Scientists have identified the source of the huge stones that make up the Devil's Arrows, an ancient monument near Boroughbridge in North Yorkshire, ending a mystery that has puzzled experts for centuries.
New analysis by researchers from the University of York and Curtin University in Australia found that the three stones, each weighing around 25 tonnes, were collected and transported from Brimham Rocks, about 11 miles (18km) away.
Dr Jim Leary, from the University of York, said: 'Sites in southern England and Scotland receive considerable attention, but monuments like the Devil's Arrows have remained comparatively understudied despite their significance.'
He added: '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.'
An ancient monument taller than parts of Stonehenge
The Devil's Arrows are positioned across 174 metres on the western outskirts of Boroughbridge and date back to roughly 2500 to 2000 BC, making them some of the oldest stone structures in Britain.
Although they are slightly younger than Stonehenge, the prehistoric monument in Wiltshire that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site believed to have been built in stages between about 3000 and 1500 BC, the Devil's Arrows are actually taller, standing at almost 23ft (seven metres).
The stones sit on Triassic Sherwood Sandstone but are themselves made of Pennine Basin Millstone Grit, a mismatch that has long puzzled geologists and archaeologists trying to work out how they reached their location. Some experts have argued the stones were hauled there by prehistoric people, while others believed they were carried by ice-age glaciers.
To settle the debate, researchers analysed the minerals within the stones.
How scientists traced the stones to Brimham Rocks
Dr Anthony Clarke, a geochemist at Curtin University in Australia, said: 'Our research shows these stones weren't simply taken from the nearest available source, they were deliberately chosen from a challenging landscape 18 kilometres away.'
He said Plumpton Rocks, which is closer to the Devil's Arrows, had previously been identified as the probable source of the stones.
'Our findings instead point to Brimham Rocks, showing that prehistoric builders transported these enormous stones significantly further than thought,' Dr Clarke said.
'Each stone weighs more than 25 tonnes, so moving them would have required incredible planning, coordination and engineering skill,' he said. 'This tells us prehistoric people placed real importance on the landscape itself. It wasn't just about convenience, the location the stones came from likely held meaning for them.'
The mystery of the missing stones
While three stones remain standing at the site today, historical accounts suggest the Devil's Arrows once held at least five stones.
In the mid-16th century, the Tudor antiquarian John Leland recorded a fourth standing stone, but decades later it was said to be missing. In 1687, it was recorded that locals had broken up a fallen stone, using part of it to build Peg Bridge over the River Tutt and taking the top segment to Aldborough manor.
Then, in the 19th century, the antiquarian J.R. Walbran proposed that another fallen monolith had been recycled into the Battle Cross, an 18ft (5.5 metre) monument crafted in the 15th century to commemorate the 1322 Battle of Boroughbridge.
The new study confirmed Walbran's theory. Mineral fingerprinting proved that the medieval cross, which still stands in Aldborough today, is a carved segment of a long-lost Devil's Arrow.
Legend of the Devil and the stone arrows
Justin Scully, general manager for Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal and Brimham Rocks, said: 'The Devil's Arrows have inspired stories and sparked curiosity for generations.'
'Local legend tells of the Devil standing on How Hill and hurling giant stone arrows towards Boroughbridge, only for them to fall short and land where they stand today,' he said. 'While the folklore remains a much-loved part of their story, it's wonderful to discover that the real journey of these stones is every bit as extraordinary.'
'This fascinating research reveals a direct link between Brimham Rocks and the Devil's Arrows, connecting two remarkable Yorkshire landscapes in our care,' Scully said. 'We're incredibly grateful to the researchers for helping us uncover this new chapter in the stones' story and deepen our understanding of the people who shaped this landscape thousands of years ago.'
