The Long Stone at Mottistone

The Longstone on Mottistone Common — The Long Stone marks the entrance to a Neolithic long barrow

The Long Stone sits in the landscape at the head of a gentle valley at Mottistone — The Long Stone commands the landscape, seen here from Strawberry Lane at Mottistone

The Long Stone at Mottistone with Mottistone Down behind — An interpretation panel describes the history of the Long Stone at Mottistone

The Long Stone stands like sentinel on Mottistone Common — The Long Stone at Mottistone with the downs beyond

An artist's impression of the Long Stone as it would have been when built 6000 years ago — Bodies may have been laid out for burials at the Long Stone 6000 years ago

Walkers at the Longstone on Mottistone Estate, Isle of Wight — Walkers at the Longstone, Mottistone Estate

The oldest monument on the Isle of Wight, the Long Stone at Mottistone — The Long Stone at Mottistone

Walkers near the Longstone at an event on Mottistone Estate, Isle of Wight — Walking event at the Longstone on Mottistone Estate, Isle of Wight

Legend has it that St Catherine and the Devil had a contest to see who should control the Isle of Wight. The Long Stone’s tall iron sandstone pillar was supposedly thrown by St Catherine from the Down to the east which bears her name.

The Devil's wager

At over 4m high and 2m wide, this was a mighty feat indeed. The Devil’s smaller stone (a mere 2.9m high and 1.2m wide) fell short and he lost the wager. The final resting place of the stones – St Catherine’s dominating the recumbent smaller stone – is said to symbolise the triumph of good over evil.

The Long Stone marks the entrance to a Neolithic long barrow

It has now been shown that the stones are what remains of a 6,000-year-old Neolithic communal long barrow for burying the dead: 31m long, 9m wide and 2m high. Long barrows in this part of England that aren't on chalk or limestone are rare. It is thought that bodies were laid out for birds and animals to feed, then the bones were buried in chambers and the soil heaped up into a mound.

In Neolithic times the mound was likely to have been higher. People probably worshipped the sun and moon; this may be the reason why the Long Stone barrow is aligned west–east.

The Long Stone site is no longer as it was intended to be

The burial mound has been damaged over the years and the stones themselves may have been moved in Saxon times. They were certainly dislodged in the 19th century by Lord Dillon, a local squire who was curious to see what lay beneath them. He unearthed nothing for his efforts.

1956 excavations revealed kerb stones and part of the ditch which had run around the mound.

Moot Stone: a meeting place in Saxon times

Ancient burial places frequently retain their cultural and mystical significance for thousands of years. In Saxon times - 4,000 years after the Neolithic long barrow was built - the Long Stone is thought to have been used as a meeting place where judicial and administrative affairs were carried out.

'Moot' is Saxon for meeting place and it is possible that the name of the village – Mottistone – is a corruption of 'moot stone'.

People still celebrate the solstices and equinoxes at the Long Stone to this day.