More information : (NT 95740011) The Five Kings (TI) (1)
The Five Kings are five oblong stones, a few feet apart from one
another in a straight line. One is fallen and lies at the base of the
cliff. According to tradition they are five brothers, who owned
adjacent tracts of land. Possibly they may be connected in some way
with the five grave-mounds on Holystone Common (NT 90 SE 22). (2)
The fifth of these standing stones was removed to make a gate-post.
Of the remaining four, east to west, the first is 8 feet high, the
second 5 feet, the third 5 feet, and the fourth 7 feet. The
distances between them are respectively 17, 10 and 19 feet. The
alignment measures 46 feet, originally with the fifth stone it was
63 feet. (3)
They are placed in a line nearly due east (true), at the following
distances from each other, west to east, 4 feet, 7 feet 7 inches and
13 feet. Their heights are 7'6", 4'6", 5'6", 7'0", the fifth flat.
When or why these stones were placed here is not known. (4)
Four standing stones are situated upon a south-east slope of
moorland heather and bracken, at approx 650 feet above sea-level, and
below a line of crags , from which the stones probably originally
fell. They have been erected in a slight arc, from south-west to
north-east. Their respective heights in this direction are 2.2m,
1.3m, 1.6m and 2.2m. They are 4.0m, 7.0m and 6.0m apart
respectively. 7.0m further north-east is a hollow in the ground
similar to those in which the stones stand, probably the site of the
fifth stone, and another 7.0m to the east, is a recumbent stone 1.4m
long, possibly the remains of it. (5)
"I do not think they ever formed part of a circle." (6)
As described by F1. Re-surveyed at 1:2,500. See enlargement.
Definitely not parts of a Stone Circle. (7)
There is no trace of the recumbent stone, 1.4m long, referred to
in report of 29-MAY-1957, otherwise condition unchanged. Surveyed at 1:10,000. (8)
NT 958 001. The Five Kings (standing stones) 1 furlong (200m) SE of
the summit of Dues Hill, Holystone. Scheduled no. ND/45. (9)
NT 9574 0010. Stone alignment 900m SW of Holstone Grange. Scheduled
RSM No 20954. The alignment includes four substantial stones situated
in a slight arc from SW to NE. The stones are located 4m, 7m and 6m apart and are 2m, 1.3m, 1.6m and 2.2m high. A fifth stone which completed the alignment was situated 7m beyond the fourth but was
removed earlier this century; the site of this stone is also
included in the Scheduling. Known locally as The Five Kings. (10)
Listed under Four- to Six-Stone Rows in corpus. Row said to be five
brothers who were kings. (11)
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