Historic England research records

Historic England Research Records

Upper White Horse Stone
Hob Uid: 416372
Location : Kent Tonbridge and Malling Aylesford
Grid Ref : TQ7535060320
Summary : A large upright irregular sarsen measuring circa 3 metres by 1.6 metres, and 0.7 metres thick. It has been suggested to represent the remains of a Neolithic burial chamber, although no evidence other than its upright position and the relative proximity of other Neolithic monuments has ever been offered in support. There appears to be little pre-20th century reference to the site. The name reflects the fact that the stone appears to have inherited the legendary associations of its now-destroyed near neighbour, the original "White Horse Stone" (TQ 76 SE 12).
More information : [TQ 75336031] White Horse Stone [NR] (1) Upper White Horse Stone: This has succeeded the original stone [see TQ 76 SE 12] and inherited its legend. It is mentioned in Beale-Poste's MSS but there is no further information to be gained. (2) The Successor White Horse Stone is a large upright sarsen standing in the opposite angle of the cross roads to the site of the original stone and it has inherited both the name and tradition of the original, a fact which is not generally recognized. As it stands upright it is very reminiscent of a chamber wall stone. There are many other stones in the vicinity. (3) Upper White Horse Stone included in list of 'Megalithic Remains, probably Burial Chambers'. (4) White Horse Stone sometimes Upper White Horse Stone - a large stone, 8ft by 5 ft by 2 ft, with fragments of others nearby, which may be the much ruined remnant of a burial chamber. In list of doubtful sites. (5) TQ 75356032. The stone measures 3.0m x 1.6m and is 0.7m thick. It stands upright, lengthwise, within a small wood on the line of the Aylesford-Boxley parish boundary. (GP AO/59/6/2 from south east). Antiquity Model Survey has been carried out. (6) Condition unchanged. (7) TQ 754604. Aylesford. White Horse Stone, county number 17. (8) Upper White Horse Stone, TQ 753603. This large upright stone is in anarrow strip of woodland east of the A229. The stone is 2.9m long, 1.65m high and about 60cm thick. Nearby are nine much smaller stones that extend westwards from the stone for about 10m. There is no trace of a mound and it is possible that some of these stones were moved from the adjacent field by farmers. Its identification as another chambered long barrow is therefore uncertain. Early antiquarians thought that it resembled a standing horse, hence its name, but stories of the god-like White Horse of Kent attached to it are quite without foundation. (9,10,11) Paul Ashbee has in recent years published several articles discussing the Medway Megaliths, with a particular emphasis on historical records and early investigations, with detailed bibliographic references and early illustrations. He notes virtually no reference to the Upper White Horse Stone before 1907, by which time it had already become associated with the various legends previously linked to its destroyed predecessor the Lower White Horse Stone (TQ 76 SE 11), along with other tales. Identification of the stone as part of a Neolithic burial chamber, which Ashbee appears to tentatively support, is highly speculative. (12-15) The single sarsen slab has long been in use as a boundary marker in an area dense in naturally occurring sarsens. There is no threat to this already scheduled item. (16)

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Source Number : 1
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Source details : OS 6" 1936-47
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Source Number : 2
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Source details : Evans, JH. A Disciple of the Druids: The Beale Poste MSS.
Page(s) : 130-9
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Vol(s) : 62, 1949

Source Number : 10
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Source details :
Page(s) : 101-2
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Vol(s) : no.69

Source Number : 11
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Source details : Holgate, R. The Medway Megaliths and Neolithic Kent.
Page(s) : 221-234
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Vol(s) : 97, 1981

Source Number : 12
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Source details : Ashbee, P. The Medway Megaliths in Perspective.
Page(s) : 57-111
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Vol(s) : 111, 1993

Source Number : 13
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Source details : Ashbee, P. William Stukeley, The Kit's Coty hose and his coves: a note.
Page(s) : 17-24
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Vol(s) : 112, 1993

Source Number : 14
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Source details : Ashbee, P. The Medway Megaliths in a European Context.
Page(s) : 269-284
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Vol(s) : 119, 1999

Source Number : 15
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Source details : Ashbee, P. The Medway's Megalithic Long Barrows.
Page(s) : 319-345
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Vol(s) : 120, 2000

Source Number : 16
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Source details : A.Brown, MPPFW, 08/01/1990
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Source Number : 2a
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Source details : Beale-Poste MSS (Maidstone Museum) Vol 3 Sect 3 p.111
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Source Number : 3
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Source details : Evans, JH. Kentish Megalithic Types.
Page(s) : 63-81
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Vol(s) : 63, 1950

Source Number : 4
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Source details : Crawford, OGS. Notes on Archaeological Information Incorporated in the Ordnance Survey Maps. Part 2. The Long Barrows and Megaliths in the area covered by sheet 12 of the 1/4 inch map (Kent, Surrey and Sussex).
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Vol(s) : 8, 1924

Source Number : 5
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Source details :
Page(s) : 234
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Source Number : 6
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Source details : F1 ASP 14.05.59
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Source Number : 7
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Source details : F2 ASP 21.10.64
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Source Number : 8
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Source details : DOE(IAM) Ancient Monuments England 2 1978 109
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Source Number : 9
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Source details : Philp, B. A Survey of the Medway Megaliths.
Page(s) : 77-92
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Vol(s) : 64, 1981

Monument Types:

Monument Period Name : Neolithic
Display Date : Neolithic
Monument End Date : -2200
Monument Start Date : -4000
Monument Type : Chambered Tomb, Standing Stone
Evidence : Conjectural Evidence

Monument Period Name : Uncertain
Display Date :
Monument End Date :
Monument Start Date :
Monument Type : Standing Stone
Evidence : Structure

Components and Objects:

Related Records from other datasets:

External Cross Reference Source : Scheduled Monument Legacy (County No.)
External Cross Reference Number : KE 17
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : TQ 76 SE 11
External Cross Reference Notes :

Related Warden Records :

Associated Monuments :
Relationship type : General association

Related Activities :

Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1959-05-14
End Date : 1959-05-14

Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1964-10-21
End Date : 1964-10-21

Associated Activities :
Activity type : EVALUATION
Start Date : 1997-01-01
End Date : 1997-12-31

Historic England Research Records

Upper White Horse Stone