Details

The monument includes a rough gritstone boulder, 2m x 1.6m x 0.8m, with six
shallow cups carved into the upper surface near the north east corner. The
rock also has some more recent small round holes in four lines, probably
feather marks, the results of an attempt to split the rock at an unknown date.
The rock is located in a haphazard line of rocks on the verge between Glen
Road and the public conveniences near the Old Glen House, at Bracken Hall
Green.

MAP EXTRACT
The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.
It includes a 1 metre boundary around the archaeological features,
considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

Rombalds Moor is an eastern outlier of the main Pennine range lying between
the valleys of the Wharfe and the Aire. The bulk of this area of 90 sq km of
rough moorland lies over 200m above sea level. The moor is particularly rich
in remains of prehistoric activity. The most numerous relics are the rock
carvings which can be found on many of the boulders and outcrops scattered
across the moor. Burial monuments, stone circles and a range of enclosed
settlements are also known.
Prehistoric rock carving is found on rock outcrops in several parts of upland
Britain with one of the densest concentrations on Rombalds Moor. The most
common form of decoration is the 'cup and ring' mark in which expanses of
small cup-like hollows, which may be surrounded by one or more 'rings', are
pecked into the surface of the rock. Other shapes and patterns, including some
dominated by grooves or lines, are also known. Carvings may occur singly or in
small groups, or may cover extensive areas of rock surface. They are surmised
to date to the Late Neolithic and Bronze Age periods (c.2800-500 BC) and
provide one of our most important insights into prehistoric 'art'. The exact
meaning of the designs remains unknown, but they have been interpreted as
sacred or religious symbols. Frequently they are found close to contemporary
burial monuments. All positively identified prehistoric rock carving sites
exhibiting a significant group of designs have been identified as nationally
important.

Although this rock may not be in its original location it is earthfast and its
carvings survive well, it is therefore an important element of the assemblage
of prehistoric rock carvings in the area of Baildon Moor, a southern extension
of Rombalds Moor.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Books and journals
Hedges, J D (ed), The Carved Rocks on Rombalds Moor, (1986), 51

Source: Historic England