The Modern Antiquarian. Stone Circles, Ancient Sites, Neolithic Monuments, Ancient Monuments, Prehistoric Sites, Megalithic MysteriesThe Modern Antiquarian

Gibbet Moor North

Stone Circle

Fieldnotes

I first tried to find this little stone circle well over a decade ago, failed miserably too. But seeing as Alkens visit was so fruitful I decided to give it another go.

Gibbet Moor is right across the road from Gardom's Edge, it could be loosely argued that this stone circle forms part of a vague linear thingy, that's the correct terminology I believe. Looking at the map there's stone circles and bunches of cairns stretching away to the north and the south. There was a lot going on round here in the past.
Unlike today, the place is forlorn and ghostly, I have the moor and the mist entirely to myself.

Daughter locked in the car, dozing under heaps of blankets, I start the long walk up the track, it seems to take forever, there should be a warning on maps, something like "places on the map may seem nearer than they really are". After an age or maybe two I reach the building on the map along the track. The tentative cross on my map suggests I walk east and slightly south from the farm building. So I do.
It doesn't take long for the building to melt away into the mist, all landmarks have now gone and I begin to wonder how on earth I will find my way back never mind the precious stones I've come to see.
I've photographed a few pictures off the screen at home with my phone in the hope they will be of some use in finding my way round but to no avail. Then I see the pallet standing up in the photo, then looking around desperately for a stood up pallet, still not availing. Then, and this is the last then, then I see the pallet. I stride towards it confident of finding stones, but there are none. Not far away is another stood up pallet, I wade over to it, it must be there. Nope
From this pallet, I can see a fallen one, I imagine the line going further and find another fallen pallet, from here I can see one stood up, it must be there, nope. Vaguely through the mist another pallet, I wonder if it is here, or did I go the wrong way at the first pallet, over I go. The pallets have numbers on them, this is number 4, it must be here I seem to have reached the end of the pallet line.
Explosive joy, I can see them, not twenty yards away, I squelch over to them.

It should be renamed Pallet stone circle.

If it is a stone circle.
So here I am, no wonder I didn't find them last time, I think I was further along the track from here, and they are so low that I would never have seen them from where I was looking.
I wonder if any actual investigation has ever been done here, beyond the odd stoner turning up for a quick visit. The addition of another stone would indeed make it a perfect four poster stone circle, but with just the three, it is only strongly suggestive. Taking into account the number of other similarly aged monuments, especially Hob Hurts house, a curious square barrow barely two kilometers south, tips the scale in our favour. I reckon.
After a sit around and the obligatory tidy up I photograph the stones and take my leave. Rewinding my approach I notice the numbering on the pallets are nonsensical, they don't follow on.
Just a small point.
I liked it here, despite the mist and lack of view, despite the cold and wet, I got a good vibe from the place, that more than anything else sells it to me.
postman Posted by postman
31st December 2017ce

Comments (2)

It was difficult to find without the mist, this must have been a right pain. Also I agree with you 100% about how long it took to walk up here. Mind you, I must have added at least an extra mile just walking round in circles on the hillside above the pallets. thesweetcheat Posted by thesweetcheat
31st December 2017ce
I was prepared to give it more time than it actually took. The pallets gave it to me on a pallet, plate. postman Posted by postman
31st December 2017ce
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