Roughting Linn Inscribed Stone Northumberland, England. Theme - Archaeology Back to Roughting Linn AR49, AR50, AR51, AR52, AR53

Although first discovered and reported in 1852 it had by that time already been partly quarried, and some of the best works, including a unique rayed spiral giving a daisy-like impression, had been lost. It lies behind scrub close to the track to Roughting Linn Farm, about 9 miles south of Berwick-on-Tweed. You can find more detail of this and other Northumberland sites at Northumberland Rock Art. According to Stan Beckensall (ref 1) "Roughting" means "bellowing like a bull" while "Linn" means "pond", while Richard Cavendish (ref 2) says that "Linn" means "waterfall", and that there is an Iron Age fort nearby complete with Linn (waterfall). We have photos of Dobb's Linn (Borders, Dob's Linn CS30, Dob's Linn CS31) - a rather narrow stream bed with what could be regarded as miniature waterfalls - but not ponds. And there is, of course, the Welsh Word Llyn meaning "Lake" - see Llyn Ogwen WA05 and Llyn Idwal WA06  (which are definitely not waterfalls).

According to a rather old copy of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary (Oxford University Press) "Linn" is a word used mainly in Scotland - Dob's Linn is in the Scottish Borders and Roughting Linn is in Northumberland close to Berwickshire. It is apparently two words confused - Old English hlynn meaning "torrent" and  Gaelic linne (or Irish lin or  Welsh llyn) meaning lake, pool, pond, etc.  i.e. calm water. The meanings of "Linn" are listed as:

So - everyone appears to be correct in their own way!
 

Ref 1:"Prehistoric rock motifs of Northumberland Volume 1 - Ford to Old Bewick" Stan Beckensall, Abbey Press, Hexham, Northumberland ISBN 0 9517590 1 9
Ref 2:"Prehistoric England" Richard Cavendish, 1983, Orion Publishing Group, ISBN 1 85605 169 2