St Ovins Well, Lastingham

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Legend has it that Ovin give up a position in the household of Queen Ethelrid to join the monastery at Lastingham in the 7th century and arrived carrying an axe and hatchet.
St Ovin's Well, Lastingham
The current well surround is thought to be 18th Century, although the original well much older. Sadly all that remains is a stone recess with no trough or spout.

Blakey Guidestone

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This guidestone is by far the most spectacular of the sequence across Blakey Ridge. It is said to date from around 1720 and carries the following inscriptions with carved hands on three sides.
Blakey Guidestone
“Road : to : Kirby : moor : side” (Kirkbymoorside) “R+B” “R+E” “IW”
Blakey Guidestone
“Road to : Pickerin : or : Malton” (Pickering)
Blakey Guidestone
“Road : to : Gisbrough” (Guisborough)

Catter Stone, Blakey Ridge

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Another in the collection of boundary stones on Blakey Ridge, this time Grade II listed but dropped from the current OS map.
Catter Stone
The larger stone again carries an 18th Century “TD” for Thomas Duncombe and an Ordnance Survey benchmark.
Catter Stone
The smaller stone has a number of rough inscriptions for which I have no explanation “JRH” “RM” and “EML” theres also an upside down “T” on the side.

Saddle Stone, Blakey Ridge

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My journey south across the moor continues with the next boundary stone, the ‘Saddle Stone’ presumably named due to its shape.
Saddle Stone
The top of the stone carries the usual 18th Century “TD” for Thomas Duncombe.
Saddle Stone
The side of the stone carries a much newer inscription that ‘Margaret Loves John’
Saddle Stone
Again this stone is marked on all editions of the OS map, but isn’t a listed structure like many of the unmarked ones that are.

Blakey Ridge Water Trough

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The trough which is fed by a nearby spring has featured on all OS maps since the first edition in the 1850s, although it now seems to have been dropped from the most modern mapping.
Trough

Trough

It looks to have been relatively recently cleared of vegetation and repaired, but I can find no information on it.

Rudland Rook (missing in action)

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Rudland Rook (or maybe Rudland Rock) on the beautifully named Rotten Hill is one of the few boundary stones named on the OS map. Having got to the location theres no stone to be seen just a cairn (unless the stone is buried under the cairn)

Rudland Rook

A web search for Rudland Rook/Rock turns up very little, so if anyone know anything about it or why its marked on maps I would love to know.

Young Ralph Cross

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‘Young Ralph’ is much better known than his older brother, being on the logo of the North York Moors National Park.
Young Ralphs Cross
A cross at this location may date back as far as the 11th century, but the current cross is thought to be from the 18th century.
Young Ralphs Cross
The cross is currently in three pieces after being damaged in the1960s (see photo) and 1980s. It actually seems to have been extended compared to this old postcard, and the “R” seems to be no longer there.

ralphs-cross

The common tale told is that of a farmer called Ralph erected the cross after finding the body of a traveller here, the hollow carved in the top of the cross being left to hold coins for anyone in need of help. My grandfather would always stop here and lift me up to put coins in the top.