Rosemorran (Standing Stone / Menhir) — Fieldnotes

At the site the wall curves round in a semi circle and in it ( the wall ) are two 9 footers (see photos) and two 6 footers, i couldn't help but imagine the wall not been there and just the stones on what would seem to be the circumference of a circle, it may be nothing, but i think it's a strange site. Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by bladup 7th February 2012ce

Hailes Wood Camp (Hillfort) — Images (click to view fullsize)

Posted by thesweetcheat 6th February 2012ce

Beckbury (Hillfort) — Images

Posted by thesweetcheat 6th February 2012ce

Higher Ridgegate (Standing Stone / Menhir) — Fieldnotes

Southeast of Macclesfield is a small village called Langley, head east through the village until you get to a pub called the Leathers Smithy, opposite the Ridgegate reservoir, turn left immediately after the pub and continue up hill until you get to a small 3 space carpark. Now back track down the lane and the stone is in the field to your right.. The stone is about four and a half foot tall, not tall, but a pretty standard height in Cheshire. It is seemingly unworked in any way, there are no holes for gates and such. The stone is about a mile south south east of Toothills barrow and stands on the edge of a small ridge and seems to ring true to me, in placing at least. Due to thick cold fog the views were unseen today but on a clearer day would be "quite good". Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by postman 6th February 2012ce

Higher Ridgegate (Standing Stone / Menhir) — Images

Posted by postman 6th February 2012ce

The Nine Stones of Winterbourne Abbas (Stone Circle) — Images

Posted by texlahoma 6th February 2012ce

The Grey Mare & Her Colts (Long Barrow) — Images

Posted by texlahoma 6th February 2012ce

The Grey Mare & Her Colts (Long Barrow) — Fieldnotes

English Heritage have now helpfully nailed a very small disk with their logo on to a fence post as you take the bridleway towards the Grey Mare & Her Colts and Kingston Russell stone circle. This I presume in case you don't notice the very large sign warning that the other trackway from the road leads to private property. Today the ground is frozen solid and the long grooves left by the farm vehicles and cattle are frozen solid. It begins to lightly snow as we reach the long barrow. This is a place well worth seeing, the structure of the site may no longer be intact, slightly ruinous even but still very much here within the landscape, and a truly amazing place it is! Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by texlahoma 6th February 2012ce

Kingston Russell (Stone Circle) — Fieldnotes

Maybe it's just the time of year but Kingston Russell seems much more visible on the approach from The Grey Mare & Her Colts than last time I was here, perhaps when the tree leaves , and hedges grow back and the grass is longer it would be as I remember it. There was no sign of the sign here anymore either, a circle without the sign, even better! Along with Hampton Down what I noticed most on this trip was the other ancient monuments all in view from each of these sites, their interconnectedness in the landscape. You might argue that this is because a lot of the monuments are on hills but the view between them only really opens up within the circles themselves. From standing in the center of Kingston Russell I have a view all the way across to Abbotsbury, Golden Cap, Seatown and Lyme Regis. Comments (1)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by texlahoma 6th February 2012ce

Kingston Russell (Stone Circle) — Images

Posted by texlahoma 6th February 2012ce

Hampton Down (Stone Circle) — Images

Posted by texlahoma 6th February 2012ce

Black Down Barrow Cemetery — Images

Posted by texlahoma 6th February 2012ce

Hampton Down (Stone Circle) — Fieldnotes

This must be one of the very best locations for a Stone Circle. The view across to Chesil Beach is very clear, as are Chapel Hill Abbotsbury and The Hellstone seen here and on the walk all the way down to the Portesham Hill Road, as well as Black Down Barrow Cemetery As said previously the condition of the circle itself is quite sad, although in recent years it does seem that the site is being maintained better than perhaps it has been in the past. Given that though this is a splendid place to have to yourself for a while, a stone circle with an incredible view on the crest of a Dorset Hill. Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by texlahoma 6th February 2012ce

Sutton Hall (Cairn(s)) — Fieldnotes

Just south of Macclesfield, near the outskirt village of Sutton lane Ends is this cairn, you'll probably need a map to find it, even though it's visible from the road, and on Google street view. I parked on the side of the icey road and set off across the field, for the first time today I was'nt trespassing but following a designated public path. Blyeck, but that didn't last long as I was forced into the field next door to get to the cairn. This is one big cairn, I would have been here ages ago had I known of it, not having enough money to get to Wales has it's advantages. Around 1877 it was dug into, a trench twelve feet long, six feet wide and eight feet deep revealing nothing but boulders, some split by fire. Again it was mutilated in the name of science by James Forde-Johnston of Manchester University in 1962 finding no primary burial but several secondary cremations. The big black water trough on top is quite unnecessary, and an awful blot on what is a mighty work of old, Sutton Hall farm....Ggggrrrrrrrr. As I approached the cairn the sheep legged it, all except one, Tripod was his name (mine) and he guarded the cairn well, but then even he yielded to me. Then as I got closer and the cairns size became apparent it looked like it could be big enough to have a chamber in it somewhere, but alas it is not so. The snow and the fog makes it look cold but i'm all togged up and impervious to such things, in time the fog lifts slightly enough to see the outline of hills, outliers of the Peak. Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by postman 6th February 2012ce

Hampton Down (Stone Circle) — Images

Posted by texlahoma 6th February 2012ce

Sutton Hall (Cairn(s)) — Images

Posted by postman 6th February 2012ce

Wester Clune (Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork) — Fieldnotes

05/02/2012 - Cold start to the day, very icy roads. We parked the car at the sawmill (NO 5907 9160), still going since 1820's (Link to Finzean Sawmill). Plan was a walk up Peter Hill with a visit to the 3 hut circles and cairnfield on the way. Crossed the bridge over the Water of Feugh next to the mill and followed track south till the gate with sign for the hill. This leads to the area with the hut circles. Managed to find the western circle OK but then our way to the another two was blocked by cows. I stood for a while trying to move them with the power of my mind but the main cow, sitting on a hillock, just stared at me with a 'not today thelonious, not today' look. We retreated and went west to Peter Hill. The other two hut circles will keep for another day. Nice area around here, very quiet. Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by thelonious 6th February 2012ce

Wester Clune (Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork) — Images

Posted by thelonious 6th February 2012ce

Wester Clune (Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork) — Links

RCAHMS archive Site record with a nice aerial photo for Wester Clune hut circles. Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by thelonious 6th February 2012ce

Capesthorne Park (Round Barrow(s)) — Fieldnotes

This ones dedicated to TheSweetcheat and his Dad and all our Dads without whom we just wouldn't exist. Parking can be tricky, there is no good place, I parked on the first corner to the south of the barrows on the A34 next to a pond. A five minute walk up the road brings us to the woods in which is the first of today's sites. A weakness in the hedge was exploited to good effect and I was in the woods, not knowing exactly where the barrows was, only that it was quite big, I simply headed up the slight hill to its highest point thinking that is where it would be. Twas. It is a big one too, bigger than I thought Cheshire had, shows what I know, and it shows you there's still plenty to see, even in your own back yard, though my back yard is fifty miles across and today it was foggy and snowy but not too cold. It was a strange one to photograph, from the south it's just another hilltop and there's a lot of dead wood about, especially on the northern side of the barrow, and all the trees about it either get in the way or make an avenue leading straight to it, there is a big mature tree growing right out of it's center. Iv'e driven past it a few times but never spotted it from the road, Iv'e only seen its northern nieghbour. Back on to the A34 and two hundred yards up the road and I can see the pedestal topped barrow dimly through the thick helpful fog. It was helpful because these barrows are on extremely private property, Capesthorne park, in thick fog no-one can see you sneak (sorry Aliens is on). So a quick jump over a gate and a straight to it walk of five minutes is all this trespass takes. The barrow is more plowed out than it's neighbour but is still quite prominent. The two barrows would have been inter visible if not for the trees and a house and the pea soup. The pedestal on top seems to serve no purpose other than to direct the eye across the perfect lawn, past the groups of four trees to the bump, to the barrow that is now only a lawn feature. I will have to come back in the spring to get another look, especially to the wooded one. Comments (5)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by postman 6th February 2012ce

Capesthorne Park (Round Barrow(s)) — Images

Posted by postman 6th February 2012ce