The Resting Stone

In the Journal for 2004 the obituary for Roy Gudgeon was accompanied by a drawing made by Diana Kaneps of a symbol of three fishes carved on a rock, which Roy had told Diana about. The search to find the carving proved to be more difficult than expected. It is on the Resting Stone, on a rocky outcrop high up on Giggleswick Common and across more than a mile of very boggy ground. At grid reference SD756 615 and over 300m high, the Resting Stone is at a point where five townships meet, which makes it important geographically if nothing else. At a second attempt Rita Hudson and I finally found the carving, adjacent to some 'modern' graffiti dated 1976 and a little too close to the carving for comfort. One of the fish is quite clear but the other two are barely discernible. A computer overlay has been used in the picture to enable the carving to be seen more clearly. We can find no written evidence as yet to suggest the significance of the symbol on this remote spot, although there are many theories. However there may be a link with Whalley Abbey as their symbol was three fish, albeit hanging down in a line, not crossed.