The Godstone

“Early Christians carved some steps, a cross and a circle to demonstrate that the way to Heaven was through the Christian Church”
From John Burke’s English Curiosities

THE GODSTONE, FORNBY.—In the churchyard of Saint Luke, Formby—a village on the Lancashire coast between the Mersey and the Ribble—is to be seen an ancient stone, bearing on it an incised cross on a Calvary of three steps surmounted by an orb. Until recently Roman Catholics were buried here, and the coffins carried three times round this stone, presumably (as in other instances) following the way of the sun. The custom may be very ancient, and indeed a pagan survival. Roman Catholics, moreover, in visiting the churchyard, used to kneel down and pray before this stone. The church has been rebuilt, but was of Norman or pro-Norman foundation. The font is remarkable, polygonal in plan, with twentythree sides. HENRY TAYLOR.,
Birklands, Birkdale, Lancashire.

From N+Q, MArch 7th, 1908. Do I detect a hint of ‘Those wacky Roman Catholics!!’ in his attitude? Perhaps. But it doesn’t shed any more light on the stone’s mysterious roots. He doesn’t seem aware of it being moved into the churchyard (supposedly only 30 years before, according to Jimmyd’s notes) – in any case quite a weird thing to do with an allegedly pagan stone. You think you’d sooner be moving such things out of churchyards.

A little further info from Witches, Fairies and Things That Go Bump

It’s origins lie in pagan times when the recently deceased would be carried around it three times.

Early Christians carved some steps, a cross and a circle to demonstrate that the way to Heaven was through the Christian Church.