20/12/2024
The standing stone at The Oxenham Arms is an ancient monolith that has stood the test of time for thousands of years. Rising 27 feet high, the granite stone is believed to have been carefully shaped, transported, and positioned by Neolithic communities who lived in Dartmoor. For these early people, stone monuments held profound spiritual and cultural significance. They often constructed these stones as markers for ceremonial sites, burial grounds, or points of gathering, and they may have used them as sites for rituals, astronomical observations, or symbolic boundaries within their territories.
Dartmoor itself is rich with Neolithic and Bronze Age relics, including stone rows, circles, cairns, and huts scattered across its rugged landscape. This region’s granite hills and valleys have long made it a focal point of prehistoric life, with settlements dotting the area for millennia. The standing stone at The Oxenham Arms would have been part of a broader landscape imbued with significance, chosen carefully by Neolithic people for its prominent visibility and durable stone.
Fast-forward several thousand years to the early 12th century, when The Oxenham Arms was constructed around this ancient monolith. Located in the village of South Zeal, The Oxenham Arms is now one of the oldest inns in England, with a history that stretches back to Norman times. Originally built as a manor house before becoming an inn, it has seen numerous historical figures pass through its doors over the centuries, from medieval knights to more modern patrons.
During the construction of The Oxenham Arms, the builders must have recognized the significance of the standing stone. Rather than removing it, they chose to incorporate it into the very foundation of the structure. The stone extends down through the pub’s floors, reaching deep into the cellar and grounding the entire building in a piece of ancient history. This choice reflects the reverence and curiosity that medieval people had for prehistoric relics, seeing them as markers of history or as relics from a mysterious past.
The decision to integrate the stone into the building not only preserved it but also gave The Oxenham Arms an unforgettable feature that sets it apart from other historic inns. Today, visitors to The Oxenham Arms can view the standing stone inside the pub’s cozy interiors, where the stone reaches from the floor up to the ceiling, surrounded by their centuries-old walls and medieval architecture.
Read more: https://vocal.media/.../the-standing-stone-at-the-oxenham...
The standing stone at The Oxenham Arms is an ancient monolith that has stood the test of time for thousands of years. Rising 27 feet high, the granite stone is believed to have been carefully shaped, transported, and positioned by Neolithic communities who lived in Dartmoor. For these early people, stone monuments held profound spiritual and cultural significance. They often constructed these stones as markers for ceremonial sites, burial grounds, or points of gathering, and they may have used them as sites for rituals, astronomical observations, or symbolic boundaries within their territories.
Dartmoor itself is rich with Neolithic and Bronze Age relics, including stone rows, circles, cairns, and huts scattered across its rugged landscape. This region’s granite hills and valleys have long made it a focal point of prehistoric life, with settlements dotting the area for millennia. The standing stone at The Oxenham Arms would have been part of a broader landscape imbued with significance, chosen carefully by Neolithic people for its prominent visibility and durable stone.
Fast-forward several thousand years to the early 12th century, when The Oxenham Arms was constructed around this ancient monolith. Located in the village of South Zeal, The Oxenham Arms is now one of the oldest inns in England, with a history that stretches back to Norman times. Originally built as a manor house before becoming an inn, it has seen numerous historical figures pass through its doors over the centuries, from medieval knights to more modern patrons.
During the construction of The Oxenham Arms, the builders must have recognized the significance of the standing stone. Rather than removing it, they chose to incorporate it into the very foundation of the structure. The stone extends down through the pub’s floors, reaching deep into the cellar and grounding the entire building in a piece of ancient history. This choice reflects the reverence and curiosity that medieval people had for prehistoric relics, seeing them as markers of history or as relics from a mysterious past.
The decision to integrate the stone into the building not only preserved it but also gave The Oxenham Arms an unforgettable feature that sets it apart from other historic inns. Today, visitors to The Oxenham Arms can view the standing stone inside the pub’s cozy interiors, where the stone reaches from the floor up to the ceiling, surrounded by their centuries-old walls and medieval architecture.
Read more: https://vocal.media/history/the-standing-stone-at-the-oxenham-arms-dartmoor-s-ancient-monolith-in-a-historic-pub
