LOCAL HISTORY
Rob Wilson North,
Exmoor National Park Authority
The Historic Environment Record states: DEVIL'S STONE
| The Somerset SMR
(No: 33497) records a standing stone of uncertain date from field name
evidence (`Hour Stone' on Tithe Map) and local tradition. (1) At SS 91427
38665 in an improved pasture field immediately adjacent to a massive limestone
quarry (SS 93 NW 57) is a massive quartz block. The stone measures 2.1
m long, 1.2 m wide and is 1.65 m high. The farmer states that the local
name for the stone is `The Devil's Stone' and that tradition
links it to the Devil hurling material from Dunkery Beacon. The stone
appears unlikely to be prehistoric in origin. Its close proximity to the limestone quarry suggests rather a medieval, or more likely early post-medieval origin. (Incorrectly plotted on NMR 1:10,000 record sheet) (2) What this means is that the field was called 'hour stone' in 1840 and that is the earliest mention of the stone. |