The Long Stone

The site of the Long Stone is near the village of Mottistone. Situated on the east of the island, it is, without a question one of the most finest ancient sites of standing stones on the Isle of Wight. In the 1950s, this long barrow mound was uncovered in an excavation that found the ditch with the discovery of ancient animal remains.The date the stones were erected or even quarried is still a mystery, as the carbon dating results for these giant stones have had inconclusive results.However, the stones themselves are now known to have been quarried on the island, rather than from a type of rock, not found in local geology, which was believed to be true.Many people still believe that the Long Stone was once one singular massive stone, though in fact, there are two stones which make up the long barrow complex. The Long barrow itself is now only recognizable as a nearby mound. The stone that now lays on its side, I feel, probably stood upright for some time, as there are grooves in the stone that suggest erosion due to rain.

We now know that this stone was moved in Victorian times.The name of Mottistone has been derived from the Long Stone itself. The old English words that make up Mottistone are: Mottra Ston (when pronounced in the modern tongue) this means 'speakers stone, derived from when the norse invaders used the rock as a site to hold local debates and such. These stones are steeped in history, although nearly all has been lost.The stones have been used in religious ceremonies since records exist of the stones. One myth that explains how the stones came to be:In these times a Great Lord presided over the Earth.

He possessed great strength and knowledge, for he had learned well the secrets of the land. His home was the forest, and his friends were the myriad of creatures who lived in his house. The animals would run about his feet and play, for powerful as he was, his heart was true, and there was no cruelty in him. However, this was no everlasting fairytale existence. For the creatures would live their life and die - sometimes in the jaws of a predator - but such is the circle of life. Never can there be birth without death, or happiness without pain. Overall life was joyful, and the creatures would dance to the music he played - the music of life.Far above, in the world of the skies, there ruled a Great Lady. She had great beauty and wisdom, and although fair of face she was older than the hills. The Lady came into being with the creation of the Earth, and had many times witnessed the rise and fall of the Lord below.

In the great wheel of the year, it was from her womb that the new Spring life would emerge, eventually to return once more into her loving arms.After many years, it came to pass that one year the Lord looked up, and the Lady looked down. In his eyes she saw the wild energy of the forest life, and in her eyes he saw the serene beauty of the skies. In an instant love blossomed, and they sung to each other the songs of eternal beauty. As the bond grew stronger they longed to hold each other, so agreed one May to meet on the boundary of their worlds on the open heath on top of the hill.The Lady gracefully came down from her world in the sky, and the Lord ran powerfully up the hill. They embraced to the sound of the thunder of magic, as the two worlds met. The Lady showed the Lord the elegance of her world in the clouds, and the Lord showed her the excitement of the Land.At the edge of the forest they united as one, and with bright flashes of lightning and deep rolls of thunder, the two worlds were forever joined as one. This was the moment when a New Age began, and all the raw Earth magic ran into their hearts.When the lightning faded away, and the new energy flowed into the land, the animals cautiously peeped from the forest edge.

Slowly they crept out and found two mysterious rocks fused as one into the land. When they looked up into the sky, and saw two new lights, one pale and beautiful, and the other vibrant and strong. As they looked around, the Lord and Lady where nowhere to be seen.the ghost of the longstone In the village of Mottistone, which takes the name from Motes stan, meaning stone of the speaker, stands a 13 foot high stone called Longstone. It was used by the Celts, Romans and Saxons, and is possibly linked to Stone Age times. The stone could have been a declaration of faith depicting new life. Longstone has been connected with the supernatural ever since, as well as associations with witchcraft and occult rituals performed there. Reports of ghostly sightings and an evil presence encouraged white witches to perform a cleansing ceremony to ward off the reputed dark magic, evil spirits and aura. It is alleged that the stone will bleed if it is pricked at midnight suggesting that it is still influenced by spirits and ghosts.