Sunderland Stoop, Harden Moor

Sunderland Stoup

The "familiar "Sunderland Stoups"" as Clifford Whone descibes them, are a collection of boundary stones approximately 350m to the south east of the Arley Stone  at the northern edge of Harden Moor known as Cradle Edge.  Whone speculates that the stones, or at least the carvings, were fixed around 1665 by Samuel Sunderland at the time he purchased Jackfield Farm and Marley Hall.  Sunderland at the time appears to have been Lord of the Manor Hainworth; the stones marked the boundary between the Manors of Hainworth and Harden.  Sunderland, the grandson of John Rishworth of Riddlesden, was a successful London wool merchant.  In 1850 he settled at Hill End, between Ryecroft and Harden.  The "S" on the Hainworth side seemingly represents Sunderland; it is possible the "P" is for Robert Parker, Sunderland's nephew who inherited his uncles estate in 1677; other stones in the sequence are marked "R. P." 

Following his uncles death Parker extended his land holding.  In 1677 he took possession of Marley Banks from the Blakey's in lieu of repayment of a loan made in 1676 by Sunderland; in 1891 he succeeded to Lord of the Manor of Haworth and in 1695 he acquired Currer Laithe from the Currers and then Whitecote farm from the Watson family along with their other extensive land holding.  The Parkers land holding was gradually acquired by the Ferrands of Harden Grange (St Ives). 

Four other boundary stones are shown on the 1851 Six Inch to One Mile, running north east wards from Ryecroft Road to the Arley Stone.  The Arley Stone is similarly marked with "S" and "P".  It is likely that in 1851 or at least when the survey for the OS map was undertaken the stones were the sole markers of the ancient boundary in an open landscape. 

So far I've managed to find two.  One at the point named Sunderland Stoop (above)on the 1851 map, the second a few hundred metres to the south east, now partly obscured by Cradle Edge Quarry wall.  The south face appears to show a "P" (may have to go back and do a rubbing!).

Harden - Hainworth Boundary Stone

Getting there: Grid Ref: SE 071 392).  It is possible to park on Ryecroft Road near the Guide Inn and take the track opposite the pub.

Reference

Whone, C. (1940) The Manor of Harden, The Bradford Antiquary, File 8 Volume 6 [new series] p263.