Downholme (Carving) — The Modern Antiquarian

Images (2)
Fieldnotes (1)

Images

Image of Downholme (Carving) by fitzcoraldo

fitzcoraldo May 6, 2005

Image of Downholme (Carving) by fitzcoraldo

fitzcoraldo May 6, 2005

Articles

Downholme

Carving

fitzcoraldo May 6, 2005

This site is quite close to the back road from Downholme to Richmond. Beckensall & Laurie describe the site in their 1998 book Prehistoric Rock Art of County Durham, Swaledale and Wensleydale.
Apparently there are three carved rocks here centred on Thorn Hill. I spent a good hour scouring the area, I found bullet cases, smoke bombs and weird parachute looking things (this is army land) but only found the one boulder. The other two carved rocks are earthfasts so I presume the’ve been buried.
The rock pictured is a large boulder surrounded by sedges. Beckensall and Laurie describe it as the most remarkable of the three carvings and as ” a glacial sandstone boulder, which has a triangular or heart shaped groove pecked into it: unique in this region. The boulder is isolated and obverlooked by rising ground. The upper surface has been defaced in antiquity, possibly to remove a more prominent carving”.

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Grinton Round Barrow

Round Barrow(s) • 7.98km WSW

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The Ravensworth Stone

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Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork • 9.59km WSW

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Osmonds Gill

Cup and Ring Marks / Rock Art • 9.91km NW

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Calverside Moor Neolithic Enclosure

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Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork • 9.98km W

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Osmonds Gill Cairn

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Catterick Henge

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Cursus • 11.53km ENE

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Castle Steads, Coverham

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