Museum Notebook: The Blowing Stone – a megalithic trumpet

The Blowing Stone as it stands today. Photo / Whanganui Regional Museum Collection Ref: 2000.4.18

Many people will be familiar with the name of Reverend Richard Taylor, and aware of his mission at Pūtiki and involvement with civic matters.

As well as working as a missionary, peacekeeper, husband, and father, Rev Taylor was an amateur artist and kept a detailed diary. His diaries are filled with snippets of information of his life both here and in England, and his sketchbooks record sites he found interesting while on his travels. One such illustration is titled"'the Auld Blowing Sturun", or the Blowing Stone.

The Blowing Stone is a piece of sarsen stone measuring about 3-feet high and with several holes in it. Sarsen stone, the same material that was used to build Avebury and Stonehenge, is quite often pock-marked but the Blowing Stone is unique as it has a hole naturally formed all the way through, splitting into a Y-shaped channel within the rock and creating two exit holes. When someone blows through this hole correctly it makes a trumpet-like sound that is reputed to be heard up to 9km away.

The Blowing Stone is located in Kingston Lisle in Berkshire, England. Rev Taylor visited it in March 1871 and learned about the history of the rock, writing: "This curious stone was originally brought from the old British or Saxon camp, Uffington Castle, above the White Horse Hill. It was rolled down about a hundred years ago to its present position in front of a small run at Kingston Lisle in Sparsholt Parish Berkshire, 2 short miles."

The stone originally sat on the ridge of Kingston Down. It is believed that King Alfred the Great blew it in AD871 to summon his Saxon Army from their camp on White Horse Hill in readiness for their battle against the Danes. Some also believe that Iron Age Celts used it for a similar purpose, but this has not been proven.

Reverend Richard Taylor's illustration of The Blowing Stone, visited in March and July 1871. Photo / Whanganui Regional Museum Collection Ref: 2000.4.18

The stone was moved to the foot of the hill sometime in the 18th century, but it is unknown by whom: some think a local blacksmith moved it closer to his smithy, while others believe it was moved by the Atkins Family who owned the Kingston Lisle Estate.

The Blowing Stone first appeared in the written record on a map drawn by John Roque in 1761. By 1809 a pub named The Blowing Stone Inn was in operation and the landlord could be convinced, for a fee, to play it for his patrons.

The Innkeeper in charge during Rev Taylor's first visit was not at home, but when Taylor passed through again in July 1871, he was able to hear it played. He recalled "... a low shrill clear sound which we heard at a considerable distance. When properly blown it is said to be heard at Farringdon Church on a still clear day 6 miles off. It sounded something like a cow's horn. The ground is said to shake when it is blown properly. I did not observe this, but it is quite probable it may be the case.''

The Blowing Stone is now located in the front garden of a private residence but has been fenced off to allow the public access to it whenever they like. To blow it, the correct hole must be completely covered by the mouth and given a good force of air. Another lore states whoever successfully plays it has the makings of a great king or queen.

• Sandi Black is the archivist at Whanganui Regional Museum.