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

Druid Stoke

Burial Chamber

Fieldnotes

After a long visit to Bristol zoo (my favorite creature was a tiny bright green wasp) and a nice picnic on Durdham down in the centre of Bristol, I unveiled my megalithic plans for the rest of the day, they were less than enthusiastic it has to be said so I agreed to go easy on them, our first visit is to a dolmen that is no further from the road than someones house.......no really.
Along with Hamish's directions and the splendour that is Google Earth (streetview allows you to take a real look at what your looking for) it was a piece of cake to find the place even in the most hateful place on Earth... the city.

Parking was easy, the house is number 59 and there is a name plaque next to the front door saying Cromlech, just in case there was any doubt.
I gave the doorbell a push and the lady of the house soon came, wearing my most pleasant of faces I asked politely if she had a burial chamber in her back yard, and could we please have a quick look, I gave my camera bag a tap as if it would explian everything, she looked a bit perplexed for a second and I thought I'd got the wrong house, then realisation dawned upon her face and she said its over there behind you, "Really"? said I, "oh yeah, can we have a quick look"?
"Sure you can" she replied, I dont think she gets many visitors, which is a shame, because how many dolmens survive in these urban settings, more than you think but still not many.
The capstone is bigger and longer than I expected and looks as though only one upright is left kind of supporting the capstone, since the last TMAer visit five years ago the garden has come on really well from a gardening perspective
and I do really like gardens but not when it obscures me stones, take solace knowing that the stones are safe and might outlast the roads and houses it is surrounded by, as we walked back to the car, down the road is the only hint at what kind of view it would have enjoyed all those years ago, looking down into the wooded Avon valley, it then reminded of Gwal Y Filiast in Wales, and what does Avon mean? its Welsh of course for river.
postman Posted by postman
1st August 2010ce
Edited 1st August 2010ce

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