Talk:Leper Stone

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Loxodrome?[edit]

The loxodrome reference seems a bit curious. Not only does it not quite fit in with the rest of the article, the reference seems kind of odd, but the author, Colin Wilson, can hardly be considered an expert in archaeology or history. Petter Bøckman (talk) 14:18, 10 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

For further information see the Wandlebury Enigma page. The author of the theory is not Colin Wilson, he quotes it from Christian O'Brien who published a paper and had a Sunday Telegraph article suggesting the Leper Stone was one in a line of equally-spaced, similar stones. As a suggested reason for the Leper Stone's function and placement would seem appropriate, especially if you're a local or an archaeoastronomer. I've shortened the reference slightly in some agreement with what you're saying though. Paul Bedson (talk) 23:57, 10 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Loxodrome paragraph moved from article for discussion here.

Christian O'Brien suggested the Leper Stone was one of a series of hand crafted, monolithic marker-stones that formed part of a perfect loxodrome, equally spaced 1430 metres apart between Wandlebury Hill and Portingbury Hills.^[1] Other stones suggested were The Wandlebury Stone, Great Chesterfield Stone, Bordeaux Stone, Wendens Ambow Stone, Shortgrove Monolith, Springfield Stone, and The Priory Stone. O'Brien's suggested Cam Valley Loxodrome forms a perfect rhumb line, so the observer standing on the Leper Stone would find the North Star at the same oblique angle as at Wandlebury and Portingbury.^[1]^[2]

The first problem with this material is that it suggests that the stone was moved by ancient astronomers to its present location. The few respectable sources discussing this stone state that it was dropped last time the glaciers retreated. Per WP:ONEWAY, we should not be discussing it here, though the material is probably appropriate to the Christian O'Brien article. Devoting half of the article to one person's widely ignored ideas also seriously over weights the article - it gives the appearance that when people write about the Newport Stone, they devote half the space and effort to discussing ancient astronomy. This is not reflected in the sources. - 2/0 (cont.) 18:31, 19 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

I would greatly appreciate if you please read the links that you deleted, before you delete text based on them. For more information, please see menhir megalith or standing stone.

Or the quote from D.G. Buckley and Ken Newton's paper for the Council of British Archaeology calling it a monument, and a standing stone that you deleted.[1]

Standing stones Essex, being a county with no outcropping building stone, is naturally devoid of any notable stone monuments. However, the occasional standing stone such as the 'Leper Stone' at Newport.

Or the Proceedings of the Cambridge Antiquarian society, calling it a monolith. Monoliths are man made. Again you deleted this one.[2]

A large monolith lies here (similar to the stone at Royston where Icknield Way crossed Ermine Street, or the 'leper' stone at Newport)

Or see the Julian Cope's section about it in the highly respected and primary reference source and journal of man made megaliths. - The Modern Antiquarian - you deleted that reference too![3]

Or Megalithic Portal by Peter Herring entries that you deleted[4]

No stone falling from a melting glacier could stand itself on end so dramatically!

Plenty more respectable sources below that I can start quoting if you like, Dr. Ernest A. Rudge[5][6][7], John Cooper[8], Stan Jarvis[9], Doug Pickford[10], Terry Johnson,[11] etc.[12]

Perhaps you think glaciers built stone circles too? I would appreciate you keep these fringe views away from Wikipedia and stop the vandalism. I cannot find anything in your sources about glaciers making the Leper Stone, in fact they have very little useful information and no pictures (so you can see it standing bolt upright). Arguments like this against odds of over ten million to one highlights a severe knowledge gap that I will endeavour to fill with lots more megaliths and standing stones asap. Paul Bedson (talk) 02:14, 21 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

References

^ ^a ^b Wilson, Colin (1980). Starseekers. Doubleday. ISBN 0385172532. Excerpt from Google Books retrieved 6 March 2011.
^ Hoppit, David (1978). "The Wandlebury Enigma Solved? - Line A Loxodrome". Sunday Telegraph Magazine, Issue 78, March 18th. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)

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[doubleday-1] Wilson, Colin (1980). Starseekers. Doubleday. ISBN 0385172532. Excerpt from Google Books retrieved 6 March 2011.

[Hoppit1978-2] Hoppit, David (1978). "The Wandlebury Enigma Solved? - Line A Loxodrome". Sunday Telegraph Magazine, Issue 78, March 18th. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)

[1]

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