[Pete Lee]

Posted on behalf of Daniel Tibbles:

Hi

I have an interest in the standing stones at Ridley Common, Hexhamshire, near the village of Beltingham. I have been to the location identified in a PHD dissertation on stones circles in England submitted to Oxford University to no avail. There is evidence that there was a circle there. I have also investigated a site suggested by a local to the area who directed me a stone circle which appears to an artistic fabrication. Any information you have on this subject would be greatly appreciated and hopefully further my studies of the religious history of the area.

Thank you in advance for any assistance you can provide.

Kind regards

Daniel Tibbles

• This topic was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by Pete Lee.

[Pete Lee]

You mentioned Hexhamshire – in fact we know of a fake stone circle near Dotland in the ‘Shire created by a local farmer, but I suspect that isn’t what you were researching.

HLHS committee members have obtained the following information from their contacts:
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Mark said: Had a response from a Robert Hunter from Old Haltwhistle FB page, giving map co-ordinates 54°56’35.0″N 2°21’02.8″W This is due south of Beltingham, so could be what Daniel’s after. However, Robert’s also sent an image which he reckons is of a fake stone circle created by a farmer in the past. Robert reckons it only dates from the 1980s, when it was erected by another Robert Hunter!
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The image is the same as you can see on Google Street view:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.9429394,-2.3513894,3a,75y,98.86h,86.49t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sZ3QhGGgtO0w0IgkT9ZeoIg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

The sign visible is for “East and West Steel” – see below
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Yvonne said:
I’ve just sent a query to a farmer in the area. I’d heard, a long time ago, that these stones at the Steel, were put in place not that long ago. He has replied to say that these were placed there by the farmer at Shankfoot Farm, N.E. of the stones. Very interesting to see, but not historical.
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I wonder if this is “Shankhead” Farm rather than “Shankfoot”. The former is NE of the above coordinate, the latter is in the area but further away near Unthank.
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Yvonne also found some links:
One or two links to the stones:

East Steel Stone Circle, Northumberland, England – JayDax Showcase

Hexham Remembered – ‘Stonehenge’ near Bardon Mill, Northumberland. Located between Belltingham and Whitfield, at the entrance to East & West Steel Farms. Not so ancient as the original though, this stone circle was created in the early 1980s by a local man who lives nearby. He placed the last stone at sunrise at 4am on the 21st of June, with his JCB. After the stones ‘weathered’ a little, people were coming from all corners of the globe to see this ‘Ancient Wonder’.

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Hope this helps you.

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