Hawksworth Moor (Horncliffe Circle)

Ordnance Survey map reference: SE 136447.

Landranger map number: 104.

Latitude: 54.54 degrees.

Longitude: -1.475 degrees.

Architecture: Cairn with central cist..

Length of the major axis: 7 meters.

Length of the minor axis: 7 meters.

Height of the highest stone: meters.

Shape: ?.

Number of stones in the circle originally: .

Number of stones in the circle now: .

Impression of the site (10 amazing, 1 limp): 4

Burl rating of the circle: 5 (Uncertain Status).

Thom reference for the circle: -.

Astronomical alignments from this circle: -.

Excavations undertaken at this circle: -.

Details of any finds at this circle: -

This circle is not in state care.

Access to the circle:

Hawksworth Moor 'stone circle' is to be found high on Ilkley moor, it is marked on the Landranger OS map as a stone circle but is not listed by Burl in 'The Stone Circle of the British Isles'. The site is situated 1.3km from the nearest road but one of the public footpaths that cross Ilkley moor passes quite close to it. The site is relatively easy to find during the winter months, in summer it is totally hidden in bracken.

Known locally as the Horncliffe Circle, the stones of this site are low and less than 1m high, they are packed closely together to form an almost enclosing wall. In the centre there is a square structure that looks like the remains of a cist.Whilst marked on the map as a stone circle it's true status remains an anomaly. An early antiquarian described cup markings on one of the southern stones but these are no longer visible.About 1.2km to the north at Burley Moor is another site that is also marked on the OS map as a 'stone circle'. This site is not listed by Burl either and although I have not seen it, I would hazard a guess that it too is not a true stone circle. The only true stone circle on Ilkley moor is the Twelve Apostles, all the other sites are likley to be ring cairns of some sort.

Additional information supplied by Paul Bennett.

Although marked on OS maps as a stone circle, the sites true purpose remains an anomaly.