The mysterious Culbone Stone

Last Saturday the owners of an area of wild woodland high on Exmoor opened up part of their land so that people could visit the Culbone Stone, a mysterious remnant of the moor’s ancient past. 

The Culbone Stone with its inscription

Once the Culbone Stone may have formed part of an ancient line of standing stones dating from about 3,000 years ago; some of these are still in place in the surrounding woods. 

A cross within a wheel or circle has been cut into the stone. Who carved it, and when? 
 
Although a ‘wheeled cross’ is a well-known Christian symbol, crosses within circles have been used as symbols since well before Jesus’ time. 
 
Also, one arm of the cross, which extends outside the wheel, seems to have been added after the rest of the carving (possibly as a parish boundary marker). So, who knows…?

Twisty trees in the woods surrounding the Culbone Stone

Gnarled and twisted trees, dense undergrowth and winding paths lend an atmosphere of mystery to the woods themselves. 

The land was once owned by Ada Lovelace (check her out on Wikipedia) and her husband.   

Some of the trees that they planted there as part of a grand vision for the estate did not do well in our moorland climate, but they linger on, like ghosts, adding to the slight spookiness of the place.