road and both the Beacon and Argham cursus aligned on it. Sadly this fact doesn’t seem to be recognised by the farmer who owns the land as he/she is steadily ploughing away the summit of the beacon.
If the Romans built their road across the Beacon to sap its power, it didn't work. The view is super, Rudston Church being clearly visible, although the monolith is not, due to it being behind the church! A good starting point on a journey around the Gypsey Race and an ideal place for a Beltane fire.... or even a wicker man!
A Bronze Age round barrow still extant as an earthwork mound circa 32 metres in diameter and 1.5 metres high. In the 1870s Greenwell described it as "almost entirely removed many years ago, when bones are said to have been found in large quantities". There is documentary evidence for re-use of the mound as a beacon, possibly as early as 1573 if not before. More recently the mound has been damaged by the presence of an Air Ministry observation point and the erection of an Ordnance Survey trig point. (TA 09466558) Rudston Beacon (NR) (1)
(TA 09466558) Rudston Beacon; described by Greenwell (2) as "almost entirely removed many years ago, when bones are said to have been found in large quantities". In 1963 (3) it survived as a mound, 19.8m diameter, 0.76 high, overgrown with brambles and bushes, and damaged by an Air Ministry observation post on the summit adjacent to an OS trig point. (2-3)
"There were beacons in 1573 at 'Many Howes in Rudston Field', presumably on the hill by the southern parish boundary, near several barrows, on which a later beacon certainly stood". (a) The later beacon was probably taken down circa 1830 (b). (4) Now cleared of vegetation and visible as the remains of a turf-covered mound about 32m diameter and 1.5m in maximum height. It has been severely mutilated in the S (presumably by the observation post mentioned) where the interior has been removed almost to ground level. The OS, pillar occupies the highest part of the barrow in the NW. Published Survey (25") Revised. (5) TA 095 655. Rudston Beacon (and round barrows to east). Scheduled No HU/68. (6)
Log in |
Register
0 discussions
Show map (inline Google Map)
Add an image 
Posted by Chris Collyer
Posted by Chance
Top of page