Essex erratic boulders: a gazetteer
belief that this practice was to demonstrate the superiority of the Christian structure over the Pagan
stones.
Archaeological excavation in Essex has occasionally revealed erratic boulders that have been put
to practical use in the distant past such as the sarsen stones that were found to be incorporated in
Ihe construction ofa Roman villa al Hill Farm, Gestingthorpe (Draper 1985). However, the oldest
example of this was the discovery in 2000 by archaeologists ofa sarsen stone in a pit which was
part of a complex of Bronze Age dwellings on land at Stansted Airport (Anon 2001). This is the
first Pre-Roman evidence in Essex that early settlers, some 3.500 years ago, were aware of and
used these boulders, although for what purpose has yet to be established. This particular stone has
now been placed on the grass adjacent to the crossroads at Takeley.
Folklore and Superstitions
Much lias also been written about the folklore and superstitions attached to erratic boulders (e.g.
Morgan 1982). some of which are still commonplace today. Although there is no scientific credibility
for such claims, what our ancestors made of these stones adds an important and interesting historical
dimension to the study of erratics and often provides an explanation for their present positions.
The enthusiasm and efforts of some these authors has led to a large number of previously unrecorded
stones being discovered (e.g. Johnson 1996).
Some of the most common superstitions are attached to puddingstone. An illustration of this is the
fate of the 2.8m x 2.2m "flat table" of puddingstone across the bed of the Cripsey Brook near
Magdalen Laver that was recorded by Salter in 1914 and referred to by him as "the largest in
Essex". Sadly it was, according to a local farmer, broken up many years ago because of fears that
it was a 'growing stone' and it would eventually block the stream and flood the fields (GR. Ward,
personal communication). An even stranger superstition was the belief that Puddingstones 'breed'
creating new stones (Taylor 1895).
Conservation of Essex boulders
Most of the boulders referred to in Salter's 1914 paper cannot now be found because the location
is vague or because many were quite small and easily lost. Unfortunately most of the larger examples
have also disappeared in the intervening years, due largely to road re-alignment and housing
development. It is clear that unless their location is recorded and publicised the most important
remaining boulders could also suffer the same fate.
The Regionally Important Geological Sites initiative (RIGS) is a mechanism forprotecting prominent
and locally important erratic boulders. In Essex, sites are identified by the Essex RIGS Group and
formally notified to the local planning authority. Although this provides no statutory protection,
RIGS are recognised in the planning system and therefore should any potentially damaging operations
be proposed (e.g. road widening) the importance of the site will be highlighted. The Essex RIGS
Group has so far notified one group of boulders as a RIGS (the Gibson Boulders in Saffron Walden)
and identified several more as potential RIGS.
In the Essex Naturalist in 1888 a suggestion was made that if members of the Essex Field Club
discover a new erratic boulder, a fragment of the stone be taken for the purpose of identification
(Cole 1888). In the interests of conservation Illis practice is not now recommended and under no
circumstances should an ancient boulder be hammered.
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Essex Naturalist (New Series) 20 (2003)