A male head carved on a boulder, of uncertain date and provenance near the footpath along Deepdale Beck, towards Lartington and 3km from Barnard Castle. The faint outline of an upper body can be made out, with either a v-shaped pattern or a sword on his chest.
The carving depicts a man, probably bearded, with his upper body in fainter relief, and surmounted by an archway or headgear. Several theories have been put forward as to the origins of this sculpture. The style of the carving is similar to carved stones found on medieval church walls and roofs. The apparently bald head and simple clothing might suggest a monk, however the carving above the head recalls a medieval helmet, which could mean that the carving depicts a well-known knight of the 12th-14th centuries, possiblly a knight of the de Balliols or the Neville family.
Recorded with a smartphone camera, modelled with PolyCam and edited with Blender 3.4.0.
https://www.teesdalemercury.co.uk/features/mystery-of-curious-stonecarved-head-in-deepdale
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