Longstone of Minchinhampton
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| Longstone of Minchinhampton | |
|---|---|
| Location | Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire, England |
| Coordinates | 51°41′50″N 2°10′07″W / 51.69727°N 2.16851°W |
| Architectural style(s) | British pre-Roman Architecture |
The Longstone of Minchinhampton (grid reference ST884998) is a standing stone on Minchinhampton Common, Minchinhampton in Gloucestershire, England. The stone is clearly visible in a field accessible via the southeast road out of the village.[1] The stone is 7.5 feet (2.3 m) high, made of limestone and has natural holes in it. Tradition suggests that passing infants through one of the holes will cure them of illnesses such as measles or whooping cough.
The Longstone is a large piece of oolitic limestone[2][3] standing upright in a field, known as Longstone Field, 1 mile (1.6 km) east of the Minchinhampton village.[4] It is 7.5 feet (2.3 m) high and 6 feet (1.8 m) wide, with natural holes through its 15 inches (380 mm) width. Nearby, 12 yards (11 m) to the south west, there is a fallen standing stone which has been built into a dry stone wall,[5] and may have once formed a stone pair with the Longstone.[3] The area has numerous barrows and near the Longstone ornaments, flint and arrowheads have all been found.[4]