Mysterious 1910 Date Stone, Stocks Lane

At one of the junctions to Stocks Lane, at Middop off the A682 Blacko-Gisburn Road, is a datestone built into a dry-stone wall. It says 1910 and would not normally attract much attention. It’s slightly unusual to build a wall and feel the need to notify passers-by of the date of its construction, but this is hardly worth the effort of a blog. There is something unusual about this date-stone though: a couple of years ago, it wasn’t there.

Someone felt the need to place it in the wall. Maybe it was a local resident who believed the stone belonged in the wall and resolved to put it in its rightful place. Maybe someone found it and thought it too nicely carved to not be displayed. Who knows. Then, a year or so ago, it disappeared again. Someone removed it and built the wall back up. Then, a month ago- yep, you’ve guessed correctly- it reappeared. The stone must be a couple of feet long and would be rather heavy to lift. When it is removed, the wall is filled in again with other stones. Who is going to all this trouble? Is it some signal among the criminal fraternity? Does it refer to ten past seven in the evening? Is it some other code?

Answers on a postcard, please.