Friends of Rising Sun Country Park

Although this carving near Rising Sun Hill may look like ancient rock art, it is actually a modern piece created around the year 2000 by Ian Hobson, a local rock‑art enthusiast, using a simple carpenter’s chisel. Inspired by traditional cup‑and‑ring motifs found across prehistoric Britain, it sits at the edge of the woodland near Rising Sun Hill, blending naturally into the landscape and often surprising those who discover it.

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This modern carving reflects a much older artistic tradition rooted in the North East, which holds one of the largest concentrations of prehistoric cup‑and‑ring stones in Britain. Sites such as Roughting Linn, Lordenshaws, Doddington Moor and Weetwood Moor feature hundreds of these carvings, created thousands of years ago by Neolithic and early Bronze Age communities.

Although their purpose remains uncertain, they are widely thought to have held ritual or symbolic significance. By echoing these ancient motifs, the Rising Sun carving pays tribute to the region’s rich prehistoric heritage.