The Hitching Stone

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox historic site|name=The Hitching Stone|native_name=|native_language=|native_name2=|native_language2=|native_name3=|native_language3=|image=File:The Hitching Stone - geograph.org.uk - 1848712.jpg|image_size=|caption=The Hitching Stone, showing the fissure and rectangular hole known as the druid’s chair|alt=|locmapin=North Yorkshire|map_relief=|map_width=|map_caption=|coordinates={{coord|53.871513|-2.021789|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline-title}}|gbgridref=SD9841|location=Earl Crag, Yorkshire|area=|elevation={{cvt|1200|ft|m}}|height={{cvt|21|ft|m}}|beginning_label=|beginning_date=|formed=|founded=|built=|built_for=|demolished=|rebuilt=|restored=|restored_by=|architect=|architecture=|visitors_num=|visitors_year=|governing_body=|owner=|designation1=|designation1_offname=|designation1_type=|designation1_criteria=|designation1_date=|delisted1_date=|designation1_partof=|designation1_number=|designation1_free1name=|designation1_free1value=|designation1_free2name=|designation1_free2value=|designation1_free3name=|designation1_free3value=|designation2=|designation2_offname=|designation2_type=|designation2_criteria=|designation2_date=|delisted2_date=|designation2_partof=|designation2_number=|designation2_free1name=|designation2_free1value=|designation2_free2name=|designation2_free2value=|designation2_free3name=|designation2_free3value=|designation3=|designation3_offname=|designation3_type=|designation3_criteria=|designation3_date=|delisted3_date=|designation3_partof=|designation3_number=|designation3_free1name=|designation3_free1value=|designation3_free2name=|designation3_free2value=|designation3_free3name=|designation3_free3value=|designation4=|designation4_offname=|designation4_type=|designation4_criteria=|designation4_date=|delisted4_date=|designation4_partof=|designation4_number=|designation4_free1name=|designation4_free1value=|designation4_free2name=|designation4_free2value=|designation4_free3name=|designation4_free3value=|designation5=|designation5_offname=|designation5_type=|designation5_criteria=|designation5_date=|delisted5_date=|designation5_partof=|designation5_number=|designation5_free1name=|designation5_free1value=|designation5_free2name=|designation5_free2value=|designation5_free3name=|designation5_free3value=|other_name=|map_dot_mark=|type=|etymology=|nearest_city=Bradford|founder=|original_use=|current_use=|sculptor=|visitors_ref=|website=}}'''The Hitching Stone''' is a gritstone erratic block on Keighley Moor, North Yorkshire, near Earl Crag and the village of Cowling.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=19919|title=The Hitching Stone|website=www.ukclimbing.com|language=en|access-date=2018-06-02}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=10059|title=Hitching Stone|last=Map|first=The Megalithic Portal and Megalith|website=The Megalithic Portal|access-date=2018-06-02}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://thejournalofantiquities.com/2016/06/07/hitching-stone-near-cowling-west-yorkshire/|title=Hitching Stone, Near Cowling, West Yorkshire|date=2016-06-07|work=The Journal Of Antiquities|access-date=2018-06-03|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://jimjarratt.co.uk/follies/page21.html|title=The Earl Crag Monuments|last=Jarratt|first=Jim|website=Ivory Towers and Dressed Stones}}</ref> It is very close to the border between North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire and the border between Yorkshire and Lancashire.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://thejournalofantiquities.com/2014/09/14/winter-hill-stone-keighley-moor-west-yorkshire/|title=Winter Hill Stone, Keighley Moor, West Yorkshire|date=2014-09-14|work=The Journal Of Antiquities|access-date=2018-06-03|language=en-US}}</ref>

It is said to be the largest boulder in Yorkshire at {{convert|29|ft|m|abbr=off|1}} long, {{convert|25|ft|m|abbr=off|1}} wide and {{convert|21|ft|m|abbr=off|1}} high.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=http://www.bradfordhistorical.org.uk/boundary.html|title=On the Bradford District's Western Boundary|website=www.bradfordhistorical.org.uk|access-date=2018-06-02}}</ref> It is also said to weigh a lot more than 1000 tonnes.<ref name=":1" />

== Geography == The Hitching Stone is {{convert|5|mi|km|0|abbr=off|spell=on}} from the town of Keighley and is at an elevation of {{convert|1200|ft|m|abbr=off}}.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ebYHAAAAQAAJ&dq=the+hitching+stone&pg=PA127|title=Keighley, past and present: or, An historical, topographical and statistical sketch of the town, parish and environs of Keighley, including Riddlesden, Marley, Hainworth, and some other places in the contiguous parish of Bingley; likewise an account of the ancient families which have flourished therein, with a brief memoir of the Rev. Theodore Dury, M.A., late rector of Keighley.|last1=Keighley|first1=William|last2=Holmes|first2=Robert|publisher=Arthur Hall, Virtue & Company|year=1858|location=Keighley (England)|pages=127|quote=at an elevation of 1,200 feet, and upwards of five miles from the town, stands an isolated and ponderous mass of coarse grit, called the ‘Hitching Stone,’}}</ref>

== History == The Hitching Stone and all the other erratic boulders on Keighley Moor were put in place thousands to possibly millions of years ago during the Pleistocene Epoch.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dandebat.dk/eng-klima5.htm|title=Pleistocene - History of Earth's climate|last=Hansen|first=Bent|website=www.dandebat.dk|access-date=2018-06-03}}</ref> The Hitching Stone most likely originally came from Earl Crag during this time.<ref name=":0" /> As a result of the fact that The Hitching Stone lies at the borders of historic counties, ancient councils and parliaments met at the stone and markets, fairs, and other gatherings were also held at the stone, with the last fair being held in 1870.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite book|title=The old stones of Elmet|last=Paul.|first=Bennett|date=2003|publisher=Capall Bann Publishing|isbn=9781861631343|location=Somerset|oclc=961022287}}</ref>

== Features == On the southern side of the boulder a large bath-like recess is found, that fills with rain water. A large recess in the western side of the stone is still known today as the Priests Chair. There is some speculation that the stone was used for religious rituals.

== Gallery == <gallery mode="packed" heights="150px" style="text-align:left"> File:The Hitching Stone, Keighley Moor - geograph.org.uk - 127023.jpg|The Hitching Stone File:The Hitching Stone with people around it.jpg|People visiting the Hitching Stone File:Hitching Stone (south side) - geograph.org.uk - 427679.jpg|The south side of the Hitching Stone File:The Hitching Stone from the east - geograph.org.uk - 1662102.jpg|The Hitching Stone from the east File:Hitching Stone (pool) - geograph.org.uk - 427687.jpg|The pool of water in the Hitching Stone

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== References ==

== Further reading ==

* T. Sharpe, ''The Pendle Zodiac'', Thomas Sharpe, February 20, 2012. Exploring the Sacred Geometry, Ley alignments and recent Landscape Zodiac discoveries of Pendle - in the Rose County of Lancashire - from the perspective of Spiritual Science.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hitching Stone}} Category:Stones Category:Sandstone formations