THE PUZZLE STONE at Nether Silton, North Yorkshire.

Os grid reference SE.456 922. I suppose this just scrapes in here as being a myth or legend. The puzzle stone is to be found at the back of the village church in Nether Silton 5 miles east of Northallerton and 1 mile east of the A19 - at the western edge of the Cleveland Hills, in north Yorkshire. The church is to be found along Lead Lane, so go around to the back of the church and into a field; in the middle of the field the stone stands with it's strange, puzzling inscription.

The square-shaped stone or slab is some 6 feet high and on the face is carved, in six lines, a curious inscription in capital letters - the fifth line, a line of initial letters, along with a date. It apparently marks the site of a medieval manor house which has now gone. When the building was demolished or burnt down the squire Mr Hickes decided to leave a lasting memorial here. So he had the stone erected with what is referred to as a "mnemonic" inscription.

HTGOMHS - "Here the grand manor house stood;
TBBWOTGWWG - the black beams were oak, the great walls were good;
TWOTEWAHH - the walls of the east wing are hidden here;
ATCLABWHEY - a thatched cottage like a barn was here erected year
AD1765 - Ano Domini 1765;
AWPSAYAA - a wide porch spans a yard and alcove."

All in all a very curious thing, perhaps the only puzzle stone to be found in England, though I have no doubt that there may be others hidden away somewhere ?

have you been ? if not what's you source ?
if I go and it's still there ? and I add some photo's no doubt you'll then add some to the first post !

see:- POLE STOOP STANDING STONE or HANGING STONE Posted by Sunbright57 on Wed Feb 16, 2011 (with no photo's)


I added 11 photo's :- Pole Stoop Posted QDanT on Fri Jun 10, 2011 (that's 4 months later)

you then add photo's :- Last edited by Sunbright57 on Fri Jun 10, 2011 edited 5 times in total
Last edited by Sunbright57 on Fri Jun 10, 2011 edited 4 times in total

and any one reading is not going to check the edits so you first post certainly looks fuller !