So Paul’s friend Alex came to stay for a few days to dig up tree stumps. While carrying out this lovely job he discovered the top of a smooth rock sticking out of the ground. Dig it up says Paul.
Well…over an hour later the rock is unearthed by Alex. Now Alex is a 6 foot 7 inch rugby forward and ex lifeguard from South Shields who incidentally holds the world record for running up the down escalator on the Tyne Tunnel! He won’t mind me saying that he may be slightly past his prime but he is still one of the strongest people you or I have ever met. What I’m trying to say is this was a big rock, also brown and smooth and very out of character in our chalky garden.
Paul posted some photos on Facebook to see if he could discover what brought the rock to Dale Farm (Hunmanby has many prehistoric associations including our very own wooden Henge at the bottom of Bartindale Road as well as the magnificent monolith in Rudstone church yard.)
Some thought it was a meteorite, favourite was a dinosaur egg. Finally our good friend, geologist and oil man Dr Mark Trout assured us that this was an ironstone nodule. They usually form around things and there is probably a fossil inside…thinking about asking Alex to crack it open next time he is over.
In the meantime check out Dale Farm’s very own monolithic sculpture…
