Martin
The Old Statistical Account from 1791-1799 notes that there were other stones, approximately 1 foot high running east from these at regular distances on a curved line. On 18th July 1921 some ‘careful digging by three men’ brought nothing to light.
Saturday 20/12/03
These two stones stand in a field at the southern ends of the hills of White and Black Meldon which are both topped with forts, and all around are settlements, hut circles and cairns. The stones are aligned N/S and are 2.1 metres apart. The northenmost stone is approximately 1.1 metres high and is very angular with almost small steps up its southern side. The southern stone contrasts this by being very rounded and smooth, leaning back to the south. This stone is slightly large- about 1.3 metres high. Between the stones are some large boulders- one of which has a cracking cupmark on it- but is possibly natural. There are stories of other smaller stones being associated with these. I am busy with my notes when I suddenly feel like I’m being watched- I look up and meet the stares of around 200 faces- a line of sheep all watching with intent as to what I’m up to in their field!
20/12/03- from SE in the field showing the full height of the monolith
This monolith is not in its original position. On a map of 1775 a stone is marked approximately 100 yards further to the NW.
Saturday 20/12/03
Over hills past ancient cultivation terraces, over old bridges and past hill forts ringing the tops of all the summits around, the road I travel leads me to this huge stone. I park on a muddy verge and walk over to meet this beast. From the SE face of the stone next to the road, the full extent of this monolith is not apparent. Only about 1.2 metres rises out of the dry stane dyke. The wall into which this stone is now built runs NE/SW from its sides. The SE face has approximately 11 natural cupmarks on it. This is no accident on the part of the ancients, though we have now lost the significance of these marks. Jumping over the dyke and the electric fence the full majesty of this stone is revealed. I am dwarfed by its presence- almost 1.9 metres high. There are two possible natural looking cupmarks on this side, though quite small.
7/12/03- the diamond shaped stone with the Thistle motif, ‘Cheese Well’ and ‘1965’ inscribed on it.
Sunday 7/12/03
Just over one hour of climbing up the Red Bull XC you reach the summit of Minch Moor at 567 metres. The beautiful climb up on singletrack gives way to an eye watering swooping bermy descent down to the Southern Upland Way, where, just over the other side of the Minch, the Cheese Well gurgles away. The sun has yet to reach this part of the hill and it’s still frosty and very nippy. This is a fairly lonely and isolated spot, but the stunning scenery all around and the atmosphere here gives this place a, well, just one of those feelings- it’s very hard to describe. There are two natural springs here- the flowing and gurgling one and a small pool which trickles. A small path from the SUW leads to the springs and two stones- one shaped like an old grave stone which is inscribed with “Cheese Well”. The other is kite shaped with a fab thistle carved into it with “Cheese Well"and “1965”. The sound of the water is mesmerising. I have no cheese for the wee folk, so I leave them a fizzy cola bottle instead hoping for a safe passage across their moor!
Curiously enough, the person writing the notes for this stone also thought it had a phallic air to it (and I only just read these- honest!)
29/11/03- the two cupmarks (diameter approx 2cm) next to the ridge running the length of the stone
In 1857 a group of eight stone lined graves were found 10 to 12 yards south of this stone- brilliantly described in 1884 as a ‘scene of slaughter and sepulchre.’ The graves were lined E-W. Although this is characteristic of Christian burials, the contents included traces of bone, a food vessel and an Early Bronze Age ring (although these early finds may have bee placed in later graves). There is now no trace of the graves. When the cottage foundations were being dug a small cairn was found which contained fragments of bone, near to which were also a flint arrow-head and a stone hammer. In 1868 a further stone lined and E-W orientated grave was found this time 25 yards to the south of the main group of eight. This contained an adult male skeleton. In 1885 a bronze socketed axe was found in the garden of the cottage.
Saturday 29/11/03
After being in the car again for far too short a time to dry off at all, it’s back out into the downpour and head up to a house called Warrior’s Rest- at the corner of which is a standing stone. I head up the farm drive and about to go through the garden gate when the front door of the cottage is opened by a friendly face- I ask if its okay to have a look at the stone and take some pics- ‘aye no problem- have you seen the other two stones just up the road- they’re worth a look’- cool. This stone is right at the corner of the house. It’s just over 1.5 metres high and leans slightly to the south. It has a very phallic air to it. The top is pointed and the east facing of the stone is smoothed to a ridge up and down the length of the stone. I have a good look over the stone and two small cupmarks catch my eye- these are just to the right of the ridge of the east face, approximately 2 cm in diameter and form and angle of approximately 45 degrees. I have a look through the CANMORE notes, but am surprised to find no mention of these- hmmmmmm. From this stone, the Yarrow Stone and the Glebe Stone are visible to the west- I head towards the latter….
The Glebe Stone entry in Border Stones
29/11/03- close up of Eastern face with natural and man-made cup markings
The stones around the base of this monolith are supposedly the remains of a cairn, of which twenty or so were found in the vicinity. The cairn contained ‘part of an old iron spear’. None of these cairns remain.
Saturday 29/11/03
Between the stone at Warrior’s Rest and the Yarrow Stone stands this monolith in a field of sheep. By now I’m soaked through, my CANMORE notes are rapidly turning to paper mache, my OS map is wringing and my camera is in danger of shorting due to the condensation and rain! This is a massive stone- biggest of the three in this area. It’s about 1.3 metres high, almost the same wide and about 40 cm thick. Around the base of the stone are many small stones and boulders which look like field clearance. Towards the bottom of the eastern side are two cup-like marks- one of which is natural, one of which is classically man-made looking. To the ENE I can see a monlolith through the rain, to the WSW another….
Description, how to get there etc
The entry in the Border Stones database
29/11/03- close up of Eastern face which one had the Latin inscription.
29/11/03- looking Eastwards towards the Glebe Stone and Warrior’s Rest.
This stone was ‘turned up by the plough’ at the beginning of the 19th Century and underneath were found the remains of human bones. The NSA of 1845 states that the moor on which it was found was also home to around twenty ‘large cairns’, but all trace of these has gone. The stone is said to mark the graves of two British Christian Chieftains. The inscription, now badly damaged supposedly said;
Here, an everlasting memorial.
In this place
here lie the most famous princes,
Nudus and Dumnogenus, in the tomb – two sons of Liberalis.
Saturday 29/11/03
It’s absolutely tipping it down. Not just heavy rain, but a really soaking down pour and it’s been at it for most of the morning. I park at the end of a farm drive that takes you from the A708 up the farm of Whitefeild. Donning goretex layers, stuffing notebooks and maps well out of the rain and sealing my camera in a zip-lock bag I venture out of the warm dry confines of my car. In my infinite wisdom I have forgotten waterproof troos so after about two minutes my combats are uncomfortably soaking. I was planning to head up to the farm building to ask permission to have a look at this stone, but it’s on the way up the track, next to the road and has a rather well tended wooden fence around it so I guess it’s okay to look (plus I’m wet enough as it is!). The stone is around 1.5 metres high by about 40 cm thick whinstone block. Legend has it that this stone was erected to mark the grave of two British Christian Chieftains. There was, at one time, a Latin inscription on the eastern face, however, most traces of that have been washed away over time- you can just about make out some lines if you squint hard enough. I get the feeling that this is a Christianised standing stone, due to the fact that it was under the ground until the 19th Century, that there was meant to be around twenty large cairns on the same moor and that there are two other significant standing stones 500 metres and 750 metres to the ENE of here.
