Ancient Stones in Calderdale

A journey to the Bridestones above the Calder Vale

- Walk devised and described by John and Judith Weir

One of the Bridestone Rocks

The walk today is a visit to the Bridestones Rocks standing on Bridestones Moor overlooking the Calder Valley.

The Brigantes tribe who used to rule the moorlands were ancient Britons in pre-Roman times. Their goddess was “Brigit”, the “bride” or “high one”, the Celtic Great Earth Mother.

High up above Todmorden amongst the rocks is a stone nicknamed “The Bride Stone” who represented “Brigit”. Although she is 12ft tall and 9ft wide, she is only 2ft wide at the base. Beside her was once a groom, removed by Puritan Church leaders' orders in the 1600s.

Weddings have been performed here with the groom standing by one rock and the bride by the other. This place was also a sacred place and the haunt of a large settlement of Druids.

The rocks are notable for their many weird shapes. Some resemble human faces and heads, whilst others like prehistoric birds, a giant tortoise, and a bear. These having been formed by the erosion of the soft grit-stone through wind and rain over thousands of years.

The stones are commemorated in the poem Bridestones (Remains of Elmet) by the former local Poet Laureate, Ted Hughes. “The Wizard of Whirlaw” and the “Weavers Knot” were two books by Todmorden eccentric William Holt.