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Hyde Park monolith??

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Rhiannon R
Rhiannon Aug 29, 2006 19:33:09

Whilst perusing 'Notes and Queries' I found several references to a monolith in Hyde Park. It was apparently erected there in 1862, having been brought from Moorswater, near Liskeard in Cornwall. It was originally set up as a water fountain, but in 1887 the water was cut off.

More to the point, someone in 1901 swore they could see cup-marks near the top of the stone. In 1931 it was described as 'just east of the serpentine, in the enclosure for rabbits and birds'.

Is there a tiny tiny chance it's still there and can be gawped at? After all you don't go putting monoliths out with the recycling. Or is patently unprehistoric? Someone now or once residing in London must know.

It's got a suitable bit of folkloric-themed information with it though - a man called William Sandy was killed in an accident during its extraction. The sort of Bad Thing that might happen were you to move a Genuine standing stone.

D dee
dee Aug 30, 2006 12:08:48
Replying to Rhiannon

Its called the Dell monolith and is situated in an area called ....the Dell in Hyde park...I saw it about six years ago and it is a very dark stone, unfortunately, it is fenced off so you cant get anywhere near it.

F FourWinds
FourWinds Aug 30, 2006 12:38:49
Replying to Rhiannon

Sadly not shown on the OS ...

http://uk.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=public&X=527500&Y=180000&width=500&height=300&gride=&gridn=&srec=0&coordsys=gb&db=&addr1=&addr2=&addr3=&pc=&advanced=&local=&localinfosel=&kw=&inmap=&table=&ovtype=&keepicon=&zm=1&scale=25000

B baza
baza Aug 30, 2006 16:48:57
Replying to Rhiannon

"The Dell Megalith can be found in the garden area below the Serpentine. The granite boulder is all that remains of the 1861 drinking fountain that was constructed around several large Cornish stones. It is not clear whether the stones were quarried or raided from a genuine prehistoric monument. The fountain was abolished in 1897 and by 1900 only the one stone seen now remained."

From page 18 of this large pdf document:

www.hpea.org.uk/hpt/hpt8.pdf

M Mr Hamhead
Mr Hamhead Sep 1, 2006 08:28:12
Replying to Rhiannon

Can't write too much at the mo..off to work. But very interested in this as Moorswater is on my patch and Granite from there is another fave. Will look through my notes later..all I can think of is the monolith from Cheesewring Quarry taken to the Grt Exhibition in 1851. It now stands in a field outside Stroud. The granite yard at Moorswater was run by the same firm that quarried at Cheesewring...so chances are that is where the stone is from

more later....

Mr H

P paul1970
paul1970 Sep 1, 2006 20:45:13
Replying to Rhiannon

Rhiannon wrote:
Whilst perusing 'Notes and Queries' I found several references to a monolith in Hyde Park. It was apparently erected there in 1862, having been brought from Moorswater, near Liskeard in Cornwall. It was originally set up as a water fountain, but in 1887 the water was cut off.

More to the point, someone in 1901 swore they could see cup-marks near the top of the stone. In 1931 it was described as 'just east of the serpentine, in the enclosure for rabbits and birds'.

Is there a tiny tiny chance it's still there and can be gawped at? After all you don't go putting monoliths out with the recycling. Or is patently unprehistoric? Someone now or once residing in London must know.

It's got a suitable bit of folkloric-themed information with it though - a man called William Sandy was killed in an accident during its extraction. The sort of Bad Thing that might happen were you to move a Genuine standing stone.

M Mr Hamhead
Mr Hamhead Sep 11, 2006 22:49:28
Replying to Rhiannon

Have we an update on this? anyone got there yet?

Mr H

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