Books, Prehistory, Archaeologia Volume 25 Section 2

Oxfordshire. The War-stone at Enstone [Map]. This conspicuous object is said, by the country-people, to have been set up at a French wedding; and in that tradition may, perhaps, be found some vestiges of truth; for the Saxons called the Norman settlers by the name of Franks or French , the Francigenae of Domesday Book, and a wedding would be a likely cause for a division of property, either in frank-marriage or dower. A view and description of this stone are given in the Gentleman’s Magazine for Feb. 1824, by Edward Rudge, Esq. who judiciously deems it to have been originally a Cromlech, supported after the manner of Kit’s Coity-house, upon three stones of smaller dimensions, which are still remaining close to it. The tradition ascribing its erection to a French Wedding seems to point out the Norman era, for its appropriation as a terminus; when, forgotten in its primary character, though well known as a fixed and permanent block, it assumed its new office of marking the limits of some patrimonial acres. The stones at Stanton Drew, co. Somerset, are popularly called the Wedding, from a tradition that a bride going to be married was here turned into stone, with all her company; and it is far from improbable (which is all that can be urged on such an obscure subject) that some real event, of a marriage portion including the site of the stones, or being bounded by them, might give rise to the marvellous legend. There are Bride Stones in several parts of the kingdom, those at Biddulph, co. Stafford, consist of eight upright stones, two of which stand within a semicircle formed by the other six. May not all these erections be indebted, for their secondary character , at least, to bridal dower, or other divisions of property e Before the use of deeds in writing, such stones were “ the vouched signature and proof” n of some solemn covenant and agreement made on the spot.