On the moor above the village of Ingleby Greenhow is a sandstone post with a carving of a hand on it. I don’t think it actually has a name but most people know it as the hand stone.
Above the hand there is carved:
TO
INGLE
BY
AND
STOX
LEY
And on the opposite side:
TO
KIRBY
AND
HEM
SLEY
1757
On top of the post there is a hollow. The tradition is that travellers would leave a few pennies for those in more desperate need although what good it would do anyone up here. Today a pound coin had been left. The price of inflation. A rock had been placed on top to prevent the hollow filling up with rainwater.
Hand carvings are not unusual, neither is the leaving of coins, I know of several other ones on the moors, but this is a good example.
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