hoar-stonen.
1. literal. A hoar, i.e. grey or ancient stone (? an ancient stone grey with lichen).
ΚΠ
971 Blickl. Hom. 209 He þær geseah ofer ðæm wætere sumne harne stan.
OE Beowulf 887 He under harne stan, æþelinges bearn.
OE Beowulf 2744 Nu ðu lungre geong hord sceawian under harne stan.
2. spec.
a. A stone (ancient or grey with lichen), frequently mentioned in charters as marking a boundary line; an ancient boundary stone, merestone. (See hoar adj. 3.)
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > condition of being external > edge, border, or margin > boundary > [noun] > land-boundary > boundary mark > stone
hoar-stone847
honeeOE
merestoneOE
markstoneOE
march stone1519
shire-stone1536
dool-stone1580
bound-stone1602
witter stone1615
metestone1617
bounder-stone1635
bourne-stone1837
847 Charter of Æthelwulf in Old Eng. Texts 434 Ðonon on ðone healdan weg wið huitan stanes, ðonon to ðæm beorge ðe mon hateð æt ðæm holne, ðonon an haran stan.
a1000 in Heming's Chartulary (1723) 348 Of gytinges æwylme on norðdene on þone grenan weg, þ[an] on þane haran stan, of ðam haran stane andlang grenan weges on scepe clif.
?c1195 in Archæol. (1832) XXV. 55 Unam scilicet sub le Harestan.
1298 in Archæol. (1832) XXV. 55 Et sic directe usque le Horeston in Twychenylde Grene.
?a1300 in Archæol. (1832) XXV. 58 Ad Haresteines et sic usque ad Depe~dale.
1503 in Hearne Johannis Glastoniensis Chron. (1726) 303 Inter Dominium de Andresey & Dominium de Stoke seu Dreycote, usque ad la Hore Stone.
a1831 W. Hamper in Archæol. (1832) XXV. 30 The Hoar-stone is consequently nothing more than the stone of memorial or land-mark, describing the boundary of property.
1849 J. M. Kemble Saxons in Eng. I. 52 (note) Artificial or natural stone posts are implied by the constantly recurring háran stánas, grægan stánas, hoary or grey stones.
1851 D. Wilson Archæol. & Prehistoric Ann. Scotl. iv. vi. 594 Hoare Stones or landmarks of the fifth century.
b. An ancient stone associated with some event or tradition; a stone of memorial; a standing stone.
ΘΚΠ
society > communication > record > memorial or monument > [noun] > structure or erection > stone
stone847
standing stone1180
longstone1651
hoar-stone1666
pillar-stone1723
lech1768
holed-stone1769
stela1776
bluestone1812
menhir1819
stele1820
monolith1836
tanist-stone1851
megalith1853
orthostat1909
1666 in Hearne R. Brunne's Chron. (1810) 472 A stone of 8 foot high above ground..It is now called, in the full of the mouth, hoore-stone, according to the dialect of Sommersett.
1808 W. Scott Marmion Notes p. lxxvi The royal standard is traditionally said to have been displayed from the Hare Stane, a high stone, now built into the wall, on the left hand of the high way leading towards Braid.
1812 Archaeologia 16 361 The largest stone, at the east end, has been long known in that County, by the name of the Hoar Stone.
a1831 W. Hamper in Archæol. (1832) XXV. 25 In many parts of Great Britain are to be seen upright rude Pillars or massive blocks of stone which in England are called Hoar-Stones..in Scotland..Hare-Stane.
1851 D. Wilson Archæol. & Prehistoric Ann. Scotl. i. v. 92 The Hare Stane on the Borough Moor of Edinburgh.
1851 D. Wilson Archæol. & Prehistoric Ann. Scotl. i. v. 95 A hoare-stone, or stone of memorial.
c. Hence very frequent as a place-name.See a list in Archaeologia (1832) XXV. 52.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1898; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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