Roecliffe Lane, Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire, YO51 9LW
Devil’s Arrows
Prehistoric
Source image
5.0
Wildland
Under 1 hour
Time
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Cost
Atmospheric
Feel
Why it's Wildland
5.0Three towering prehistoric stones stand in the low-lying farmland outside Boroughbridge. Their purpose is unknown; their weather-worn grooves and the story of a missing fourth stone offer clues to a much larger, still partly mysterious monument.
The Devil’s Arrows earn their place through a rare combination of scale, open agricultural setting and unresolved prehistoric story. The stones are a brief visit rather than a day-long destination, but their height, unusual weathering and the traces of a possible lost fourth monolith reward a closer look.
Atmospheric · Ancient-feeling
Find your way
Open mapRoecliffe Lane, Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire, YO51 9LW
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Know this place a little better?
The experience
A short, history-led stop to view three exceptionally tall standing stones in their landscape. Keep to confirmed public access, compare their different forms and look for the weathered grooves. The exact purpose and original arrangement remain uncertain.
Things to do
Look for the weathered grooves
The sources describe deep grooves at the tops of the stones as natural weathering. Their arrow-like appearance is the detail behind the monument’s name.
Consider the lost-stone puzzle
Historical accounts cited by the source describe a fourth stone that may have fallen and been reused. Treat the proposed original arrangement as uncertain rather than settled fact.
Make a day of it
Quick escape · Under 1 hour
Quick stone stop
- 01
Approach from a confirmed public viewpoint beside Roecliffe Lane; do not enter fields unless access is clearly permitted.
- 02
Take in the stones’ scale and their setting in low-lying farmland.
- 03
Look for the weathered grooves near the tops and compare the stones’ different heights.
Half day · Allow extra time to read the available interpretation and view the stones from confirmed public access
Add the prehistoric story
- 01
Start with the stones visible from Roecliffe Lane.
- 02
Use the information board if it is present and accessible on the day.
- 03
Consider the reported possibility of a lost fourth stone and the still-uncertain purpose of the alignment.
- 04
Do not follow routes across farmland unless current signs or the landowner confirm access.
Folklore & legend
Local legend says the Devil hurled the stones towards Aldborough from How Hill and missed. Another reported tale claims that circling the stones twelve times anti-clockwise would summon him. These are folklore, not verified history; do not attempt to reach stones by crossing fields.
Hidden details
Grooves shaped by weather — The deep channels near the tops can look deliberately carved, but the supplied heritage account attributes them to natural weathering.
When to go
· Daylight; no specific time-of-day advantage is established by the supplied evidence.
The supplied sources describe the stones and their setting but do not establish a seasonal wildlife, landscape or access advantage.
Check conditions and current access information before travelling. No site-specific weather guidance is supplied.
What to look for
- 01
Compare the stones’ heights and shapes
- 02
inspect the deep, naturally weathered grooves near their tops. Sources describe a possible fourth stone and an alignment that may once have extended further, but the original arrangement is not certain.
The story
Prehistoric archaeology; local legend
Best time to go
Any season; choose clear daylight to see the stones and their weathering. The supplied evidence does not establish a particular seasonal peak.
Visit in good daylight for the clearest view of the stones and their surface details. No evidence establishes a best month or time of day.
How long to spend
Under 1 hour
Perfect for
History lovers · Photographers
Before you go
Address
Listed hours
- Monday: Open 24 hours
- Tuesday: Open 24 hours
- Wednesday: Open 24 hours
- Thursday: Open 24 hours
- Friday: Open 24 hours
- Saturday: Open 24 hours
- Sunday: Open 24 hours
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Google rating
Practical information
Opening & access
The stones are beside Roecliffe Lane and can be viewed from public vantage points, but access to field stones is not fully clear. Do not enter fields or cross crops unless access is confirmed; check current local signage before visiting. The supplied sources differ on parking, so check before setting out. Access arrangements are unconfirmed. Check before visiting; do not enter private land or restricted structures.
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Parking
Parking information is inconsistent in the supplied sources. Check before visiting; do not assume roadside parking is available or permitted.
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Toilets
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Food & drink
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Dogs
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Accessibility
The source row reports no wheelchair-accessible entrance. Ground conditions and access to the field stones are not verified; check before visiting.
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Cost
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Gallery
Place photographsKeep exploring
Around Devil’s Arrows
Within 50 km · approximate straight-line distances
