Ancient builders hauled 25-tonne stones at least 18 kilometers (11 miles) across North Yorkshire to create Britain’s tallest surviving prehistoric stone row, new research shows. The study, led by Curtin University with the University of York, traced the Devil’s Arrows near Boroughbridge to Brimham Rocks, a rugged site previously not considered their source.
Seven-meter-high (23) stones rise in a lowland landscape. Scientists were long unable to say where these stones came from. That has changed now.
The Journey from Brimham Rocks
Dr. Anthony Clarke, who leads the study and works at the Timescales of Mineral Systems Group within Curtin’s School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, said the discovery changes what scientists previously thought.
“Our research shows these stones weren’t simply taken from the nearest available source — they were deliberately chosen from a challenging landscape 18 kilometers away,” Dr. Clarke said.
The presumption was that Plumpton Rocks, near the Devil’s Arrows, was the origin. That assumption now appears mistaken, based on fresh evidence.
“Each stone weighs more than 25 tonnes, so moving them would have required incredible planning, coordination and engineering skill,” Clarke said.
The movement probably took place during the Late Neolithic or Early Bronze Age, roughly around 2000 BC.
Why the Distance Mattered
The construction team did not opt for a simple solution, and that decision carries significance.
“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,” Clarke said.
Co-author Dr. Jim Leary from the University of York agreed.
“These results show that ancient communities were making deliberate and meaningful choices about where their stones came from,” Dr. Leary said.
“It highlights the importance of landscape and shared belief systems, as well as the remarkable effort involved in transporting and raising stones of this size.”
“Our research shows these stones weren’t simply taken from the nearest available source — they were deliberately chosen from a challenging landscape 18 kilometers away.”
Brimham Rocks sits within a landscape that likely held cultural, symbolic or spiritual significance.
Tracing the Stones’ Origin
A low-impact approach was employed by researchers, who gathered tiny mineral grains from the stones using adhesive tape, leaving the monument undamaged.
Researchers studied the age “fingerprints” of the grains and compared them with geological samples from potential sources. That comparison pointed to Brimham Rocks.
Natural causes were dismissed by the evidence, which rejected glacial action among other explanations. The conclusion is that people transported the stones deliberately.
| Site | Distance from Devil’s Arrows | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Brimham Rocks | 18 kilometers (11 miles) | Confirmed origin |
| Plumpton Rocks | Closer | Previously assumed, now ruled out |
Planned Excavations
The team intends to apply the non-invasive method to other standing stones whose origins remain unclear. Clarke mentioned that they also hope to carry out excavations at the Devil’s Arrows and the newly identified source area.
“These next steps could help us better understand when the stones were moved and how these extraordinary monuments were constructed,” Clarke said.
The General Manager for Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal and Brimham Rocks welcomed the connection between the two distinct Yorkshire landscapes, which he described as a natural fit. Justin Scully made the remarks as part of his role at the National Trust.
“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,” Scully said.
Local Reaction
“The Devil’s Arrows are deeply cherished by local communities, and we’re delighted that this discovery adds a new chapter to their story,” Scully said.
The results make clear that Brimham Rocks and the Devil’s Arrows share a direct link. They also prove that ancient construction relied on more than just physical strength.
The Published Study
The study is published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society A with the title “Deliberate Prehistoric Sourcing of the Devil’s Arrows, Britain’s Tallest Stone Row.”.
The authors of the work are Anthony Clarke, Jim Leary and Chris Kirkland. Its DOI is 10.1098/rspa.2026.0504.
What remains is proof of purpose, not merely toil.
Source: sciencedaily.com
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