Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past History Information Request Woodchurch 'Stone'

Yin Yang

The 'burden of proof' rests with you. as it was you that from the beginning objected to and refuted what was simply reasonable speculation. I shall ignore the barely disguised ad-hominem and other fallacious responses and await your presentation of evidence that Neolithic communities did not exist on the Wirral and furthermore for some strange reason unlike similar groups across Britain seemingly chose not to erect megalithic structures. Once again, as I hope readers of this thread may recognize unlike yourself I am not asserting anything as fact, what I have done is to ask a not unreasonable question: did ancient peoples on the Wirral erect standing stones and was there an indication of such in possible alignments shown on 19th Century maps?

I think any further exchange with you on this subject is unproductive and likely to repeat what has already been discussed, so on that note I would suggest ending this correpondence.

...try reading your own posts, Erainn . Your whole argument is that a collection of non-descript stones recorded on a map (and which no longer exist) could well have been standing stones because we have recorded evidence that 'the area was inhabited during the Neolithic'. But, as usual, you offer no details regarding the said evidence. Are you using your default setting of 'absence of evidence is not evidence of absence' again?

Your reply is typically rhetorical and fails to answer the question put to you. Instead you use pompous, condescending language to hide behind.

You may well believe that there are theories at the bottom of your jargon Erainn, but I think you are more likely to find faeries. After all, your idiosyncratic brand of un-real history does border on fantasy doesn't it?

I am not sure if this has been mentioned previously as I have not time to go through all the posts on here. This is due to a gentleman who I have by chance met from the local population. He is 85 yrs old and an absolute mine of information of the surrounding areas and beyond. His memory is amazing and he speaks so quickly as one thing leads to another from his memory bank. Last week he told me so much as I walked the dog, and promised he would call to pay a visit with a picture he had drawn in 1930. Today he arrived unexpectedly and continued to draw on his memoirs.
I specifically asked about standing stones in Arrowe Park. He said he ddn;t know anything about standing stones, although there are two on the right hand side of Landican Lane, as we travel down from Thingwall roundabout.
He followed up with square gateposts in Arrowe Park which were the boundary posts. He said they used square ones because the others which could be worn were classed as inferior for the job.
He then explained that there are two (I think) big square ones and ( and I can't remember where exactly, they may show up on ne of the maps.) One of them has a bar which leads in a downward position into the ground. If we stand against the post with the bar and look down, we can see a path which is s shaped . The grass grows over it but not well as it was a cinder track. He said the path leads to the woods, where there is a huge stone block. He knows not what it was for but also mentioned some of the other stones may have been for 'stone rubbing' at some time. I did not press him on that, as he didn't seem to know what 'stone rubbing' is and so I assume he has heard that from elsewhere. He said the sandstone pillars with the holes in them were used for placing wooded bars in them ( or something like that) . Sorry to be a bit vague but I was scribbling as fast as possible whilst he jumped around with his history.
I so wish someone has got all of this mans memories somewhere. He did help Greg Dawson with his book, but there is obviously so much more to be salvaged.
Hope all this makes sense.

Granny, if you get a chance do examine carefully the 19th century maps of that area and note in particular the frequency, distribution and proximity of stones marked. While no doubt such were used as boundary indicators or gate-posts there are some recorded on such maps positioned that suggest alignment, while others are sited in the middle of fields, which in the 19th Century already possessed hedging/boundaries, raising questions as to their purpose. Remember too that stones were recycled and reused over the centuries too, so making it challenging to assert conclusively original function, especially if relocated.

Will have a go, Erainn

Thought the one down landican lane was for tying up the bull to. Or cow while the bull did its business.

The reference to 'stone rubbing' could mean 'rubbing stones' set in a field for the beasts to rub against, to have a good scratch?