<< Our Photo Pages >> Backstone Circle - Stone Circle in England in Yorkshire (West)

Submitted by DavidRaven on Friday, 15 August 2003  Page Views: 12959

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Backstone Circle
Country: England County: Yorkshire (West) Type: Stone Circle

Map Ref: SE1260546130  Landranger Map Number: 104
Latitude: 53.911172N  Longitude: 1.809602W
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.
 no data 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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I have visited· I would like to visit

paganjones7 visited on 13th Jun 2015 - their rating: Cond: 3 Access: 3 A favourite site of mine.Getting a bit overgrown with grass over last few years.If you view it from across the beck,you will see it sits in a hollow and in very wet weather a spring still runs occasionally leading me to think it is built deliberately near a water source.Very powerful .entity sightings happen here as well .

Paulbm79 TimPrevett have visited here

Backstone circle
Backstone circle submitted by DavidRaven : The Backstone circle, looking east to Green Crag Slack. A 'ledge' on the moor that was a major neolithic thoroughfare! (Vote or comment on this photo)
Stone circle in West Yorkshire

This charming, tumbledown, overgrown circle, camaflouged by newer dry-stone walls takes some finding, but it's certainly worth the effort! It's perched on the flanks of the Backstone Beck valley. I must've walked near it dozens of times over the years and never noticed it. Maybe it's because it's hidden amongst more recent constructions, or maybe it's only noticed if you're actually intent on finding it!

The stones nestle into the moorland vegetation, partially obscured by great tussocks of sedge. To me, the attendant man-made remains don't seem to detract from the peaceful sanctity of the place. The circle was 'forgotten' until quite recently. At first 'the jury was out' as to it's authenticity. Collyer and Turner (1885) mention a 'rude circle of stones' that you had to look twice at to see, situated somewhere beyond the White Wells. This fits the bill! Today though, it seems the archaeologists and megalith-hunters have vouched for it's worth and included it in some of the current guides to the moors. If this is a tenuously verified site then the alignments which occur here are a miraculous coincidence! Folks more attuned to these things than I have observed lines of reddish light, which dowsing has corroborated.

The Northern Antiquarian alsohave an page for this stone circle - see their entry for Backstone Circle, Ilkley Moor, West Yorkshire which contains directions for finding the site, photographs, a brief archaeology & history and a intriguing 'Fortean History' section.
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Backstone Circle
Backstone Circle submitted by TimPrevett : Part of the alleged circle on a glorious March 19th 2005, West Yorks Stones Meet. (1 comment - Vote or comment on this photo)

Backstone Circle
Backstone Circle submitted by andy_h : Detail of Backstone Circle. (1 comment - Vote or comment on this photo)

Backstone circle
Backstone circle submitted by DavidRaven : This charming, tumbledown, overgrown circle, camaflouged by newer dry-stone walls takes some finding, but it's certainly worth the effort! It's perched on the flanks of the Backstone Beck valley. I must've walked near it dozens of times over the years and never noticed it. Maybe it's because it's hidden amongst more recent constructions, or maybe it's only noticed if you're ac... (Vote or comment on this photo)

Backstone Circle
Backstone Circle submitted by Rich32 : Vertical shot of the site (Vote or comment on this photo)

Backstone Circle
Backstone Circle submitted by Rich32 : An aerial shot showing some of the upright stones in situ. I'm far from convinced about the antiquity of this site for many reasons.

Backstone Circle
Backstone Circle submitted by rich32 : This is largest stone within Backstone Beck circle. (2 comments)

Backstone Circle
Backstone Circle submitted by TimPrevett : Departing the alleged circle at Backstone Beck on Ilkley Moor, Stones Meet, March 19th 2005. David Raven leads the group back left, while Teufel & Baz say goodbye to their new friend. I stayed here a few minutes by myself once the group had departed, and the atmosphere certainly changes once solitary.

Backstone Circle
Backstone Circle submitted by andy_h : Backstone Circle as seen from Backstone Beck Enclosure. (1 comment)

Backstone Circle
Backstone Circle submitted by andy_h : Tallest stone in Backstone Circle. (5 comments)

Backstone Circle
Backstone Circle submitted by andy_h : Detail of 'figure 8' carving on tallest stone.

Backstone Circle
Backstone Circle submitted by andy_h : This stone appears to be supported by stones similar to those found inthe drystone walling.

Backstone Circle
Backstone Circle submitted by andy_h : Backstone Circle from the east.

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 113m SSW 205° Gill Head 01* Rock Art (SE1255846027)
 168m NNE 25° Backstone Beck 01* Rock Art (SE1267646282)
 178m NE 48° Backstone Beck 04* Rock Art (SE1273846249)
 180m NE 39° Backstone Beck 03* Rock Art (SE1271946270)
 197m E 99° Backstone Beck Enclosure* Ancient Village or Settlement (SE128461)
 225m ENE 75° Backstone Beck 05.* Rock Art (SE1282246190)
 229m N 354° Cranshaw Thorn Hill 08* Rock Art (SE1258246358)
 229m E 81° Backstone Beck 06* Rock Art (SE1283246165)
 231m E 86° Backstone Beck 07* Rock Art (SE1283646147)
 258m ENE 61° Backstone Beck 05a Rock Art (SE1283246254)
 273m SE 124° Green Crag 01* Rock Art (SE1283145976)
 284m WNW 291° Cranshaw Thorn Hill 06* Rock Art (SE1233846230)
 328m SE 128° Green Crag 02* Rock Art (SE1286645931)
 331m WNW 304° Cranshaw Thorn Hill 05* Rock Art (SE1232846312)
 336m NW 311° Cranshaw Thorn Hill 07 Rock Art (SE1235046350)
 373m ESE 119° Green Crag 05 Rock Art (SE1293245949)
 376m ESE 118° Green Crag 07* Rock Art (SE1293845954)
 390m SE 124° Green Crag 04* Rock Art (SE1293045913)
 393m ESE 114° Green Crag 08* Rock Art (SE1296445968)
 394m SE 124° Green Crag 06* Rock Art (SE1293145908)
 400m WNW 304° Cranshaw Thorn Hill Rock Art (SE12274635)
 415m WNW 299° Cranshaw Thorn Hill 02 Rock Art (SE1224046330)
 417m SE 128° Green Crag 03* Rock Art (SE1293745876)
 418m ESE 110° Green Crag 10* Rock Art (SE1299945986)
 419m NW 304° Cranshaw Thorn Hill 04* Rock Art (SE1225646364)
View more nearby sites and additional images

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"Backstone Circle" | Login/Create an Account | 6 News and Comments
  
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Re: Backstone by Rich32 on Monday, 17 October 2016
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Backstone Beck Stone Circle
by rockrich
on Sketchfab


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Re: Backstone by Anonymous on Monday, 09 February 2009
i loved ths website absolutley loved it
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Re: Backstone by Anonymous on Tuesday, 13 January 2009
Was here at weekend and I love it. It does not have the feeling of an ancient site and I have my doubts. Some of the larger stones seem to have been worked with metal tools (possibly later in history) and i can't really understand the layout of it. There are reports of stones being moved around the moor in medieval times (see above) and it seems to fit together. Well worth a visit and see if you can find the green man like carving in a nook on the nearby stream.

The 12 Apostles felt very forlorn . . .

Rock on
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Re: Backstone by simonb on Sunday, 09 January 2005
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I've visited this on a number of occasions and, also, can't make up my mind as to its provenance. My guess is that there is some prehistoric remnant, much messed with. However, I have had two spooky experiences there (and I'm not usually susceptible!). So the folk who dowsed and/or saw lines of light may have tapped into something. The isosceles arangement with the 12 Apostles and Grubstones is fascinating. Project a line from 12 Apostles to bisect the hypoteneuse and see where it leads! Very interesting - lots of sun connections.
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Re: Backstone by andy_h on Wednesday, 05 November 2003
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This is a very peculiar site. I'd walked past it a few times before and thought, "gate posts". As previously described, a partially ruined circle enclosed in drystone walling (possibly a Victorian sheep fold). I really can't decide if this site is genuinely prehistoric or not.

The long sedge grass and walling makes the site quite difficult to evaluate but from what I could find it seems like there could be a double circle with a central standing stone. However, just when you think you've worked it out, you find something that bucks the plan!

The inner circle stones are quite low and in some instances, very square cut. Giving the impression of having been quarried and dressed rather than composed of land-strewn boulders. There is little evidence of weathering on the stones as at the nearby Twelve Apostles circle.

The three larger stones at the back (north west) of the circle are set in a triangle. Two of the stones could possibly form a section of an outer circle, but the third stone appears to be supported by stones similar to those in the drystone walling. One other stone wasn't even set in the earth, but sat on it's broad base. The tallest stone appears that have what looks like a figure 8 set on it's side carved near the top of the stone. This doesn't appear to have been pecked with stone tools and shows little sign of weathering.

On the southern side of the walling is what could possibly be a ditch and bank, or could equally (or more likely) be a watercourse. This does not surround the site and if the circles were completed to their full circumference, they would cut across the feature.

On the plus side, it commands a wide view over the settlement areas of Backstone Beck and Green Crag. The pointed Idol Rock is clearly visible to the eastern horizon on what could possibly be a Samhien alignment and there would have been good views of sunrises throughout the year, over the cairnfields to the east. Paul Bennett also mentions a fallen monolith to the south at Gill Head (which I didn't manage to find). He also points out that the Backstone Beck site forms the north western corner of a perfect isosceles triangle with the Twelve Apostles and the Grubstones, with the Lanshaw Lass boundary stone set in the centre of the longest side.

On the question of the Backstone Circle being genuinely prehistoric or not, my inclination is to suspect it as a Victorian Folly. First references to a 'lost circle beyond White Wells' come from around this period. However, it is possible that it was constructed on the site of an older monument. Also, medieval masons are known to have erected and moved standing stones around the moor over more recent centuries (William Hawksworth of the 14th C in particular) and used the Grubstones and Twelve Apostles for their moots.

I wouldn't say that I'd rule out the possibility of this being a genuine prehistoric site, but my gut feeling is that what is to be seen there today isn't entirely prehistoric in origin. The only way to be sure of it's origins and history is for a full excavation at the site. In the meantime, it's still a very pleasant spot to visit, so go and make your own mind up.
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    Re: Backstone by DavidRaven on Wednesday, 05 November 2003
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    As can be seen from the lush vegetation in the pictures, parts of this site are very damp. This is due to an underground stream running close under the earth.
    Geological fault lines surround the circle on three sides. Compass and temperature readings can exhibit wild fluctuations! Apparently, tests in the late eighties recorded a difference in temperature between stones inside and outside the circle at certain times of ten degrees Fahrenheit!

    I visited again in late June (2003)and noticed a 6-foot long stone, laid on it's side in the bottom of the tiny quarry behind the circle. Probabley nothing, though a flight of fancy had me thinking of 'recumbent menhirs'!
    Traces of green candle-wax graced the stone, indicating pretty recent activity!
    We also thought we could hear water and have since found that a well lies there, only usually apparent after heavy rains.
    [ Reply to This ]

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