Monument record MDR9907 - Rock art, Ashover School, Ashover

Three boulders with evidence of rock art were identified in the spring of 2000 during the creation of an environmental garden at Ashover Primary School. The boulders had been heaped in a corner of the school's sports field the previous year, following levelling of the previously sloping field. Two large slabs each have rock art motifs over one face (carvings 1 & 2, see below). Both have plough scratches on the same face, indicating that the decorated faces were originally lying horizontal and close to the ground, while the relative freshness of the art suggests they became covered in a thin layer of soil and turf in later prehistory or soon afterwards. The third example is carved on only a small part of the top of a larger and much bulkier boulder; this carving is badly worn and plough damaged. Carving 1 has a complex motif close to the centre of the face, at the heart of which is an exceptionally large and deep cup. This has a radial gutter running from it and is surrounded by three penannular rings. The gutter leads to another unusual area of carving, dominated by straight lines leading to cups, in an almost geometric layout. Overall there are 14-15 cupmarks, six of which are surrounded by rings. Carving 2 is much fresher in appearance, suggesting longer or deeper burial. The pecking can still be clearly seen and motifs include examples with shallow and narrow lines that presumably would have disappeared on weathered stone. At the approximate centre of the slab there is a highly unusual motif defined by fine sinuous lines, together with exceptionally small cups that are only 15mm to 25mm across. Closer to the slab edge are two short sinuous lines and beyond them is a large and deep cupmark with a penannular ring. Carving 3 has decoration that is worn and damaged but which appears to consist of at least two cup and ring marks. The two main stones will remain in the environmental garden at the school for the foreseeable future and can be viewed by arrangement. (1)