Wednesday 25 July 2007

The God Stone of Formby

After all the hunting going on in Blackpool for Margot's telescope box remains - which I haven't had chance to look for yet - I had a treasure hunt of my own today.

On the way back from our visit to Liverpool, I called off to search for the Godstone. This small carved stone can be found - ahhh, well I'll give a cryptic clue later! You wouldn't want me to take all the fun out of it would you? Legend has it, that the locals in pre-Christian days, used to carry their dead around the stone three times following the direction of the sun. When missionaries visited Britain to convert the island to Christianity, they carved the stone with some steps, a cross and a circle in an attempt to show that the way to Heaven lies through the Cross.

The stone can still be found, standing close to the edge of a churchyard. In a Lancashire village named not quite like the make of Fran's new grill, find the thatched cottage and then turn towards the sea. It's a long drive to the end of the road then turn right and find the church of a gospel writer.

If that is too cryptic for you, then you can find the answer much more clearly by looking at the title of this article... If you visit, please remember it is a churchyard. Please show respect and do not walk over graves - it is an old churchyard and some are a little overgrown but it is clear how to walk between them.

Whilst there, have a peek into the church porch at the memorial slab of Richard Formby, a 7ft tall armour-bearer to the King who died 22 September 1407. The memorial was cracked in a fire at York Minster and moved here afterwards.

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