Hawk Stone
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 | |
  Shown within Oxfordshire | |
| Location | Dean, Oxfordshire |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 51°54′32″N 1°30′31″W / 51.90901°N 1.50861°W |
| Type | Standing stone |
| History | |
| Periods | Neolithic |
The Hawk Stone is a Neolithic standing stone just north of the hamlet of Dean, Oxfordshire, England.
The name either derives from its shape, being like a hawk, or is a corruption of the word 'hoar' meaning 'old'.[1]
Description
The Hawk Stone stands on Spelsbury Down, 900 metres west of Spelsburydown Farm.[2] The stone stands to a height of 2.6 metres, and it has a width of approximately 1 metre by 0.9 metres at its base and tapers to 0.9 metres at the apex.[2] It is made from oolitic limestone.[2]
It has been argued that the stone was once part of a larger burial chamber, although there is little evidence to support this.[2] A concave hollow in its upper face is known to have been worn over time by people rubbing the stone for luck, although it may originally have been natural in origin.[2]