More information : (SE 57569790) Stone Circle (NR). (1)
Cairn Circle (NR). (2)
The "Bride Stones" (SE 576978): A doubtful example of a burial
circle, or degenerate henge-monument, named the "Bride Stones",
occurs on Nab Ridge. These circles often enclose cremation pits or
urn burials and such burials are also found outside the enclosures,
as well. They are frequently situated in or near groups of small
stony cairns. (3)
The name "Bride Stones" probably belongs to this stone circle and
not be the cairn (SE 59 NE 11) 50 paces to the north. The feature
has been extensively robbed of its stones but appears to consist
of a circular bank revetted with stones inside and outside. Three
stones on the north and ten stones in the SE quadrant of the inner
kerb remain standing, with heights up to one metre. Inside the
circle old and recent holes have been dug but there are no records
of any finds. The circle resembles a ring-work or henge-circle such
as those excavated on Great Ayton Moor (Scarborough Arch Soc Report
No 7 1967. Enclosures C and D (NZ 51 SE 1) but such kerbs of
close-set stones are often found in barrows such as Hobtrusch
Rook (SE 69 SE 3). It is more likely to be a mutilated tumulus and
Elgee noted (after he had published his Early Man in NE Yorkshire
in 1930 where he described it as a stone circle) that it resembled
the kerb of a barrow. (4)
Correctly described by Hayes. The circle was clearly originally
formed by an unbroken faced 'wall' in conjunction with closely set
orthostats such as is commonly found in the great Cumberland type
stone circles. While the overall dimension of 12m here precludes
any further comparison with the latter, the remains as they stand
favour some form of burial ring rather than a cairn kerb. Published
survey (25") revised. (5)
Set on a south-facing slope at SE 57569790 are the well-defined
remains of a circular stone-walled enclosure measuring 13.0m
diameter over a partly robbed and collapsed rubble wall averaging
2.0m wide.
The inner face of the wall in the E quadrant is formed of several
large contigious boulders set upright. Three similar appear in the
N. The outer face (less evident but still extant and covered by
thick heather) where best preserved in the NE consists of large
boulders contigiously laid but horizontally. Elsewhere the
facing stones have fallen over. There is no trace of an entrance.
(The obvious place for one in the S is too overgrown and mutilated
to say if there was one here or not).
The interior is not levelled and follows the natural slope of
the hill. This may be due to heavy peat built-up but the inner
facing stones in the N suggest that this site was never levelled.
This is not a stone circle and not a modern feature (ie sheepfold,
stock pond, etc.). Surveyed at 1:10,000 (on field document). (6)
SE 576979. "Bridge stones(sic) round cairn and stone circle.
Scheduled. (7)
SE 5756 9790. Round barrow 900m NNE of Oak House. Scheduled RSM
No 25548. (8)
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