Rudston Monolith is most certainly a highlight of my recent trip to North Yorkshire. Furthermore, it is also known as the Devil’s Finger. Hopefully, you will find my photographs of it pleasing.
To begin with, visiting this churchyard and standing among the headstones is a stunning, slender piece of rock. Moreover, it stands at just under 8 meters tall and 2 meters wide. People also know this as the Devil’s Finger. This subsequently fires my imagination as I begin to find out more about it.
Devil’s Finger in Rudston
Firstly, a popular myth tells the story of how the Devil was angry at the locals for building a church. Therefore, he hurls this huge rock or monolith like a javelin at the church to destroy it. The divine intervenes and the stone deflects and lands in its present position, hence the name, Devil’s Finger. There are many similar stories up and down the country. In addition, another legend tells of it falling from the sky to fall on those who are desecrating the churchyard. Reference: Mysterious Britain.
I never knew until performing my research that there are a total of three standing stones in Rudston.
Also, do you think that the Rudston Monolith looks phallic?
During Pagan times, some form of rituals were taking place at these monoliths. Furthermore, it is also believable that it is a prehistoric, Pagan place of worship. Finally, during the Dark Ages, the Christians came along and built their first church next to the stone.
Rudston Monolith Facts
- It is the tallest standing stone in Britain
- Ground level, the circumference is 5 meters
- An excavation in the late 18th century by Sir William Strickland suggests the stone below ground, is as great as its height
- It is made of moorland grit stone and weighs approximately 40 tonnes.
- The monolith sits in All Saints Church graveyard in Rudston, Yorkshire
