Roborough Rock facts for kids
Roborough Rock, often called The Rock, is a cool natural rock formation in Devon, England. It's like a small mountain made of rock, known as a tor. This special rock is found just southwest of Yelverton. It sits on Roborough Down, right next to the main A386 and where the old RAF Harrowbeer airfield used to be. During the Second World War, the rock was a bit of a challenge for the airfield because two of its runways were built right in front of it!
What's in a Name?
Roborough Rock has had many different names over time. Some people thought part of the rock looked like a human face when seen from the north. Because of this, it was sometimes called "Duke of Wellington's Nose" or "George III's nose."
Long ago, in the 1700s, maps called it Ullestor Rock or Ulster Rock. Another map from 1765 named it "Hurstone Rock." Even further back, in the 1500s, it was known as Udell Torre or Udal Tor. Today, most people just call it "The Rock" or sometimes "Yelverton Rock."
How the Rock Was Formed
Roborough Rock is made of a type of rock called igneous rock. This kind of rock forms when hot, melted rock (magma or lava) cools down and hardens.
The rock has two higher parts with a lower section in the middle. It wasn't always like this! In 1830, some of the middle part was removed. This was done to get materials for road maintenance. So, the rock you see today is a little different from how it looked nearly 200 years ago.