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The Wirral Stone
The Wirral stone is situated on Hadlow Road just off the A41 and is essentially three lengths of oblong
sandstone block set into the ground. The exact use of the stone has never been identified however it
has been the subject of much debate for centuries. It was referred to locally as the 'Pissing Stone' by
the commoners and people who grew up in the area, although it is far better known as the Wirral
Stone by the more educated.
In Omerods History of Cheshire there is the following note from the late Mr Black:
"The Hundred of Wirral is called Willaston and so there is, was or ought to be a stone in the near village of
Willaston to form part of the geometrical system of Roman topographical engineering in Cheshire".
It is believed that the Stone may have marked the meeting place of the Wilvaston Hundred -- a
Hundred being a division of an English county which contained a hundred families. As each township
had to send four of it's chief men to the periodic assembly of the Wilvaston Hundred, the Wirral Stone
(and hence Willaston itself) were important landmarks.
The stone is situated almost in the centre of what was once the Forrest of Wirral and it seems very
plausible that the name has been derived from the near by townships and the whole of the hundred l
until the simple name of the Forrest attached itself to the Hundred in the 14th century. It is therefore
believed by some to be the origin of the word 'Wirral' and to be the stone described in Mr Blacks notes.
The stone is certainly of the correct age and location to be the one describe and its nice to think that
Romans have possibly helped carve this ancient rock. In addition to all of that, there is an arrowhead
symbol carved into the side of the stone which is a modern Ordnance Survey spot height. When or
why this has been inscribed im not sure.
The Wirral stone is situated on Hadlow Road just off the A41 and is essentially three lengths of oblong
sandstone block set into the ground. The exact use of the stone has never been identified however it
has been the subject of much debate for centuries. It was referred to locally as the 'Pissing Stone' by
the commoners and people who grew up in the area, although it is far better known as the Wirral
Stone by the more educated.
In Omerods History of Cheshire there is the following note from the late Mr Black:
"The Hundred of Wirral is called Willaston and so there is, was or ought to be a stone in the near village of
Willaston to form part of the geometrical system of Roman topographical engineering in Cheshire".
It is believed that the Stone may have marked the meeting place of the Wilvaston Hundred -- a
Hundred being a division of an English county which contained a hundred families. As each township
had to send four of it's chief men to the periodic assembly of the Wilvaston Hundred, the Wirral Stone
(and hence Willaston itself) were important landmarks.
The stone is situated almost in the centre of what was once the Forrest of Wirral and it seems very
plausible that the name has been derived from the near by townships and the whole of the hundred l
until the simple name of the Forrest attached itself to the Hundred in the 14th century. It is therefore
believed by some to be the origin of the word 'Wirral' and to be the stone described in Mr Blacks notes.
The stone is certainly of the correct age and location to be the one describe and its nice to think that
Romans have possibly helped carve this ancient rock. In addition to all of that, there is an arrowhead
symbol carved into the side of the stone which is a modern Ordnance Survey spot height. When or
why this has been inscribed im not sure.
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| The Arrowhead Symbol |
| Wirral Stone Top View |
| Did you know? Under the Romans, land surveyors in Great Britain were established as a profession. They were the first to establish the basic measurements under which the Empire was divided, such as a tax register of conquered lands. |
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