The Devil’s Arrows Standing Stones – A Mystical Site in Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire
Stone circles, standing stones and rock formations have always fascinated me – the stories surrounding them, how the heck they came into being and the mysticism and romanticism that often accompany their sites. Not to mention the textures in the stone surfaces themselves, something I’ve always been drawn to in my artistic practices. On a recent stay in the Boroughbridge area of North Yorkshire, I discovered the Devil’s Arrows standing stones, a trio of ridiculously tall stone monoliths and I just had to find out more. Here’s everything you need to know about the Devil’s Arrows and how to locate them.
The Stones
The Devil’s Arrows standing stones lie just outside the town of Boroughbridge in North Yorkshire and are all easily accessible and indeed visible from the road that links Boroughbridge to the village of Roecliffe. One stands alongside the road and the other two stand in a field to the north.
The three stones lie pretty much in a straight line running north-northwest to south-southeast over a distance of 174 metres. It is possible they were arranged in this way to align with the southernmost summer moonrise.
The tallest stone is the most southerly one at 6.9 metres, making it the second tallest standing stone in the UK after the 7.6m tall Rudston Monolith in East Yorkshire. The shortest stone is the most northerly stone at 5.5 metres.
Excavations have revealed that the stones are embedded into the ground at depths of between 1.4 and 1.8 metres below the surface.
The middle stone stands at 6.7m tall and also has a slight lean to it. Those same excavations show that the underground part of this stone is surrounded by a combination of cobbles and clay, presumably used as packing material when it was erected. Over the years, the settling and shifting of this material could well account the off-vertical tilt to this stone.
I love the shapes at the top of these stones where nature has had its wicked way and rain water has weathered the stone causing a fluting effect. It has happened on all three stones, but is more obvious on the most northerly stone which is much broader than the others. You can just imagine water running in rivulets down through the carved-out grooves.
History of the Devil’s Arrows Standing Stones
The Devil’s Arrows standing stones date back to late Neolithic period being erected c. 2700 B.C. They are part of a wider pre-historic landscape which extends from Catterick (21 miles north) to Ferrybridge (27 miles south) and incorporates other stones, henges and cursus monuments, the most famous being the Thornborough henges.
The Devil’s Arrows are shrouded in myth and legend. Early documentation suggests that there used to be more than three stones at this location, with most records referring to 4 or 5 stones originally. It is thought that the other stones were removed in search of treasure and remains can be found in many local gardens and in the construction of a local bridge. One stone top supposedly lies in the grounds of Aldborough Manor, however there is no absolute proof of this.
An 18th century legend gave these three stones their name of the Devil’s Arrows. It was said that the devil, while standing atop Howe Hill by Fountains Abbey, tried to lob large stones at the nearby Christian settlement of Aldborough. However, the stones fell short of the village and landed in their current position near Boroughbridge.
The more likely origin of the Devil’s Arrows is that they were quarried from an outcrop of millstone grit at Plumpton Rocks, 9 miles southwest of Boroughbridge.
But which story do like the best?
How to Locate the Devil’s Arrows Standing Stones
The Devil’s Arrows standing stones lie approximately 200m east of the A1 at Boroughbridge on Roecliffe Lane. Two of the stones are situated in the field on the northern side of Roecliffe Lane and the other stone sits in a tree lined enclosure on the southern edge of the road. The entrance to a new build housing estate (Chestnut Drive) leads off Roecliffe Lane and borders the eastern edge of the field.
As you turn in to Chestnut Drive, there is an area where you can park on the right-hand side. (correct at time of visiting, though this could change as the housing estate develops) There is an information panel on the stones here also. This will put you opposite the opening in the field fence which will allows you to walk round the field borders to get to the two stones.
To find the third stone, walk back to Roecliffe Lane, turn right and cross the road. You should be able to see the enclosure alongside the main road.
The Devil’s Arrows standing stones are also easily walkable to from the centre of Boroughbridge. It would only take about 15-20 minutes to walk to them.
If you are passing Boroughbridge on the A1, the Devil’s Arrows are well worth making the mini detour to. Their sheer size is impressive! Now I just need to make a journey to see the Rudston monolith which sits in the churchyard in Rudston village. East Yorkshire – here I come!
Get in Touch!
How about you? Do monoliths like these fascinate you too? Have you seen the Devil’s Arrows before or anything similar? Drop me a line in the comments below and let me know, I’d love to hear from you!
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Further Reading…
If you are travelling around Yorkshire, you may like to take a look at these places I’ve also written about.
Beningbrough Hall Bluebell walk – definitely a place to visit in April and May.
Walk to Lumb Hole waterfalls from Hebden Bridge.
Take in the Ingleton Waterfalls trail.
Explore Wakefield Cathedral or visit during their annual Rhubarb Festival.
Check out the magical Brimham Rocks in the snow.
Travelling around at Christmas? Then head to Gordon Rigg Garden Centre – its my fave!
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