Great Stone of Fourstones facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Great Stone of Fourstones |
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| The Big Stone | |
The Great Stone of Fourstones
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 Location in the Forest of Bowland
Location in the City of Lancaster district
Location in North Yorkshire
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| Location | Near Bentham, North Yorkshire |
| OS grid | SD669663 |
| Coordinates | 54°05′29″N 2°30′23″W / 54.0915°N 2.5064°W |
The Great Stone of Fourstones is a huge rock found on the open moorlands of Tatham Fells, England. People who live nearby often call it the "Big Stone." It sits right on the border between two counties: North Yorkshire and Lancashire. You can find it close to the town of Bentham.
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The Great Stone of Fourstones
What is the Great Stone?
The Great Stone is a special type of rock called a glacial erratic. This means it was moved a long, long time ago by a huge glacier (a giant sheet of ice). As the glacier slowly moved across the land, it picked up this massive stone. When the ice melted, the stone was left behind in its current spot. It's like a giant, ancient delivery from an ice age!
Why is it Called Fourstones?
The name "Fourstones" might make you think there were once four big rocks. However, today there is only one giant stone. It's believed that the other three stones were broken up many centuries ago. People might have used them to make sharpening stones for tools like scythes, or perhaps as building materials for houses and walls.
A Natural Boundary Marker
Long ago, before clear maps and fences, large stones like this were very important. They helped people mark boundaries in the countryside. The Great Stone of Fourstones was used to show where the county border between Lancashire and Yorkshire was. It also marked the edge of the Tatham and Bentham church areas. It was a natural signpost for travelers and locals alike.
The Devil's Story
There's a fun local story about how the stone got there. The myth says that the devil himself dropped the stone! The story goes that he was carrying it on his way to build Devil's Bridge at nearby Kirkby Lonsdale. But he somehow dropped this huge rock, and that's why it's still there today.
Steps to the Top
If you visit the Great Stone, you'll notice something interesting: there are 15 steps carved right into its side! These steps let people climb to the very top of the stone. No one knows exactly when these steps were carved. However, they are quite worn down, which shows that many people have used them over hundreds of years.
