A explore I did many weeks ago at Rowtor Rocks. This location has a truly magical and ancient feel to it.
Rowtor Rocks is situated at the back of The old Druid Inn only metres away from the Nine Ladies stone circle and Doll Tor stone circle and has links to Arbor low in Derbyshire, UK.
Rev. Dr. William Stukeley linked all the sites suggesting that these all was in fact all Druid sites but some argue against that statement saying that most stone-circles were erected two to three thousand years before the Druids ever existed!
Rowtor Rocks was explained to Victorian sightseers as a ancient druid stronghold but the only historical record to druids and this site was The Old Druid Inn, a pub, which was a meeting point for the Ancient Order of Druids, a friendly society that was founded in 1781, so the true meaning for the site does lay a mystery!
The likelihood it did belong to the druids is very high because of the similarities between this site and other druid sites.
Some believe Thomas Eyre, who lived at Rowtor Hall, is the man who is reputed to have been the person to have carved a number of alcoves, rooms, caves and benches throughout the site as he owned parts of it during this time.
Throughout the site is also prehistoric rock art, five ancient carvings have been discovered and the best preserved is to be found on the boulder just below the infamous ‘armchairs’ here (as pictured above). I find it fascinating that the armchairs are facing a absolutely beautiful view which would make a perfect setting for sunrises and sunsets.
Some of the carvings can be best described as some kind of strange creature such as a dragon or crocodile and even a wing like creature, which is unique to this area. Around the outside of the outer circle are a series of touching curves, which resemble the petals of a flower.
Rowtor Rocks was also home to a rocking stone, a stone which weighed around 50 tons and could be moved by hand, unfortunately it is said that in 1799, a group of kids pushed the boulder off its pivot and the rock was replaced but the original balance could not restored.
Hauntings
A worker at the Druids Inn informed us they watched a elderly lady drift through the older part of the building before vanishing into a wall.
Of course with any sight like this there is a sighting of a hooded monk like figure that seems to haunt the rocks.