Merton Stone Norfolk | UK's largest glacial erratic or a gEUlogy rock?

The Merton Stone is a glacial 'erratic boulder' located in a field near the Norfolk village of Merton in England. The Merton Stone is famous as not only being the largest glacial erratic boulder in Norfolk but perhaps the largest glacial erratic boulder of its type in England.

Even Charles Lyell, the father of modern day geology, had visited it many times and wrote about it in one of his 'The Principles of Geology' volumes. Is it a glacial erratic or was it formed through another process?

Merton Stone - Englands largest glacial erratic?

There is a lot of variation in the idea of what material the Merton Stone is made and its fossils, also where it came from.

The 'Merton Stone' is to be found near the western boundary of the parish with Threxton, just off Peddar's Way near an area marked as Capp's Bush, at grid reference TL895991. It is supposed to be a huge boulder of Necomian sandstone, 12 feet x 5 feet x 5 feet, lying in a marl pit with only the tip currently showing.
The Merton Stone | W. G. Clarke: 'In Breckland Wilds' | hiddenea.com

There seems to be some dispute over the stone's composition: "One of the natural curiosities in Merton is a huge boulder, thought to weigh about 20 tonnes, lying in a field on the west side of the parish. This massive boulder was swept to its present position by the ice during the last glacial period. It is believed to be the largest of its kind in Britain. It was described by Sir Robert Murchison as "...belonging to the Oxford Oolite, i.e., either to the clay or the band of drift called the calcareous grit. It contains the Ammonites duncani. It is likely to have been transported in the glacial period from the Bora district of Sutherland". Mr. Esteridge of the Geological Museum, however, differed in his interpretation saying "It is from the calcareous grit of the Oxford clay, a boulder from Yorkshire, enclosing Ammonites lamberti"."
The Merton Stone | W. G. Clarke: 'In Breckland Wilds' | hiddenea.com

the Merton Stone, previously unknown, also features as evidence of the shaping of the land by glaciation. The stone, the largest glacial erratic so far discovered in the United Kingdom, weighing an estimated twenty to thirty tons, was dug up in the seventeenth century in Merton when we were digging for marl (clay) to spread on the light soil to increase water retention and so fertility. The clay is under some fifteen feet of sand with (now) two to three feet of fertile soil on top, mostly due to cultivations ...

... Lyell, a frequent visitor to Merton, claimed the Merton stone had been carried on the glaciers from New Galloway in the South West corner of Scotland, but later the President of the Geological Society, Lyell’s colleague Sir Roderick Murchison, preferred West Yorkshire with a similar signature from the molusca, saving climbing the Pennine hills.
The Principles of Geology” | Charles Lyell | ontheoriginsofspeaking.com

Merton Stone - a legendary glacial erratic

To the West of Merton Green just off the peddars way, Where In a tiny pit rests a boulder which swepted to its present place by the ice in the last glacial period. It is said to be the largest of its kind in Norfolk and possibly Britain. The boulder also holds a history of Mystical source, I have been told by many People, personal experience's, some with handed down stories that when standing on the stone One feels an ice cold feel together with a feeling of some kind of Unexplainable spiritual presents. It is said if this stone is removed all the waters will rise and flood the village and beyond.
Merton Stone | merton.ukgo.com

The church stands on an abrupt rise in the ground that is probably glacial in origin. Another interesting relic of the Ice Age in the parish is the "Merton Stone," a very large "glacial erratic" (that is, a large boulder that has been carried by the ice far from its place of origin). According to local legend, if the Merton Stone is moved, the village will flood - but since the stone is estimated to weigh about twenty tons, this is unlikely to happen!
ST. PETER'S CHURCH – MERTON STONE | watton.info

Merton Stone and its Shrieking Pits

Shrieking pits are found around the area of the Merton Stone.

What geology process formed these shrieking pits? Are they natural geology or man made? Were they created by gEUlogy along with the Merton Stone?

Close to the village of Merton is a classic looking shrieking pit that draws your eye when driving along the road

If you think all of these shrieking pits, the many ponds and small circular areas found in farmers fields were dug by man then why did they dig them there? Why not at the side of the field? Why dig ponds in clusters when you would spread them out? Unless they were not dug by man but by nature. Natural EDM cratering in an Electric Universe would be a good explanation for the clusters

Merton Stone - location, coordinates and maps

The Merton Stone is difficult to find unless you either have the coordinates, good instructions or can see where it is on a map. The Merton Stone is said to be located at UK grid reference TL895991 (Ordnance Survey) or on google earth as 52°33'26.30"N 0°47'45.57"E (confirmed).

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