Ancient Monuments

History on the Ground

This site is entirely user-supported. See how you can help.

Carved rock known as the Badger Stone

A Scheduled Monument in Ilkley, Bradford

We don't have any photos of this monument yet. Why don't you be the first to send us one?

Upload Photo »

Approximate Location Map
Large Map »

If Google Street View is available, the image is from the best available vantage point looking, if possible, towards the location of the monument. Where it is not available, the satellite view is shown instead.

Coordinates

Latitude: 53.9105 / 53°54'37"N

Longitude: -1.8329 / 1°49'58"W

OS Eastings: 411075.161741

OS Northings: 446051.687862

OS Grid: SE110460

Mapcode National: GBR HRM6.ZY

Mapcode Global: WHC8N.TZD0

Entry Name: Carved rock known as the Badger Stone

Scheduled Date: 17 October 1930

Last Amended: 11 July 1995

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1012012

English Heritage Legacy ID: 25367

County: Bradford

Civil Parish: Ilkley

Built-Up Area: Ilkley

Traditional County: Yorkshire

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): West Yorkshire

Church of England Parish: Ilkley St Margaret

Church of England Diocese: Leeds

Details

The monument includes a reddish gritstone rock c.3.7m x 2.6m x 1.2m on flat
land at Grainings Head.
The carving is complex, consisting of a large number of cups, rings, and
grooves in the cup and ring tradition. In addition there is a more angular
design on the east side of the south west face which may be later, though
still prehistoric.
The commemorative seat is excluded from the scheduling, but the ground
beneath is included.
The grid reference by Global Positioning System is SE1107446050.

MAP EXTRACT
The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.
It includes a 2 metre boundary around the archaeological features,
considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

Rombalds Moor is an eastern outlier of the main Pennine range lying between
the valleys of the Wharfe and the Aire. The bulk of this area of 90 sq km of
rough moorland lies over 200m above sea level. The moor is particularly rich
in remains of prehistoric activity. The most numerous relics are the rock
carvings which can be found on many of the boulders and outcrops scattered
across the moor. Burial monuments, stone circles and a range of enclosed
settlements are also known.
Prehistoric rock carving is found on rock outcrops in several parts of upland
Britain with one of the densest concentrations on Rombalds Moor. The most
common form of decoration is the `cup and ring' mark in which expanses of
small cup-like hollows, which may be surrounded by one or more `rings', are
pecked into the surface of the rock. Other shapes and patterns, including some
dominated by grooves or lines, are also known. Carvings may occur singly or in
small groups, or may cover extensive areas of rock surface. They are believed
to date to the Late Neolithic and Bronze Age periods (c.2800-500 BC) and
provide one of our most important insights into prehistoric `art'. The exact
meaning of the designs remains unknown, but they have been interpreted as
sacred or religious symbols. Frequently they are found close to contemporary
burial monuments. All positively identified prehistoric rock carving sites
exhibiting a significant group of designs have been identified as nationally
important.

The carvings on this rock survive well and it will contribute to an
understanding of the wider grouping of carved rocks.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Books and journals
Hedges, J D (ed), The Carved Rocks on Rombalds Moor, (1986), 84
Hedges, J D (ed), The Carved Rocks on Rombalds Moor, (1986), 43

Source: Historic England

Other nearby scheduled monuments

AncientMonuments.uk is an independent online resource and is not associated with any government department. All government data published here is used under licence. Please do not contact AncientMonuments.uk for any queries related to any individual ancient or schedued monument, planning permission related to scheduled monuments or the scheduling process itself.

AncientMonuments.uk is a Good Stuff website.