The “Westford Knight” is a fascinating stone carving with an enchanting mystery, nestled in Ledgerock as you make your way toward Westford Center from Stony Brook. This intriguing figure, which may represent a medieval knight wielding a sword, stands out beautifully against the rock’s natural landscape.
The origins of this captivating carving spark lively debate! One intriguing theory suggests that the first Europeans to arrive in Westford were part of an expedition led by Prince Henry Sinclair from Scotland around 1400 A.D. Could the “Westford Knight” commemorate a member of this adventurous party who tragically passed nearby? It’s exciting to envision this remarkable depiction of a knight, captured in stone, with a sword ready for adventure!
Legend has it that a Scottish earl named Henry Sinclair led an expedition that discovered America in 1398, a full century before Christopher Columbus. According to the story, they explored regions of Nova Scotia and New England. Some even claim that the evidence of that is the grave of one of their fallen in what is now Westford, MA, a town northwest of Boston near the New Hampshire state line.
The Clan Gunn Society of North America has more information about Prince Henry Sinclair’s voyage and the possible connection with the Westford Knight.
Unveiling of the Westford Knight Monument
The Westford Knight by Kyle Roffman
Podcast- Prince Henry Sinclair
David Christiana and his sculpture of the Westford Knight
Directions: To view the Westford Knight carving in Westford, Massachusetts, take I-495 and exit at Exit 32, Boston Road. Head west on Boston Road toward Westford Center. Just before reaching the Westford Common, turn right onto Lincoln Street and continue straight onto Main Street.
After passing the Roudenbush Community Center, bear left onto Depot Street. The Westford Knight carving is located about 100 yards down Depot Street on the right. You can park in the Abbot School parking lot and then walk back up Depot Street to see the stone carving of the Westford Knight.
WESTFORD — For nearly 300 years, the legend of the Westford Knight has enraptured local history buffs.
The intriguing legend of Scottish Prince Henry Sinclair’s expedition passing through town in 1398 has sparked both skepticism and excitement! Those who believe that members of this historic journey carved two stones—one in the ledge rock on Depot St and another, the boat stone, located in the collection of the Westford Museum —here might soon find compelling evidence to support their claims. Exciting discoveries could be on the horizon!
chalk outlineboat stone
In 2007, a Minnesota forensic geologist, Scott Wolter of American Petrographic Services, studied minerals from the Westford Knight stone to determine the age of its carvings. The stone, found in Westford, depicts a knight and is believed by some to honor a fallen member of the Scottish Gunn Clan. This aligns with an account from Antonio Zeno, a member of an expedition in the 1500s. Despite skepticism, Wolter previously proved that carvings on the Kensington Rune Stone predated Colonial settlements. The Boat Stone, discovered by the Westford Highway Department in the 1950s, features a 14th-century boat and other markings. Local authority David Brody emphasized that if the Boat Stone predates Colonial times, it would lend credibility to its carvings.
