Description and History of Site:-
Among the vast expanse of heather moorland, bedded on Howgate Edge Grit strata, are two low linear ridges, 550-560m AOD - High and Low Millstones with Millstones End at the east end where both converge. Gritstone is exposed along the top edge of HM and on ME and on the steep slopes below.

Four abandoned millstone roughouts were logged, two of them early-stage, one nearly complete and propped at an oblique angle but cracked, and one ready to send off the moor, also propped on stones.

Diameters 1.2m (one) and 1.7m (three); thicknesses 200-280mm.

Between the ridges and the nearest hard ground to the south there is an expanse of peat bog with deeply-incised haggs - how the roughouts were transported across this area is a baffling mystery, given that the complete millstone has a weight of over 600kg. Nothing is known but the large size of the roughouts suggests earlier rather than later.

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Key Words :- millstone production sites

Viewing the Site :- Open Access land

Address :- Hardraw, Hawes, North Yorkshire
Grid Ref :- SD 8738 9361
Co-ordinates :- Lat 54.337889 , Long -2.195600
Local Authority :- Richmondshire District Council
Pre 1974 County :- Yorkshire - North Riding
Site Status :- Site extant - Protected status unknown
Site Condition :- Earthworks only
Site Dates :- unknown - unknown
Record Date :- 14 December 2022

Copyright :- cc-by-nc-sa 4.0 © David Johnson