Mr. Pegge, on the Rudston Pyramidal Stone [Rudston Monolith [Map]]. Read May 9, 1776.

Rudston, a village in the East-Riding of Yorklhire, on the Wolds, near Burlington, is thus noticed in bishop Gibson’s edition of Camden, col. 901. "More inward into the land, is Ruston, where, in the church-yard, is a kind of pyramidal stone of great height. Whether the name of the town may not have some relation to it, can be known only from the private history of the place; but if the stone bear any resemblance to a cross, rod in Saxon doth imply so much." This cross , as the bishop calls it, and I think not improperly, is a very curious monument; and, no doubt, of very remote antiquity. I am not aware that it has ever been engraved, and therefore I here present the Society with an accurate drawing of it, which I received A. 1769, from the friendly hand of Mr. Willan, whose account I shall take the liberty to subjoin. "This stone stands about four yards from the North East corner of Rudston church, which is situated on a high hill. Its depth under ground equal to its height above, as appeared from an experiment made by the late Sir William Strickland. All the four sides are a little convex, and the whole covered with moss. No tradition in this country of any authority, either concerning the time, manner, or occasion of its erection."

If, as it is there stated, the part under ground be equal to that above, it is a most prodigious stone, not less than sixteen yards long ; for the part above ground measures by the scale, above twenty-four feet. Mr. John Page, a master-builder, says the Hone is of a very durable sort, as hard as most marble [a]; that the breadth is five feet ten, and the thickness two feet three ; and esteeming it to be twenty-eight feet above ground, and as much below as above, he computes the whole weight to be, if equal to Portland stone, forty-fix tun ; but, if you suppose it to be as heavy as marble, 56 tun [b]. But it is to be observed, he makes the pyramid four feet too high above ground, and as much too long beneath, so that 2/7 should be deduced; and then it may be rated, in a gross way, at about forty tun, supposing the substance to be specifically as ponderous as marble, which perhaps may be doubted [c].

Note a. He rates Portland stone at sixteen cubical feet to the tun, and marble at twelve.

Note b. Mr. Drake, in his Eboracum. p. 26, 27. observes it is the same sort of stone with that near Borough-Bridge, coarse rag stone or millstone grit . If so, it is neither so hard, nor so heavy as marble.

Note c. See the laft note.

It is a difficult problem amongst antiquaries, to ascertain the true nature and intention of these pyramids in church-yards. They are commonly esteemed to be Danish erections, and, for my part, I have been always inclined to think them funeral monuments. There were, however, a considerable number of them in these midland parts of England [d], where the Danes were most powerful; as at Bakewell and Eyam, co. Derby, at Ilam, Leek, Checkley, Chebsey, and Draycot [e], co. Stafford. And one would almost wish to see them all measured and described, if not brought together into one plate, in order to try what can be made out from such an affemblage, by taking a comparative view of them.

Note d. I may add Brancastle in Cumberland. Camd. col. 1029. Plott, Nat. Hist. of Staff, p. 432. and this at Rudston. The devil’s arrows at Borough-Bridge [Map] I conceive to be of a different nature.

Note e. This last is mentioned on the authority of Dr. Plott, Hist. of Staff, p. 432. for when I was there ten or twelve years ago I could not find it.

To finish what I have to say on Rudstone; I make no doubt, but the village took its name from this monument, being otherwise written Rudstan , and Ruddestan [f], in the same sense. I interpret it the stone of Rud[g], Rud being a very common name; and do suppose, that before the erection of that stone, and consequently the interment of the great man, the place was called by some other name. Many places have changed their names, and there is no impropriety in supposing the church to be founded about the same time as the monument, and perhaps by the very person to whom the pyramid belongs. But this is all conjectural.

Note g. It means red both in Brit, and Sax. Rhûdd and Rude, peak, peob, peb [Saxon alphabet!]. the French, Rouge.