The Hanwell Sarsen Stone EarthCache
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(other)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
London’s First Earthcache!
Proudly on display at the entrance to Elthorne Park, Hanwell this large glacial erratic sarsen stone was unearthed nearby from a gravel pit next to Hanwell Station in the 1930’s.
When this present global warming began ten thousand years ago the glacier that carved out the Thames Valley left behind much in the way of mineral debris in its wake as it melted. The slow moving glacier which inserted vast pressure on the bedrock grinded up all loose rocks into pebbles and sand in the same action that a millstone does.
Sarsen stone, being very durable, remained as a large boulder, but its surface was smoothed as it rubbed against the gravel like sandpaper.
This particular sarsen stone apparently came from the middle division of the London Lower Tertiary Sandstone and is of similar age, origin and composition to the sarsen stones found at Stonehenge.
The name sarsen is derived from the Anglo-Saxon words sar meaning ‘troublesome’ and stan meaning ‘stone’.
Because of their durability they have often been used by man as foundation stones for churches and bollards to protect corners of buildings from wagon wheel damage.
This stone was retained as a curio by the local residents.
Many thanks to Ealing Council for the approval of this Earthcache.
To claim this Earthcache;
1. Your log must contain at least a photograph of your GPS on the stone.
2. Email me the answers to the following 2 questions;
What are the approximate dimensions of this sarsen stone (Length x Breadth) and what is the precise distance that this stone was moved by man (from Hanwell Station) to this location according to your GPS?
No picture and/or incorrect answers equals no tick!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Gur ovttrfg ebpx nebhaq.