The Modern Antiquarian. Stone Circles, Ancient Sites, Neolithic Monuments, Ancient Monuments, Prehistoric Sites, Megalithic MysteriesThe Modern Antiquarian

     

Oxfoot Stone

Natural Rock Feature

Nearest Town:Diss (6km ENE)
OS Ref (GB):   TM051809 / Sheet: 144
Latitude:52° 23' 13.92" N
Longitude:   1° 0' 51.52" E

Added by Rhiannon


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Folklore

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... the ox foot stone, which lies in a meadow, so called: it is a large stone of the pebble kind, on which is the fair impression of an ox's foot, which seems to be natural. The tradition or fable is, that in a great dearth, (nobody knows when,) there came a cow constantly to that place, which suffered herself to be milked, (as long as the dearth lasted,) by the poor people, but when that decreased, she struck her foot against that stone, which made the impression, and immediately disappeared. This wonder however, is evidently the exuvial mark of some bivalve shell, once imbedded in the fossil.
From A General History of the County of Norfolk volume 2, by John Chambers (1829).
Rhiannon Posted by Rhiannon
26th October 2012ce

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Hidden East Anglia


Mike Burgess's site has some other versions of the story and even a photo. He says the stone has now been moved into the conservatory at Oxfootstone House.
Rhiannon Posted by Rhiannon
26th October 2012ce