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

     

Rombald's Moor

Sites in this group:

9 posts
Addingham Crag Stone Cup and Ring Marks / Rock Art
7 posts
The Anvil Stone Cup Marked Stone
8 posts
Ashlar Chair Natural Rock Feature
3 posts
Backstone Beck 5 Cup Marked Stone
20 posts
Backstone Beck Enclosure Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork
17 posts
Backstone Beck West Cup and Ring Marks / Rock Art
20 posts
Backstone Circle Stone Circle
48 posts
The Badger Stone Cup and Ring Marks / Rock Art
21 posts
Barmishaw Stone Cup and Ring Marks / Rock Art
6 posts
Black Beck Hole Cup and Ring Marks / Rock Art
8 posts
Buck Stones - West Natural Rock Feature
2 posts
Coin Rock Cup Marked Stone
1 post
Cold Stone Standing Stones
11 posts
Cow and Calf Rocks Natural Rock Feature
3 posts
Cranshaw Thorne Hill Cup Marked Stone
22 posts
1 site
The Doubler Stones Natural Rock Feature
1 post
Gill Head Standing Stone Standing Stone / Menhir
3 posts
Graining's Head Cup and Ring Marks / Rock Art
9 posts
Great Skirtful of Stones Cairn(s)
21 posts
Green Crag Enclosure Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork
11 posts
Green Gates Cup and Ring Marks / Rock Art
14 posts
Grubstones Stone Circle
62 posts
Hanging Stones Cup and Ring Marks / Rock Art
4 posts
The Hardwick Stone Cup Marked Stone
25 posts
Haystack
16 posts
Horncliffe Ring Cairn
4 posts
Hotel Stone Cup and Ring Marks / Rock Art
6 posts
The Idol Rock Natural Rock Feature
33 posts
The Idol Stone Cup Marked Stone
3 posts
Lanshaw E Cup and Ring Marks / Rock Art
2 posts
Lanshaw Lass Standing Stone / Menhir
2 posts
Lanshaw Stone Cup and Ring Marks / Rock Art
7 posts
Little Badger Stone Cup and Ring Marks / Rock Art
4 posts
Little Skirtful of Stones Round Cairn
9 posts
Neb Stone Cup Marked Stone
1 post
Nixon's Station Cairn(s)
9 posts
Pancake Rock Cup and Ring Marks / Rock Art
36 posts
Panorama Stone Cup and Ring Marks / Rock Art
19 posts
Pepperpot Cup Marked Stone
5 posts
The Piper Crag Stone Cup and Ring Marks / Rock Art
12 posts
The Planets Cup and Ring Marks / Rock Art
3 posts
PRAWR 230-233 Cup Marked Stone
2 posts
PRAWR 238 Cup Marked Stone
2 posts
PRAWR 242 Cup and Ring Marks / Rock Art
2 posts
PRAWR 245 Cup and Ring Marks / Rock Art
PRAWR 256 Pitchfork stone Cup and Ring Marks / Rock Art
2 posts
PRAWR 272 Cup Marked Stone
3 posts
PRAWR 298 Cup Marked Stone
13 posts
Rivock Edge
11 posts
The Sepulchre Stone Cup and Ring Marks / Rock Art
1 post
Silver Well Cottage Stones Cup and Ring Marks / Rock Art
5 posts
Silver Well Stones Cup and Ring Marks / Rock Art
2 posts
Stanbury Hill Cup and Ring Marks / Rock Art
25 posts
The Swastika Stone Cup and Ring Marks / Rock Art
11 posts
Thimble Stones Natural Rock Feature
5 posts
Two Eggs Natural Rock Feature
3 posts
Weary Hill Road Cup and Ring Marks / Rock Art
10 posts
Weary Hill Stone Cup and Ring Marks / Rock Art
Whetstone Natural Rock Feature
23 posts
Willy Hall's Wood Stone Cup and Ring Marks / Rock Art
4 posts
WoodHouse Crag Cup Marked Stone
15 posts
Woofa Bank Enclosure Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork
Sites of disputed antiquity:
2 posts
Cowper's Cross Christianised Site
2 posts
PRAWR 241 Cup Marked Stone
2 posts
PRAWR 249 Cup Marked Stone
2 posts
PRAWR 254 Cup Marked Stone
2 posts
PRAWR 255 Cup Marked Stone

News

Add news Add news

Free walk to explore prehistoric carvings


Prehistoric carvings will feature in a free guided walk to uncover some of the history of Rombalds Moor... continues...
moss Posted by moss
11th June 2012ce
Edited 11th June 2012ce

CSI Comes to Rombalds Moor


Investigators made their first expedition onto a wild and windy Rombalds Moor in a project to capture the images from hundreds of ancient carved stones... continues...
1speed Posted by 1speed
15th February 2011ce

Rock on... stalwart's long quest to preserve carvings


When Warwick Peirson stumbled on markings on a stone highlighted by snow little did he know it was to spark a passion which would span more than 30 years... continues...
moss Posted by moss
12th February 2011ce

Prehistoric Ilkley Moor carvings to be preserved in 3D


Prehistoric carvings on Ilkley Moor are to be preserved with help from the latest technology so future generations will be able to enjoy and study them.

Archaeologists hope to create digital 3D models of the carvings amid fears the originals could be eroded away... continues...
moss Posted by moss
10th November 2010ce

New bid to survey and protect ancient moorland sites


To add to Rockrich's news........

Experts are hoping to set up a community team to help investigate ancient rock carvings... continues...
moss Posted by moss
28th October 2010ce
Edited 28th October 2010ce

CSI Rombalds Moor: Carved Stone Investigations


A new volunteer led project which aims to record all the rock art on Rombalds Moor will launch with a public event on Saturday 6th November 2010. The full day event will include a morning of presentations covering rock art, the project background, recording methodologies and a guided walk in the afternoon... continues...
Rockrich Posted by Rockrich
13th October 2010ce
Edited 14th October 2010ce

Ilkley Moor - Legendary Moor may lose its name

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_yorkshire/5098334.stm
sam Posted by sam
20th June 2006ce

Rombalds/Ilkley Moor is now covered by "Right to Roam" legislation.


As from 28 May 2005 Rombalds/Ilkley Moor is covered by the Open Access Legislation, http://cms.countrysideaccess.gov.uk/places_to_go/open_access/ . So you do not *have* to keep to the paths. The northern part of the moor has been Open Access for some years... continues...
Posted by RombaldII
18th June 2005ce
Edited 25th June 2005ce

Officials Rocked as Moor is daubed With Graffiti


Mindless vandals have scrawled graffiti over one of Yorkshire's best loved beauty spots.

Shocked walkers on Ilkley Moor have discovered that ancient rocks have been defaced by louts.

The hooligans have used white gloss paint to leave their mark between the Cow and Calf and the White Wells... continues...
Kozmik_Ken Posted by Kozmik_Ken
12th July 2004ce
Edited 12th July 2004ce

Euro Grant Landed, But Ilkley Moor Has To Wait


A GROUP set up to protect and improve areas such as Ilkley Moor in the South Pennines has won a grant of nearly £1 million from the European Union.

The Standing Conference of Southern Pennine Authorities (SCOSPA) has picked up a grant of £850,000 after joining forces with partners from four other European countries... continues...
Kozmik_Ken Posted by Kozmik_Ken
21st November 2003ce
Edited 21st November 2003ce

Images (click to view fullsize)

Add an image Add an image
Photographs:<b>Rombald's Moor</b>Posted by listerinepree <b>Rombald's Moor</b>Posted by 1speed <b>Rombald's Moor</b>Posted by 1speed <b>Rombald's Moor</b>Posted by Chris Collyer <b>Rombald's Moor</b>Posted by Moz <b>Rombald's Moor</b>Posted by juamei <b>Rombald's Moor</b>Posted by Kozmik_Ken <b>Rombald's Moor</b>Posted by Chris Collyer <b>Rombald's Moor</b>Posted by Chris Collyer <b>Rombald's Moor</b>Posted by Kozmik_Ken <b>Rombald's Moor</b>Posted by Kozmik_Ken <b>Rombald's Moor</b>Posted by Chris Collyer <b>Rombald's Moor</b>Posted by Chris Collyer <b>Rombald's Moor</b>Posted by Chris Collyer <b>Rombald's Moor</b>Posted by Chris Collyer <b>Rombald's Moor</b>Posted by Chris Collyer <b>Rombald's Moor</b>Posted by Chris Collyer <b>Rombald's Moor</b>Posted by Chris Collyer <b>Rombald's Moor</b>Posted by Chris Collyer <b>Rombald's Moor</b>Posted by Chris Collyer <b>Rombald's Moor</b>Posted by IronMan <b>Rombald's Moor</b>Posted by IronMan <b>Rombald's Moor</b>Posted by IronMan <b>Rombald's Moor</b>Posted by IronMan <b>Rombald's Moor</b>Posted by IronMan <b>Rombald's Moor</b>Posted by gyrus Maps / Plans / Diagrams:<b>Rombald's Moor</b>Posted by Rhiannon <b>Rombald's Moor</b>Posted by fitzcoraldo Artistic / Interpretive:<b>Rombald's Moor</b>Posted by Kozmik_Ken <b>Rombald's Moor</b>Posted by Kozmik_Ken <b>Rombald's Moor</b>Posted by Kozmik_Ken <b>Rombald's Moor</b>Posted by Kozmik_Ken <b>Rombald's Moor</b>Posted by Kozmik_Ken <b>Rombald's Moor</b>Posted by Kozmik_Ken <b>Rombald's Moor</b>Posted by Kozmik_Ken <b>Rombald's Moor</b>Posted by Kozmik_Ken

Fieldnotes

Add fieldnotes Add fieldnotes
Armed with my new copy of "Prehistoric Rock Art of the West Riding" (PRAWR), the plan was to do all the interesting-looking sites in the book over the space of a few days.

The forward planning was extensive. Said sites had their 10-figure grid references plotted onto Fugawi, printed off and downloaded onto the GPS.

The plan was to start with North Rombalds Moor. What I had not bargained for was the time it would take to get round just these sites. Two days to get round these alone.

No problem with finding the sites at all. This was the first time I'd used a GPS for rock art and it's difficult to see how I managed without it beforehand. Straight to within sighting distance of the stone every time.

The problem was just the sheer number of sites combined with their spectacular location which meant we spent time just soaking up the landscape.

Must have stayed at The Badger Stone for the best part of an hour. Nice of them to provide a seat.

So N Rombalds Moor was all that was covered and the rest will have to wait.

Back home the task is now matching up the sites with what is already on TMA - not easy with so many sites on Rombalds Moor alone. Some are already here under their own name and some are part of a group.

Where the site does not appear to have an entry already, there is the fun of choosing a name. Of course, you could just name them after the PRAWR classification numbers but that would be unromantic. However, as that publication is one which I expect future visitors will use a lot, I have cross-referenced to their numbers.

Visited 11 & 13 April 2004
greywether Posted by greywether
20th April 2004ce
Edited 20th April 2004ce

I visited Rombald's Moor as a result of finding this web-site. I saw lots of stuff up there but could not nail down Ashlar's Chair, and the pancake stone. I saw the stone that Chris calls the Goth Stone. Not having a camera on me, I did not remember it until now. I have never seen anything like it before. I was surprised by the amount of 18th and 19th century carved graffiti up there. daveyravey Posted by daveyravey
12th May 2003ce
Edited 12th May 2003ce

What can I say about Rombald's Moor. I've only been a couple of times, both in the last couple of weeks. I don't know why 'cause it's probably the closest major site to my home. On the first visit I headed straight for the Twelve Apostles. It was getting late, and I was stuck for time. So for my latest visit (9/2/2) I got there nice and early in the morning, and spent a full day. I ended up spending a lot of my time huddled over the sexy Badger Stone, with a tour of some of the other attractions to follow.

All I can say is this has made my love of all things megalithic even more intense. The whole moor is like a playground for the imagination. A dreamlike quality pervades as you travel from stone to stone. After a while I found myself putting my map and list of grid refs away and just looking, the place is literally full of rock art.

It is a very powerful place.

On the downside a lot of the stones are vandalised. I can understand a need to leave a mark behind, almost in the tradition of these stones themselves - but there are plenty of unmarked rocks scattered across the moor. It just seems like people want to destroy this wonder on their doorstep. Perhaps if folk were educated correctly, and taught to have a sense of pride in this, their true heritage, then maybe it wouldn't happen, who knows.

A word of warning: Be prepared for strange looks from the runners and walkers... :)
IronMan Posted by IronMan
11th February 2002ce
Edited 19th December 2002ce

This moor, sandwiched between the beautiful Wharfedale valley to the north and Bradford city to the south, is one of the most inspiring, mystery-riddled places I know of. The famous Ilkley Moor is merely a part of it - although it is this particular area, to the north near Ilkley town and the River Wharfe (sacred to the snake goddess Verbeia) that is most densely populated with fabulous cup-and-ring carvings and strange, strange tales both old and new. The best I can do here is recommend a few spots (get OS Sheet SE 04/14 Pathfinder 671 of Keighley & Ilkley):

- Up Backstone Beck, opposite the dishevelled but still-buzzing Backstone Circle (OS 1261 4613), are the remains of a Bronze Age dwelling (OS 1310 4590). It goes much further back than that, though - archaeologists have found evidence of Mesolithic dwellings here, perhaps 10,000 years old or more.

- As you approach the more from Ilkley town, the White Wells (old spa bath, presently a tea-and-cakes place) become obvious. To the west is a clump of trees with a waterfall beneath it flowing onto a ford (OS 1155 4660). This mound is a really special place. Local people leave wreaths to dead loved ones here. At the top of the mound is a massive carved boulder, too. When looking at the mound from below, I imagine the waterfall to be sacred fluids flowing from a cunt, and the mound to be the prone form of the local goddess Verbeia. The two stream either side even correspond to the image on her altar (which you can still see in All Saints' Church in Ilkley town, next to the bridge over the Wharfe - well worth a peek).

- The Badger Stone (OS 1108 4605) is fantastic, such a seductive curve to the boulder - though sadly the prolific carvings are fast fading. A very powerful place, I've found - treat it with respect.

- The Swastika Stone (OS 0956 4695) is a must - a wonderful curvy armed cross carved at least 3000 years before the Nazi's decided they had a monopoly on this ancient symbol. Extreme right-wing graffiti and stickers have been spotted up here - but their attempts to associate themselves with the archaic petroglyph merely underlines their simple-minded dumbfuckness. Sadly enclose by railings due to graffiti - be sure to look past the Victorian copy at the front to the fainter original.

- The Doubler Stones (OS 0722 4649) are great. Totally natural (apart from the basins and cups on top), they basically look like two ginormous mushies. Watch out for the close-by farmer, especially if you're looking for the smaller organic cousins of the stones...

- The Buck Stones (OS 0920 4560) are again a natural formation, and again are great. A bit of a mess compared to the beautifully sculpted Doubler Stones, but there's the power - a very primal, raggedy place.

There's much more to discover, and I'll leave my review brief so that you have fun exploring for yourselves. And remember to take more litter away than you bring!
Posted by gyrus
12th April 2000ce

Folklore

Add folklore Add folklore
"This moor, according to legend, took it's name from a giant Rombald, who favoured it a good deal. The large block of sandstone at it's eastern end, known as the calf, which lies at the foot of the mass of rock called the Cow, bears an indentation which is said to be the imprint of the foot of the giant, who, in taking a stride from the Cow to Great Alms' Cliff, several miles away, broke the calf off and sent it rolling down the hillside."

The Enchanting North
J.S. Fletcher
Pub. Eveleigh Nash
1908
fitzcoraldo Posted by fitzcoraldo
22nd October 2002ce

Miscellaneous

Add miscellaneous Add miscellaneous
More info, fieldnotes, folklore, sites etc. can be found as Paul Bennett's comment on Grubstones PID 2566 over on The Megalithic Portal as of yesterday. wideford Posted by wideford
23rd February 2004ce
Edited 23rd February 2004ce

http://norlonto.net/index.cfm/action/articles.view/itemID/66
The Goddess in Wharfedale by Gyrus.
Well worth a read.
fitzcoraldo Posted by fitzcoraldo
9th September 2003ce
Edited 10th September 2003ce

Links

Add a link Add a link

Internet Archive


'The Prehistoric Rock Sculptures of Ilkley" by J Romilly Allen - in the Journal of the British Archaeological Association v35 (1879).
Rhiannon Posted by Rhiannon
23rd January 2013ce

Prehistoric Rock Art of the West Riding. (PRAWR)


Review and order form for Prehistoric Rock Art of the West Riding. Keith Boughey and Edward Vickerman. ISBN 1 870453 32 8. Price £14.00 plus £4.50 postage and packing.
Posted by RombaldII
18th June 2005ce
Edited 25th June 2005ce

Ancient Bingley


A transcript of J. Horsfall Turner's "Ancient Bingley" published in 1897. Only the first 20-30 pages of this .pdf document are relevant, the rest is more recent stuff.
Chris Collyer Posted by Chris Collyer
3rd March 2004ce

Siteseer


Ilkley Moor photographs.
Kozmik_Ken Posted by Kozmik_Ken
22nd September 2003ce
Edited 22nd September 2003ce

Megalithic Walks: Ilkley Moor


Kozmik_Ken Posted by Kozmik_Ken
22nd September 2003ce
Edited 22nd September 2003ce

Cus.org.uk


Ilkley Moor walking routes and local info
Kozmik_Ken Posted by Kozmik_Ken
22nd September 2003ce

Paul's Stone Circles


Pics of Twelve Apostles before a couple of stone-falls
Kozmik_Ken Posted by Kozmik_Ken
22nd September 2003ce

Ilkley.org


The words to Ilkley Moor Baht 'at
Kozmik_Ken Posted by Kozmik_Ken
19th September 2003ce

Croftway


A few nice pics
Kozmik_Ken Posted by Kozmik_Ken
19th September 2003ce

Ilkley Moor Route Guide


Ilkley Moor walking guides
Kozmik_Ken Posted by Kozmik_Ken
19th September 2003ce

Raven's Rambles


David Raven's Ilkley Moor page
Kozmik_Ken Posted by Kozmik_Ken
19th September 2003ce

Yorkshire Rock Art


Graeme Chappel's Yorkshire Rock Art
Kozmik_Ken Posted by Kozmik_Ken
19th September 2003ce

Norlonto


History of Verbeia: Goddess of Wharfedale by Gyrus (including theories on the Sawstika Stone)
Kozmik_Ken Posted by Kozmik_Ken
19th September 2003ce

Bradford Council


List of the scheduled monuments around Bradford including most of the sites on Rombald's Moor
Chris Collyer Posted by Chris Collyer
14th May 2003ce

Ancient Stones - Walks around Ilkley


Directions for walks including the Panorama Stone, the Badger Stone, and general information about the prehistory of the area.
Rhiannon Posted by Rhiannon
7th November 2002ce

Petroglyph


Graeme C's great northern rock art site. Nice photos and ting.
fitzcoraldo Posted by fitzcoraldo
12th June 2002ce
Edited 22nd September 2003ce

Latest posts for Rombald's Moor

Showing 1-10 of 656 posts. Most recent first | Next 10

Ashlar Chair (Natural Rock Feature) — Images (click to view fullsize)

<b>Ashlar Chair</b>Posted by markj99 Posted by markj99
22nd September 2022ce

Ashlar Chair (Natural Rock Feature) — Fieldnotes

Directions to Ashlar Chair

Ashlar Chair is on a path heading S between Ilkley Moor and Bingley moor. There is a triangular intersection of paths at SE1236946361 c. 100 yards S of Ilkley Crags. Take the path heading S for Twelve Apostles Stone Circle. After c. 0.8 mile there is a path heading W at SE1251345130. ( You are only 150 yards short of Twelve Apostles Stone Circle at this point so a short detour to the circle would be sensible.) Take the W path for c. 400 yards to reach a junction at SE122094521. Take the L turn heading S for c. 450 yards to reach a dry stane dyke. Ashlar Chair is within 20 yards L of the path adjacent to the N side of the wall.
Posted by markj99
15th April 2021ce

Ashlar Chair (Natural Rock Feature) — Images

<b>Ashlar Chair</b>Posted by markj99 Posted by markj99
15th April 2021ce

The Swastika Stone (Cup and Ring Marks / Rock Art) — Links

Swastika Stone on BRAC Updated


Swastika Stone on BRAC Updated
Posted by markj99
2nd April 2021ce

Hanging Stones (Cup and Ring Marks / Rock Art) — Links

Hanging Stones on BRAC Updated


Hanging Stones on BRAC Updated
Posted by markj99
30th March 2021ce

Panorama Stone (Cup and Ring Marks / Rock Art) — Links

Panorama Stone on BRAC Updated


Panorama Stone on BRAC Updated
Posted by markj99
30th March 2021ce

Thimble Stones (Natural Rock Feature) — Images

<b>Thimble Stones</b>Posted by markj99<b>Thimble Stones</b>Posted by markj99<b>Thimble Stones</b>Posted by markj99<b>Thimble Stones</b>Posted by markj99 Posted by markj99
1st March 2021ce
Showing 1-10 of 656 posts. Most recent first | Next 10