Hemlock Stone
Encyclopedia
The Hemlock Stone or Himlack Stone is a large rock situated in the town of Stapleford
, Nottinghamshire
, England
.
Some believe it was created by nature, some that it was made by man. If it was indeed made by man, it was most likely made by ancient civilizations, carving it, perhaps, either as a symbol of worship
or celebration
. Others suggest that the stone might merely be the remains of a stratum
that once built up the entire district, as the surrounding area retains evidence of a similar composition. They theorize that as the land around the stone wore away over the millennia, the Hemlock Stone was merely a harder piece of rock that has taken much longer to wear away. As it is supposed that the whole of the surrounding area was once subject to glaciation
, Hemlock Stone could have been the outcome of ice erosion. It cannot, however, be classified as a glacial erratic
because its rock types match those of its surroundings.
It has been said that some have argued that it is the work of the Devil
.
has worn away the stone to give it its irregular and peculiar shape. The upper part of the stone is black and weather-resistant due to it being heavily impregnated with barium sulfate
in the form of barytes.
The black part of the stone forms a protective cap over the lower part which has most likely prevented the stone from the worst of the weather. The lower part is made of softer sandstone
, which is responsible for the stone's present shape due to weathering
by water
, ice
and wind
.
s lit in celebration of the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II
. The crowds that were present to watch the bonfire have been re-gathered around the same time for each subsequent year since the Jubilee: this annual event is now called the "Hemlock Happening" (see below).
To protect the Stone from further vandalism, a metal fence has recently been built around the edge of the stone, with an information podium.
. An estimated 2,000 people showed up for the first Happening in 2002 to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II
.
The festival usually lasts from 1pm to 10:45pm with fireworks set off around the Stone at 10:30pm and showing the talents of local schools, groups and individuals. Recent scheduled Hemlock Happenings are as follows:
Stapleford, Nottinghamshire
-External links:***...
, Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
History
The Hemlock Stone is believed to have been deposited on Stapleford Hill, opposite Bramcote Hills, in the early Triassic Period, over 200 million years ago. Many theories surround how the stone came into being.Some believe it was created by nature, some that it was made by man. If it was indeed made by man, it was most likely made by ancient civilizations, carving it, perhaps, either as a symbol of worship
Worship
Worship is an act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity. The word is derived from the Old English worthscipe, meaning worthiness or worth-ship — to give, at its simplest, worth to something, for example, Christian worship.Evelyn Underhill defines worship thus: "The absolute...
or celebration
Celebration
Celebration may refer to:* Party, a social gathering or celebration* Festival, a community gathering to celebrate something in particular*The observance of a feast day or holiday*The celebration of the Eucharist*A Southeast Alaska Native cultural event...
. Others suggest that the stone might merely be the remains of a stratum
Stratum
In geology and related fields, a stratum is a layer of sedimentary rock or soil with internally consistent characteristics that distinguish it from other layers...
that once built up the entire district, as the surrounding area retains evidence of a similar composition. They theorize that as the land around the stone wore away over the millennia, the Hemlock Stone was merely a harder piece of rock that has taken much longer to wear away. As it is supposed that the whole of the surrounding area was once subject to glaciation
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
, Hemlock Stone could have been the outcome of ice erosion. It cannot, however, be classified as a glacial erratic
Glacial erratic
A glacial erratic is a piece of rock that differs from the size and type of rock native to the area in which it rests. "Erratics" take their name from the Latin word errare, and are carried by glacial ice, often over distances of hundreds of kilometres...
because its rock types match those of its surroundings.
It has been said that some have argued that it is the work of the Devil
Devil
The Devil is believed in many religions and cultures to be a powerful, supernatural entity that is the personification of evil and the enemy of God and humankind. The nature of the role varies greatly...
.
Structure
Some believe that the Hemlock Stone used to be regular in shape and that erosionErosion
Erosion is when materials are removed from the surface and changed into something else. It only works by hydraulic actions and transport of solids in the natural environment, and leads to the deposition of these materials elsewhere...
has worn away the stone to give it its irregular and peculiar shape. The upper part of the stone is black and weather-resistant due to it being heavily impregnated with barium sulfate
Barium sulfate
Barium sulfate is the inorganic compound with the chemical formula BaSO4. It is a white crystalline solid that is odorless and insoluble in water. It occurs as the mineral barite, which is the main commercial source of barium and materials prepared from it...
in the form of barytes.
The black part of the stone forms a protective cap over the lower part which has most likely prevented the stone from the worst of the weather. The lower part is made of softer sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
, which is responsible for the stone's present shape due to weathering
Weathering
Weathering is the breaking down of rocks, soils and minerals as well as artificial materials through contact with the Earth's atmosphere, biota and waters...
by water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
, ice
Ice
Ice is water frozen into the solid state. Usually ice is the phase known as ice Ih, which is the most abundant of the varying solid phases on the Earth's surface. It can appear transparent or opaque bluish-white color, depending on the presence of impurities or air inclusions...
and wind
Wind
Wind is the flow of gases on a large scale. On Earth, wind consists of the bulk movement of air. In outer space, solar wind is the movement of gases or charged particles from the sun through space, while planetary wind is the outgassing of light chemical elements from a planet's atmosphere into space...
.
Modern society
On 3 June 2002 a large bonfire was lit on the top of Hemlock Stone. This served as part of the worldwide chain of 2,006 beaconBeacon
A beacon is an intentionally conspicuous device designed to attract attention to a specific location.Beacons can also be combined with semaphoric or other indicators to provide important information, such as the status of an airport, by the colour and rotational pattern of its airport beacon, or of...
s lit in celebration of the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II
Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II
The Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II was the international celebration marking the 50th anniversary of the accession of Elizabeth II to the thrones of seven countries, upon the death of her father, George VI, on 6 February 1952, and was intended by the Queen to be both a commemoration of her 50...
. The crowds that were present to watch the bonfire have been re-gathered around the same time for each subsequent year since the Jubilee: this annual event is now called the "Hemlock Happening" (see below).
To protect the Stone from further vandalism, a metal fence has recently been built around the edge of the stone, with an information podium.
Hemlock Happening
The Hemlock Happening is held annually in the Bramcote Walled Gardens adjacent to the stone. The free outdoor event is organized by the communities of Stapleford and BramcoteBramcote
Bramcote is a settlement in the Broxtowe district of Nottinghamshire, about five miles west of Nottingham. It was a separate village but is now a suburb of Greater Nottingham. Originally one of the main roads between the cities of Nottingham and Derby passed through the village centre...
. An estimated 2,000 people showed up for the first Happening in 2002 to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II
Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II
The Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II was the international celebration marking the 50th anniversary of the accession of Elizabeth II to the thrones of seven countries, upon the death of her father, George VI, on 6 February 1952, and was intended by the Queen to be both a commemoration of her 50...
.
The festival usually lasts from 1pm to 10:45pm with fireworks set off around the Stone at 10:30pm and showing the talents of local schools, groups and individuals. Recent scheduled Hemlock Happenings are as follows:
- 10 June 2006 - around 800 people attended
- 9 June 2007
- 7 June 2008
- 6 June 2009 - cancelled due to bad weather
- 12 June 2010 - "This is who we are!" theme
- 11 June 2011 - "This is who we are!" theme; the tenth since the first in 2002