MenuWritten Stone, Lancashire
Written Stone is a stone slab in Lancashire. This mysterious slab is located just outside Longridge to its east. It measures nine feet in length, two feet wide and 18 inches in depth, and weighs several tons. There is an inscribed message carved onto it and the name Ralph Radcliffe (1655), although the slab might be much older. In recent times it has been suggested that the stone originated on the fells to the north-west, where it may have formed part of a stone circle, and was possibly a pagan altar stone; another suggestion being that it was a lintel stone from above a doorway, and yet another theory being that it was an outlier. The Roman road linking the forts of Ribchester and Lancaster intersects with Written Stone Lane. It is within the council area of Ribble Valley (Lancashire). More...
Historic England Grade II Listed 1147440.
Place Type: Prehistoric Monument
Historic County: Lancashire
Lat, Long: 53.83603,-2.569666
Grid Reference: SD 6260 3790
Civil Parish: Longridge CP
Council Area: Ribble Valley CA (Lancashire CA)
Strategic Authority Area: Lancashire SA
Police Area: Lancashire PA
GBPN ID: 305692
Entry Type: Main listing (P)
URL: https://gazetteer.org.uk/place/Written_Stone,_Lancashire_305692
Peruse Lancashire on Wikishire
It is, according to the legend, said that a terrible murder was committed here. The victim of this murder began to plague the conspirators, the Radcliffe family, who lived at Cottam House. Several members of this family began to die in strange circumstances as if they were cursed in some way. In the hope of atoning for this terrible murder, Mr Radcliffe had a large stone carved and an inscription written onto it; the hope being, perhaps, that the restless spirit would be calmed. But travellers passing by began to report strange happenings such as loud screeching sounds, bumps and bangs and ghostly apparitions. It became known as ‘the cursed stone’ after very strange and ghostly happenings took place when the local farmer decided to try and move it and put it into use as a 'buttery stone'. But he had to return the stone to its original position when ‘all hell let loose’.
Historic England Grade II Listed 1147440.
Place Type: Prehistoric Monument
Historic County: Lancashire
Lat, Long: 53.83603,-2.569666
Grid Reference: SD 6260 3790
Civil Parish: Longridge CP
Council Area: Ribble Valley CA (Lancashire CA)
Strategic Authority Area: Lancashire SA
Police Area: Lancashire PA
GBPN ID: 305692
Entry Type: Main listing (P)
URL: https://gazetteer.org.uk/place/Written_Stone,_Lancashire_305692
Peruse Lancashire on WikishireIt is, according to the legend, said that a terrible murder was committed here. The victim of this murder began to plague the conspirators, the Radcliffe family, who lived at Cottam House. Several members of this family began to die in strange circumstances as if they were cursed in some way. In the hope of atoning for this terrible murder, Mr Radcliffe had a large stone carved and an inscription written onto it; the hope being, perhaps, that the restless spirit would be calmed. But travellers passing by began to report strange happenings such as loud screeching sounds, bumps and bangs and ghostly apparitions. It became known as ‘the cursed stone’ after very strange and ghostly happenings took place when the local farmer decided to try and move it and put it into use as a 'buttery stone'. But he had to return the stone to its original position when ‘all hell let loose’.