Standing Sarsen Stone at Eynsford

Nearest town:
Farningham (1km N)
OS reference:
TQ540655
OS sheet:
177
Latitude:
51° 22' 1.58 N
Longitude:
0° 12' 45.07 E
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Standing Sarsen Stone at Eynsford

C
CARL May 28, 2016
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Visited 28.5.16

Directions:
In the village of Eynsford, outside Bridge House (which is a sweet shop!), next to the ford and medieval pack horse bridge. This is all opposite the church.

Eynsford is an attractive village and on this beautiful late spring / early summer day was looking its best. We had just visited the nearby Roman villa (E.H.) and had stopped off for a drink and a sit along the river bank. There were lots of families about and many children paddling in the water next to the ford. Of course, it didn’t take Dafydd or Sophie long to join them!

As they splashed about I walked over the narrow bridge to where the stone resides. I initially walked past the stone and back-tracked until I spotted it wedged right up against the wall. In all honesty the stone is not much to look at – small and a bit pointy. Easy to miss and easy to dismiss. However, it has been preserved so I assume it has importance? How old the stone is and what its importance is I have no idea.

Still, if you happen to be in the area and fancy visiting this pretty village it is worth a quick look – and you can stock up on your sweets at the same time! As an added bonus the remains of Eynsford castle (another E.H. site) is only a short walk from the stone :)

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Standing Sarsen Stone at Eynsford

slumpystones
slumpystones Apr 9, 2007
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“A Standing Stone At Eynsford
This 1978 report says that a sarsen stone was recently recognised in a direct line between the ancient ford and the church. It is 29” high and set in concrete outside Bridge House, It’s shape suggests a possible fertility significance. The writer says ‘Ponder its enigmatic presence’”
Arch Cantiana Vol 9 p260-262

“A sarsen stone at Eynsford was “re-erected” in the 1970s. Located between the ford and the church, the stone had been lying “embedded in the ground” but was re-erected to “what was probably its original position”. However, there appears to be little evidence that it ever stood upright in the first place.”
ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/search/fr.cfm?rcn=NMR_NATINV-410176

The claim of a stone being on a line between a ford which is up to 30’ wide, and a church, less than 200m away, is utterly ridiculous. However, I spoke to an old chap years ago who reckons it used to stand until they built the wall, which disturbed it, and it ended up half-buried in the path until someone decided to put it back up again years later.

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