 | |
| Location | NearBoroughbridge andHarrogate |
|---|---|
| Region | North Yorkshire,England |
| Coordinates | 54°5′34.53″N1°24′13.25″W / 54.0929250°N 1.4036806°W /54.0929250; -1.4036806 |
| Type | Standing stones |
| History | |
| Material | Gritstone |
| Periods | LateNeolithic or earlyBronze Age |
| Site notes | |
| Condition | Largely intact |
TheDevil's Arrows are three standing stones ormenhirs in an alignment approximately 660 feet (200 m) to the east of theA1(M), adjacent to Roecliffe Lane,Boroughbridge inNorth Yorkshire,England, near to where theA1 road now crosses theRiver Ure (grid referenceSE390666). They have been designated as ascheduled monument since 1923.[1]
Erected in prehistoric times and distinctively grooved by millennia of rainfall, the tallest stone is 22.5 feet (6.85 m) in height, making this the tallest menhir in the United Kingdom after the 25 feet (7.6 m) tallRudston Monolith in theEast Riding of Yorkshire.[2] The other two stones are 22 feet (6.7 m) and 18 feet (5.5 m) tall respectively. It is thought that the alignment originally included up to five stones.William Camden mentions four stones in hisBritannia, noting that "one was lately pulled down by some that hoped, though in vain, to find treasure."[3] One was apparently displaced during a failed 'treasure hunt' during the 18th century and later used as the base for a nearby bridge over a river. The stones are composed of millstone grit, the most likely source of which isPlumpton Rocks two miles south ofKnaresborough, and about nine miles from where the stones stand today.[4]
The outer stones are 360 and 200 feet (110 and 60 m) away from the central stone and form an almost straight, running NNW–SSE. It is thought that they may have been arranged to align with the southernmost summer moonrise. The stones are part of a wider Neolithic complex on the Ure-Swale plateau which incorporates theThornborough Henges.
The name is mentioned byJohn Aubrey who visited and drew the stones in 1687.[5] There is a legend, which goes back to 1721, that says the Devil threw the stones, aiming at the next town ofAldborough. He stood on Howe Hill and shouted, "Borobrigg keep out o' way, for Aldborough town I will ding down!". However, the stones fell short and landed near Boroughbridge instead.[2]
