LAST week's question about the Blue Stone in Sherburn village provoked a number of interesting responses.

A: IN answer to your question on the Sherburn Blue Stone. I was born in Sherburn in 1935 in Smith Street. The Blue Stone was a meeting point in the centre of the village for miners who were changing shifts from Sherburn Hill. I believe it was next to Sally's Fish Shop at the time. - Hugh Pritchard, Shadforth.

FOLLOWING your recent question on the Blue Stone of Sherburn Village, I telephoned my sister and she said the street where it stood was called Hallgarth Street, which was pulled down for new houses. The stone was moved further along to outside the chiropodists.

I am 77 and lived in Sherburn from 1926-1944 and remember the Blue Stone well. It was a regular meeting place. I seem to remember that there were two houses nearby called West Sands and Black Burns. The stone was dark blue and very smooth and, if I remember correctly, three feet high. - Margaret Clarke (nee Gray), Brandon.

FURTHER to your question on the Blue Stone at Sherburn. The WI booklet, The Story of Our Village (February 1960), says that the Blue Stone was a small, pear-shaped stone, probably originating in the glacier age and describes it as about two feet high and standing near the corner of a house since demolished.

It was certainly used as a seat and I often sat on it when I was taken for walks with my grandfather. He used to tell me that it came from Sherburn House Colliery. The stone was close-grained and was a heavy blue/grey shale of a type found in the local coal measures.

I think it disappeared, I suspect in a skip when this area of the village was redeveloped. I am 66 and lived in the village from 1934-1958. - W Local, Peterlee.

WILF Colledge, a colleague at The Northern Echo, who lives near Sherburn, confirms that the stone is still there and stands close to a bakery. He thinks this building was once a Reading Room.

MICHAEL Richardson, a local historian from Gilesgate telephoned to say the Sherburn Blue Stone is still there but notes that it is no longer blue, having been painted white about two years ago.

Michael is uncertain of the stone's origin but dismisses a local legend that it was a meteorite. He knows it was used as a meeting point, but has verbal evidence to support his theory that it was used as a pick up point for horse-drawn wagons, because of its proximity to a crossroads.

Michael mentions two other Blue Stones in the Durham area. One is still at the junction of a road between Carrville and Belmont. It may be associated with a nearby farm called Blue House Farm.

He says that another Blue Stone existed on Gilesgate Bank in Durham but has long since gone. Peter Jeffries, also of Gilesgate, says this particular stone was removed to St Giles Churchyard in 1964.

Bulmer's Stone, a large glacial boulder in Darlington's Northgate was used as a meeting place like Sherburn's stone but I have never heard this described as a Blue Stone. It is still a bit of a mystery what Blue Stones are or who placed them in their present position. If you know, write to me.

*l If you have a Burning Question, or can improve on any of the answers above, please write to Burning Questions, The Northern Echo, Priestgate, Darlington, DL1 1NF