A look inside Britain’s monolith mystery: As a fifth bizarre structure in the shape of a massive Toblerone appears on a hillside in Wales, here’s even more alien objects that have appeared in Britain
A fifth steel monolith shaped like a giant Toblerone was spotted on a hillside in Wales last weekend, in the latest in a series of bizarre sightings.
The sighting follows a number of similar reports in Britain and the US. But where exactly have previous monolith sightings occurred? When did they take place and could there be a deeper meaning behind them?
Read on below for everything you need to know about monolith sightings that have occurred in recent years.
Hay-on-Wye, Wales
Locals in Hay-on-Wye spotted the three-metre-tall block of steel, which resembles the distinctive chocolate bar shape, on Hay Bluff near the town of Powys this weekend.
The last monolith sighting was captured in a photo by Richard Haynes, who took the photos while running on Hay Bluff.
A steel monolith shaped like a giant Toblerone bar was spotted near Hay-on-Wye in Wales this weekend
The three-metre-tall steel block that resembled the shape of the famous chocolate bar was spotted on Hay Bluff
While some speculated that the structure could be the work of aliens or a sign of life on Mars, others said it was an elaborate work of art.
Speaking to WalesOnline, Mr Haynes said: ‘I was heading towards Hay Bluff, where the trig point is, and looked to the right. I thought it looked a bit bizarre and might have been a scientific media study collecting rainwater.
‘But then I realized that it was much too big and too strange for that. Then I went there and it was at least ten feet tall and triangular, definitely stainless steel.
‘It was hollow and I think it was quite light. Light enough for two people to lift and plant in the ground.’
Curiously, Mr Haynes said he often walked the route and had never seen the monolith before, while a friend who visited the site for two weeks also said he had not seen the structure at the time.
“I noticed on Google that it has popped up quite recently and from what I can understand it goes away after a few days,” he added.
St Buryan, Cornwall
On December 12, 2020, local resident Luke Brown stumbled upon another imposing monolith in Cornwall and captured a video of the metal object
On December 12, 2020, local resident Luke Brown stumbled upon another imposing monolith in Cornwall and captured a video of the metal object.
He said: ‘I was rather shocked and awestruck to find a monolith in the center of the Merry Maidens stone circle just before sunset, the only time I left my camera at home.
‘It was a beautiful thing, but I can’t help but think about the damage that may have been done to this beautiful conservation area.’
The Merry Maidens, also known as Dawn’s Men – a likely corruption of the Cornish Dans Maen Stone Dance – is a late Neolithic stone circle.
The circle, thought to be complete, consists of nineteen granite megaliths and lies in a field along the B3315 between Newlyn and Land’s End.
Dartmoor, Devon
Dartmoor National Park quickly removed the monolith after photographer Sarah Clarke posted a photo of it, with the body saying the moorland is protected.
Just one day before the monolith was captured in Cornwall, one measuring 2.5 meters high was also spotted in Dartmoor National Park, Devon.
The structure was spotted on Dartmoor by photographer Sarah Clarke, who took a photo of the monolith before posting it to X, formerly Twitter.
She assured her followers that the image was not created with Photoshop software, saying: ‘So a very exciting morning – it’s real!
“Anyone who knows me knows that I just can’t do Photoshop, so take my word for it.”
Mark Bullock, who went to look at the pillar on Wednesday, said the vantage point on the hill made it seem like “there was something wrong with the sky.”
He added: ‘It was a bit surreal.’
Dartmoor National Park quickly removed the monolith after Ms Clarke’s post, saying the moorland is protected.
A spokesperson said: ‘We know people may find this sort of thing an interesting topic of conversation, but we must remember that Dartmoor is a protected landscape because of its importance for wildlife, nature and archaeology.’
Glastonbury Tor, Somerset
Just 48 hours before the monolith sighting in Dartmoor National Park, another similar structure was seen at the top of a hill in Glastonbury with ‘Not Banksy’ etched on it
Just 48 hours earlier, another similar structure was spotted at the top of a hill in Glastonbury with ‘Not Banksy’ etched on it.
Walkers discovered the large silver structure top of Glastonbury Tor – an ancient hill linked to King Arthur and Celtic mythology.
It is believed that the monolith was placed there overnight before being felled by a gust of wind.
The shiny triangular pillar features a stencil drawing of a rat, similar to the style of street artist Banksy.
Michelle Cowbourne spotted the metal structure on National Trust grounds during her regular morning walk.
“I walked up the long slope and this was on the other side and when I saw it I couldn’t believe my eyes,” she said. “I just thought, what the hell is that.
‘There were two large metal bolts, but they were not properly secured to the ground.
“It’s a large piece of metal and it was very heavy,” Ms Cowbourne added.
Compton Bay, Isle of Wight
On December 6, 2020, another monolith was found by beachgoers in Compton Bay on the Isle of Wight
On December 6, 2020, another monolith was found by beachgoers in Compton Bay on the Isle of Wight.
A number of photos from different angles suggested that the monolith was buried in the sand, providing a perfect reflection.
It is unclear how the object ended up on the beach, as it is only accessible via a footpath.
Locals were quick to question whether the images of the monolith posted on social media were ‘photoshopped’ or whether it was ‘just a belated April Fool’s joke’.
But photographer Alice Williams insisted it was real and shared photos of the two-metre-tall structure at sunset in a local Facebook group.