Unraveling The Ancient Mystery Of Stapleford’s Hemlock Stone – Can Latest Scans Solve The Enigma?

MessageToEagle | November 5, 2015 | Ancient Mysteries, Artifacts | No Comments

MessageToEagle.com – Located near the summit of Stapleford Hill, Nottingham, UK, the Hemlock stone has been standing in peace for the last 200 million years. Due to its odd appearance and artificial look many have wondered whether the stone is a natural formation or man-made. But if it’s man-made then who created it and for what reason?

The stone and the hills are made up of red sandstone which was deposited in the early Triassic period.

From a scientific point of view, the stone’s unusual appearance is explained as erosion of the softer sandstone surrounding the pillar by water, ice and wind that in time shaped the strange form of the Hemlock Stone that we see today.

Many theories exist as to how the Hemlock Stone got its name but it is thought by many to have been the site of activity by the Druids, the priesthood of the Celts. Myths and legends concerning the Stone abound, many of which formed part of a specially commissioned play performed in the walled garden area in 2001. A huge bonfire was lit on top of the Stone, one of the official beacons the length and breadth of the country, to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in 2002.

According to a popular myth still circulating among the locals, the Hemlock Stone was thrown by the devil from Derbyshire towards Lenton Priory.

Scientists are now investigating if the stone is man-made or a natural formation. In order to determine its composition and origin, they are using latest scanning technology. Experts hope the drone scan will help perfect a 3D model for research.

The latest work at the ancient site is part of the Three Stones Project, which has been assisted by the University of Nottingham’s Geospatial Institute.

Lukasz Bonenberg, a senior experimental officer with the group, said there was much “doubt” about the nature of the Hemlock Stone.

He said he and his colleagues were trying to determine whether the 8.5m (28ft) high structure was made by human hands or was caused by water erosion.

However, to get a full picture of the monument’s geological make-up, extensive scaffolding would have been needed to laser scan it from above.

That is why a drone was used to capture the “full stone”, Mr Bonenberg said.

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Richard Gill, director of Ocuair, said his drone scan only took about 20 minutes to do and half a day to process.

He said: “For the laser scan they had to build the scaffolding, site the laser, complete the scan, collapse the site and then process the data.

“This will have taken days and will have needed numbers of people, so you can imagine the costs involved.”

It is believed The Hemlock Stone is linked to two other significant stones in Nottinghamshire, the Druid Stone at Blidworth and Bob’s Rock at Stapleford.

References:

Stapleford Nottinghamshire – The Hemlock Stone

BBC – Mysterious Hemlock Stone scanned by drone

Nottingham Post – Drone to fly over Stapleford’s Hemlock Stone as scientists scan ancient monument