Devil's Arrows: Prehistoric Monoliths Transported 11 Miles from Brimham Rocks

Researchers have pinpointed the origin of the Devil's Arrows, Britain's tallest surviving prehistoric stone row, discovering the monoliths were transported 11 miles (18km) from Brimham Rocks. The findings, produced by a collaboration between the University of York and Curtin University, overturn decades of speculation regarding the stones' provenance.

Using isotopic 'fingerprinting' of zircon and apatite minerals, the team matched the megaliths to the Pennine Basin Millstone Grit found at Brimham Rocks. This analysis explicitly rules out Plumpton Rocks—previously considered the most likely source due to its proximity—and dismisses the theory that the stones were glacial erratics left behind by retreating ice sheets. Each of the megaliths weighs approximately 25 tonnes. The study further confirmed that the medieval Battle Cross in Aldborough was carved from one of the original missing stones from the row.

A Sacred Landscape

The Devil's Arrows stand near Boroughbridge in North Yorkshire on a foundation of Triassic Sherwood Sandstone. Because the stones themselves are composed of Millstone Grit, it was always clear they had been moved to the site, but the exact distance remained a mystery. The site is situated within a larger sacred landscape that contains the densest cluster of late-Neolithic henges in Britain, suggesting the area was a focal point for prehistoric ritual and community activity.

The Significance of Effort

The discovery that Neolithic builders deliberately bypassed closer stone sources to quarry material from a more distant location suggests the origin of the stone held deep spiritual or symbolic meaning. This pattern mirrors other world-renowned megalithic sites, such as Newgrange and Stonehenge, where the immense physical effort required for transport was likely an integral part of the monument's purpose.

"We have now proved that Neolithic communities moved several 25-tonne stones 18km across Yorkshire, transforming a familiar site into an epic quest to create a sacred landscape," said Dr. Jim Leary of the University of York. Dr. Anthony Clarke of Curtin University added that mapping the unique mineral age profiles allowed the team to prove the stones were quarried at Brimham Rocks, rather than being local glacial deposits.

Future Implications

With the geological origin now settled, researchers can focus on the broader cultural motivations of the builders. The confirmation of the Battle Cross as a recycled megalith also provides a concrete link between the prehistoric site and later medieval repurposing of the landscape. Future studies may look to determine if other nearby monuments share the same distant source, further mapping the movement of materials across the prehistoric North.