Seven Stones, Scarth Moor, Whorlton
More Articles in the Danby Wiske to Swainby subsection
The solitary tree on Scarth Wood Moor identifies the general location of the east section of Orthostatic Walling, part of which is visible in this image.
Seven Stones, Scarth Moor, Coast to Coast
The Seven Stones, or Seven Sisters is an orthostatic wall located on Scarth Wood Moor. An orthostatic wall is one which has large uprights spaced at regular intervals throughout the length of the wall. Its precise location is on the eastern flank of Beacon Hill, about 200 yards within the National Park western boundary wall. From Cod Beck Reservoir it is north about 1/3 of the way to the Cleveland Way and Coast to Coast Path as they jointly leave the boundary wall at the top of Arncliffe Wood. A quick way to find its general location is to find the west-east spring on the OS map, which is quite near to it and also the solitary tree in this general area.
Seven Stones
The Seven Stones is a grouping of 7 (or 8) stones known locally as the Seven Stones or Seven Sisters. They are part of a large orthostatic wall that stretches northwards towards the Cleveland Way and south east in the opposite direction. The large upright stones are more visible than the small stones, many of which have fallen or been smothered by the heather and grass.
Orthostatic Wall Stone
Many of the larger, orthostatic stones making up the wall contain curious markings. This one is not one of the Seven Sisters, but is near to them. Many of the larger stones now lie flat and have become hidden in the heather or grasses.
Cluster of fallen wall stones
The orthostatic wall on Scarth Wood Moor was discovered in 1935 by F Elgee. The wall was examined in depth by Batey in 1994/5 It was found that in all the wall is very ancient and is 82m in length. Its average width is 2m.
Orthostatic Stone
Some of the orthostatic stones have fallen amid the remains of the wall and some of these show curious marks etched into the stone. Strictly speaking orthostatic stones are squared and are built into the wall as an upright. The term, however, is now used more loosely to describe any large stones built into a wall. Those on Scarth Wood Moor were built into the wall as uprights in the true sense of an orthostatic wall.
Line of the Orthostatic Wall
It is possible to stand on part of the fallen remains of the orthostatic wall on Scarth wood Moor, and to look along its length as it nears the limit of its northern extent. True Orthostatic Walling is generally very old, some dating back to the Bronze Age i.e. between 4000-2000 bc.
Coast to Coast Trail Guide
Hiking the Coast to Coast
"Hiking the Coast to Coast" is a digitally enhanced eBook available from Apple Books for all people who have either a Mac, an iPhone or an iPad, and is designed to accompany you on your walk of the Coast to Coast path. The trail guide contains Ordnance Survey maps and other advanced mapping features, step by step directions, hundreds of colour photographs, details of the route, its conditions in different weather and research snippets relating to places of interest along the way.
