Green Gates

Nearest town:
Ilkley (2km NNW)
OS reference:
SE114459
OS sheet:
104
Latitude:
53° 54' 31.79 N
Longitude:
1° 49' 35.21 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Green Gates (Cup and Ring Marks / Rock Art) by Kozmik_Ken

Cup marked rock near the Badger Stone, Green Gates, Ilkley Moor.

Image credit: Andy H
Kozmik_Ken
Kozmik_Ken Apr 23, 2004

Articles

Green Gates

Kozmik_Ken
Kozmik_Ken Apr 23, 2004

The area a few hundred yards to the east of the Badger Stone has a scattering of cup and ring marked rocks, including the curious ‘Pitchfork Rock’. Search amongst the waterlogged ground and spring heads for a few beauties!

Green Gates

greywether
greywether Apr 20, 2004

Two of the carved stones in this area are at

SE 11417 46040 (255) and
SE 11499 46049 (257)

The numbers in brackets are the entries in “Prehistoric Rock Art of the West Riding”

255 has cup and single rings on two faces.

257 has a nice deeply carved cup, gutter and double ring.

Visited 13 April 2004

Green Gates

Kozmik_Ken
Kozmik_Ken Nov 6, 2003

Green Gates is the area around the Badger Stone, from Grainings Head to Cranshaw Thorn Hill along which and ancient trade route was thought to cross the moor. This area has a number of carved rocks, the majority of which appear to be on vertical surfaces. If the theory that carvings on vertical surfaces equal male and horizontal surfaces equal female holds true, maybe this area could have been reserved for male activities? It is not uncommon for tribal societies to have separate areas for each gender, such as areas for menstruating women etc. Hell, even my Dad’s Working Man’s Club still has a Men’s room (although women are allowed in to watch football if they wish!!!!).

The Badger Stone is thought to have been the site of an ancient market, possibly ‘Badger Men’ (millers or grain men) selling grain at the equinoxes. This is supported by the nearby spring heads named ‘Grainings Head’. The nearby 12thC market cross called ‘Cowper’s Cross’ was said to have replaced and older market nearby.

This area is also the spring head for the waters that emerge at Willy Hall’s Spout below Willy Hall’s Wood Stone and flow down through Ilkley under Brook Street, to join the River Wharfe by the Roman Fort ‘Olicana’. The Church built on this spot houses a Roman Altar stone bearing a carving of the Goddess of the Wharfe; Verbia.

Topics

Calling Kozmik_Ken 5
greywether
greywether
Apr 2004

Sites within 20km of Green Gates

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