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The Archaeology of People: Dimensions of Neolithic Life, Whittle

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<< Our Photo Pages >> The Godstone - Marker Stone in England in Merseyside

Submitted by Sunny100 on Tuesday, 01 June 2010  Page Views: 8902

Multi-periodSite Name: The Godstone Alternative Name: The Corpse Stone, The Cross Stone
Country: England County: Merseyside Type: Marker Stone
Nearest Town: Formby
Map Ref: SD28070668
Latitude: 53.551801N  Longitude: 3.087167W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
4 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
4 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
4 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
5

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cactus_chris visited on 7th May 2023 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 4 Located in the corner of the churchyard; only found with the help of a local person.

The Godstone
The Godstone submitted by Sunny100 : The Godstone at Formby. (The image is by Mr Jim Dyson - 2004). (Vote or comment on this photo)
Marker Stone and Ancient Cross Base/Market Cross in Merseyside

The Godstone at Formby, Merseyside. The ancient godstone stands at 18 inches (420mm) high in the churchyard of St Luke's, Formby. It is an irregular, oval shaped stone with a flat side that has an incised cross on stepped stones carved onto it. At the top of the cross there is a round circle, which could represent the Godhead. Some other stones lie scattered around the base of the stone. The stone may have been used as a kind of marker stone for new converts to Christianity.

Apparently the stone was used for funeral rites - bodies were lain here after death. One local legend says the stone was used as a "rebus" to convert Vikings to Christianity - so this is obviously a Christianised stone. The Godstone was moved to it's present position in 1897. The font in St Luke's Church is Norman. But the date of the stone is uncertain, some say the 11th century, others says the 9th or 10th century. We cannot be certain either way.

For more information see Historic England List ID 1343285.

Historic England also schedules another cross, located 30m south of the Chapel of St. Luke's Church at SD 28075 06680 - see their entry for Historic England List ID 1075862 and Pastscape Monument No. 37595. The Journal of Antiquities also includes an entry for both these crosses - see their page for The God Stone, St Luke’s Churchyard, Formby, Merseyside, which includes a description, a drawing and a list of reference sources for more information.
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The Godstone
The Godstone submitted by cactus_chris : 20230507--The Godstone, St Luke's Churchyard, Formby, Sefton (Vote or comment on this photo)

Do not use the above information on other web sites or publications without permission of the contributor.

Nearby Images from Geograph Britain and Ireland:
SD2806 : St Luke's churchyard with daffodils by David Hawgood
by David Hawgood
©2016(licence)
SD2806 : Snowdrops in St Luke's churchyard, Formby by David Hawgood
by David Hawgood
©2013(licence)
SD2806 : St. Luke's Church, Formby by Rude Health
by Rude Health
©2013(licence)
SD2806 : St Luke's, Formby by John S Turner
by John S Turner
©2016(licence)
SD2806 : Snowdrop time St. Luke's Church by Norman Caesar
by Norman Caesar
©2013(licence)

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 1.4km NNW 336° Formby Point* Ancient Trackway (SD27500800)
 7.9km ESE 119° Lunt Meadows* Ancient Village or Settlement (SD349027)
 9.1km SE 125° St Helen's Well (Sefton) Holy Well or Sacred Spring (SD35450129)
 13.3km E 82° Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul* Carving (SD4130608436)
 14.2km SE 146° St Mary (Walton on the Hill) Ancient Cross (SJ35889482)
 15.2km SE 144° Modern stone circle on Cherry Avenue* Modern Stone Circle etc (SJ3687894265)
 16.7km S 177° Bidston Hill Rock Carvings* Carving (SJ288900)
 16.8km SSW 196° Great Meols* Ancient Village or Settlement (SJ231906)
 17.2km SSE 156° World Museum Liverpool* Museum (SJ348908)
 17.7km S 172° The Bonks Barrow Cemetery (SJ303891)
 17.9km S 184° Overchurch* Stone Circle (SJ264888)
 19.8km SSW 202° Red Rocks Ancient Mine, Quarry or other Industry (SJ20328843)
 20.2km S 186° Greasby Copse Ancient Village or Settlement (SJ25788664)
 20.4km SE 146° Monk's Well (Wavertree)* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (SJ39288959)
 20.7km S 182° Arrowe Park standing stones Standing Stones (SJ27058596)
 20.7km SSW 196° West Kirby Cremation Burial Cist (SJ22158678)
 20.9km SSW 195° The Column* Chambered Tomb (SJ222866)
 21.1km SSW 206° Hilbre Island (Wirral Peninsula) Ancient Cross (SJ185879)
 21.2km SSW 196° St Bridget (West Kirby)* Early Christian Sculptured Stone (SJ21828641)
 21.9km SSW 192° Face Stone (Stapledon Wood)* Rock Outcrop (SJ23088536)
 22.0km S 188° Thor's Stone* Natural Stone / Erratic / Other Natural Feature (SJ2447484933)
 22.7km SSE 146° The Calderstones* Chambered Tomb (SJ4040287622)
 23.0km SSE 151° Solomon's Tomb Modern Stone Circle etc (SJ391865)
 23.5km SSE 149° Robin Hood's Stone* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SJ3997886383)
 24.1km ENE 78° Boar's Den* Round Barrow(s) (SD51771116)
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"The Godstone" | Login/Create an Account | 2 News and Comments
  
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Re: The Godstone by cactus_chris on Sunday, 07 May 2023
(User Info | Send a Message)
When viewing this in the Google Earth KML file it is way out of position.

GE is showing it on Three Tuns Lane near Waitrose in Formby, instead of in St Luke's Church Yard.

53°33'6.09"N 3° 5'14.10"W
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Re: The Godstone by Sunny100 on Monday, 25 August 2014
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New grid reference is SD28030670 [updated]. The church is on St Lukes Church Road, Formby.
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