The Hanging Stone

Overlooking the heavily forested Hutton Lowcross, the sandstone outcrop at the end of Ryston Nab is well known as the Hanging Stone, presumably because it ‘hangs’ over the valley, rather than it being a site of execution.

Ryston Nab, the nose on which it’s on, has a more interesting etymology.

It survives from the 14th-century name of ‘Reefstoneshaw‘ for the wooded hillside below the nab¹“Guisborough Before 1900”. Page 65. Edited by B.J.D. Harrison and G. Dixon. 1982. ISBN 0 9507827 0 X.. A wood that was owned by the lord of Hutton Manor, and later Guisborough Priory.

The element ‘shaw’ is a common suffix meaning a ‘wood’ — from the Old English ‘sceaga‘²Morris, R.W. “Yorkshire through Place Names”. Page 82. David & Charles. 1982. ISBN 0-7153-8230-6..

Another mention is to ‘Refstanes’ or ‘rocky crag’³Ibid. Page 243..

• 1
  “Guisborough Before 1900”. Page 65. Edited by B.J.D. Harrison and G. Dixon. 1982. ISBN 0 9507827 0 X.
• 2
  Morris, R.W. “Yorkshire through Place Names”. Page 82. David & Charles. 1982. ISBN 0-7153-8230-6.
• 3
  Ibid. Page 243.