Stone: Bromley Millennium Rock
Bromley Millennium Rock
This boulder of Lewisian Gneiss from Lochinver in North West Scotland was presented to the people of Bromley by the Highland Council to commemorate the Millennium year.
It is a metamorphic rock over 2000 million years old and is one of the oldest rocks in the British Isles.
The Highland Council
Bromley Council
Ravensbourne Geological Society
Site: Bromley Millennium Rock (1 memorial)
SE19, Crystal Palace Park
Londonist tells us that there are other such lumps of Lewisian Gneiss around Bromley all transported from Scotland to mark the Millennium. Is this some strange, grown-up version of first-footing, using rock instead of coal?
2018: We've been contacted by Lynn Foley who tells us that the plaque on one of these rocks, the one in the Glades shopping centre, outside Belgos, has Lochinver spelt incorrectly, as "Lockinver". Coming from the Highlands Lynn has an affinity for these rocks and plans to visit them all. We hope she will share all the locations with us, and also check the spellings.
Lynn got back to us with a photo of the mis-spelt plaque. It is a newer, cheaper, type of plaque. Apart from "Lockinver" the only textural change we spotted is that "The London Borough of Bromley" has replaced "Bromley Council". So the new plaque may be due to some diktat concerning Bromley Council's branding (let's hope not) or (more likely) due to vandalism or theft of the original. Either way, it's a pity that after successfully negotiating "Millennium", "Lewisian" and "Gneiss" their spell-check failed on "Lochinver".
