Found in July of 2020 by James and Jasmine Dowley while preparing a new driveway the stone – weathered Permio-Triassic red sandstone – was decorated with a distinctive Bronze-Age cup-and-ring design; where the purpose or meaning of the markings remains uncertain. Peter Reavill from the Portable Antiquities Scheme and local archaeologist George Nash suggest the decorations may link it to a burial chamber or other sacred site.

Mr Nash said the markings were pecked ‘cup-and-ring’ and other marks, including the main element comprising a central circular ‘cup’ enclosed within four concentric pecked rings extending outwards. He said examples of such decoration had been discovered in Northumberland, Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Cumbria, but this appeared to be the first example ever to have been found in the Shropshire area. The closest parallel to the Whixall Stone is seen with the Llwydiarth Esgob Stone.

In September 2021 the Stone was Auctioned with Timeline Auctions selling to a Californian buyer for a total of £15,240

The Llwydiarth Esgob Stone, described as a boulder 1metre in length, features a double cup and ring mark and resides in a garden in Llwydiarth Esgob near Llannerch-y-medd.

Photo copyright Aerial-Cam

Sources:

https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/local-hubs/north-shropshire/whitchurch/2022/09/21/oldest-art-ever-discovered-in-shropshire-sold-to-american-buyer-but-it-could-yet-stay-in-the-county/

https://heritageaction.wordpress.com/2022/10/03/the-whixall-stone-a-bit-surprising/

https://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=31667