corruption of Holystone." The boulder lies fifty yards within the field, not far from a hedge. Before being uncovered its visible mass was insignificant, being lichen-covered and rising only some seven or eight inches above the grass, with an area of 2ft. by 3ft., but that it extended under the turf for some distance was evident from the dryness of the surrounding patch in winter, and the burnt appearance of the grass in summer.
Nichols also tells us that this stone "seems to confirm the generally received opinion of Naturalists concerning the growth[1] of these bodies; for, notwithstanding great pains have been taken by a late proprietor of the land to keep it below the surface, it defeats his efforts, and rises gradually, though not insensibly." The Holstone is nearly three miles distant from the site of "St. John's Stone," another fine mass of Mountsorrel granite, which formerly stood in a hollow in a field near Leicester Abbey. A line joining these two masses was said to point to the rising place of the sun on Midsummer-day. It would bear two or three degrees north of east.
The occupier of the field—Mr. Kirby. of Humberstone—who is a member of the Leicester Literary and Philosophical Society, kindly undertook to have the stone uncovered, and invited a party of gentlemen interested in Geological and Archæological pursuits to view its bared proportions. On arriving on the ground on the afternoon of May 2nd, I found that a trench had been dug completely round the boulder. It was now seen to be a pentagonal mass, the sides measuring 7ft., 5ft., 6ft., 4ft, and 5½ft. respectively. Its height varied from 4ft. 9in. to 3ft. 6in. Now the average specific gravity of the Mountsorrel granite is 2.659, and, consequently, each cubic foot weighs 166.19 pounds. Taking the contents of the boulder at 200 cubic feet, we find its weight to be in round numbers fifteen tons. The matrix in which it was embedded was boulder clay of the ordinary description, rather sandy in the upper part, and full of rounded quartzite and grit pebbles from three to six inches in diameter, with broken liassic fossils, also pieces of mountain limestone, millstone grit, &c. The sides of the boulder are clean and sharply defined, evidently traversed by master-joints. No striations were visible, but they may possibly exist on the under-surface. Its top is worn into rounded hummocks, just as the summits of the syenite hills of Charnwood now weather. I have, indeed, little doubt that this mass formed a part of the then summit of Mountsorrel, when a glacier advancing southwards tore it from its home, carried it over a depression in the Soar Valley of more than 109ft., and finally dropped it at a point six miles distant from its native mass.
- ↑ The apparent growth of boulders is thus referred to in the report of the British Association Boulder Committee. "It should be mentioned here that boulders probably 'work up' to the surface. This is due, no doubt, to denudation which is taking place. In a field on Red Hill Farm, between Stafford and Stone, is one of the largest boulders of the district. This boulder was not noticed till some twenty years ago, when it was found to obstruct the plough, although still some depth underground. The obstruction became more and more serious each year and, in consequence of this impediment, the field was turned from an arable to a grazing one. At this time the boulder rises about 1ft. above the level of the field. The part exposed measures 6ft. by about 5ft., and evidently extends under the turf for a much greater distance."—Report 1873, p. 193.—Eds, M. N.
