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Eyam Moor

<b>Eyam Moor</b>Posted by bazaImage © baza
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Sites in this group:

3 posts
Cup stone Cup Marked Stone
15 posts
Eyam Moor Barrow Cairn(s)
8 posts
Eyam Moor II Stone Circle
10 posts
Eyam Moor III Stone Circle
9 posts
1 site
Stanage Cup Marked Stone
24 posts
Wet Withens Stone Circle

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<b>Eyam Moor</b>Posted by baza

Fieldnotes

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Here is a route covering all the sites listed for Eyam Moor. It is just over 5 Km and earlier this week took me just under 2 hours in good weather. It could take substantially longer in poor visibility, especially without the use of a GPS to locate Wet Withens, and of course when you spend time looking at things!

Starting at the bend in Sir William Hill Road at SK 224780, take the path running NE. It runs alonside a wall for 500 m and then after the wall turns off to the E, the path continues NE across the moor. In another 500 m you will see down below you to your right a right-angled corner in the wall 200 m away. Head straight down through the heather to Eyam Moor III stone circle (SK 2320 7881) which is just to the NW of the corner and can be seen as a green bilberry mound.

Next head N to the end of the delapidated wall and follow it for about 100 m until you reach 2 gate posts through which runs the footpath down to Leam. To find Eyam Moor II stone circle (SK 2316 7897) go 30 m SW along the footpath back towards your starting point to a large rock in the middle of the path. There is now a raised circular bank of about 10 m diameter immediately to the left of the path which marks the site of the circle.

To get to Wet Withens (SK 2254 7900), return to the gate posts and follow a compass bearing due W through the heather for 650 m. Locating it in the heather can be extremely difficult. The most noticeable features to look out for are the pile of rocks in Eyam Moor Barrow 30 m N of the circle and the tallest stone at the NE of the circle (lots of photos on the site).

Navigation but not the going underfoot now gets easier. Head SW towards the mast near the top of Sir William Hill that hopefully will be clearly visible. Knee high heather is intermixed with waist deep bracken but after about 800 m you come to a wall running across the moor. Climb over the barbed wire in a gap in the wall and follow the path to the NW on the other side. In about 500 m the tops of the trees in Gotherage Plantation can just be seen to your left and 2 tall stones looking like gateposts appear in the wall. Now head W along a gap in the heather for about 100 m and find the Stanage Cup-Marked Stone (SK 2152 7870). The Stanage (Ring) Cairn with another cup-marked stone is clearly visible 40 m to the S (SK 21540 78663).

A footpath can be found about 10 m to the W. Follow it S to Sir William Hill Road and then go E to return to your starting point. Be prepared to get back with very wet legs if it has been raining but look forward to lots of bilberries if you get the season right - they wre still plenty this week!
Idwal Posted by Idwal
16th September 2006ce
Edited 16th September 2006ce

Folklore

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There is, in the neighbourhood of Eyam, a very popular tradition of some great chief, or king, having been buried in this barrow; and it has been frequently explored in search of something appertaining to him. Nothing, however, has ever been found except the urn; but in the vicinity, spears, arrow-heads, axes, hatchets, and a many other remains of antiquity have been turned up. About a mile west of this barrow there was, about forty years ago, another of great dimensions: it stood on Hawley's piece. The diameter at the base was twenty-two yards, and about twelve yards high. When the Moor was enclosed, it was carried away to make fences. An urn of great size was found near the centre on the ground, and was carried away to the residence of the person who found it; but was afterwards broken and buried. The person who had this precious relic of antiquity, was persuaded by his silly neighbours that it was unlucky to have such a thing in the house; and on losing a young cow, he immediately buried it.
From 'The History and Antiquities of Eyam' by William Wood (1842). He also spouts a lot about Druids and even Phoenicians - but I suppose it was the fashionable explanation. Though he gets a little carried away with talk of the sacrifice of a 'lovely female' with her 'heaving bosom'. Hmm.

He does however, also mention
One large stone ont he Moor has been a great object of curiosity, from it having a circular cavity in the top about a foot in diameter, and the same in depth. The stone is of an extraordinary size - by far the largest on the Moor. It is conjectured to have been the altar, or central stone of some large circle, but of which there is no trace now. That this place was one of the principal places of the Druids there are numberless proof; but as it is out of the road to any place of note, it has been rarely noticed.
Is this something people recognise?
Rhiannon Posted by Rhiannon
21st December 2011ce
Edited 22nd December 2011ce

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Julie Woodhouse Landscape Photography


A good photo of a multiplr-pocked cup-stone on Eyam Moor
Posted by Serenissima
9th September 2002ce

Julie Woodhouse Landscape Photography


Nice image of Wet Withens
Posted by Serenissima
9th September 2002ce

Latest posts for Eyam Moor

Showing 1-10 of 76 posts. Most recent first | Next 10

Cup stone (Cup Marked Stone) — Images (click to view fullsize)

<b>Cup stone</b>Posted by megadread megadread Posted by megadread
14th April 2011ce

Cup stone (Cup Marked Stone) — Fieldnotes

Around 200 metres NNE of Wet Withens stone circle, with no path leading to it, a single cup mark on the NNW face of a largish but mostly covered boulder.

I found this whilst hunting for a possible piece of rock art further to the West, pointed out by Paulus on TNA, i didn't find the piece but discovered this whilst taking a direct route off the moor due to torrential rain.

Good old British weather eh. !
megadread Posted by megadread
14th April 2011ce

Cup stone (Cup Marked Stone) — Images

<b>Cup stone</b>Posted by megadread megadread Posted by megadread
14th April 2011ce

Wet Withens (Stone Circle) — Fieldnotes

For my money the easiest approach is from the point where Sir William Hill Road coming out of Grindleford meets two footpaths and turns into a track at SK2245 7742. Easy parking on the lane. Between the two footpaths is a third track visible on Google Earth though not shown on the OS map. It heads towards the circle and forks - take L fork and then you can pick up track(s)on R to the circle. However, the ease is relative, and I would recommend using GPS.

My interpretation of the site would be that it feels as if its designed for an 'audience' to the S observing activity with the dramatic skyline as a backdrop.
Posted by Ubik
3rd April 2011ce

Stanage (Cup Marked Stone) — Images

<b>Stanage</b>Posted by fitzcoraldo fitzcoraldo Posted by fitzcoraldo
18th March 2011ce

Wet Withens (Stone Circle) — Images

<b>Wet Withens</b>Posted by Blingo_von_Trumpenst Blingo_von_Trumpenst Posted by Blingo_von_Trumpenst
2nd February 2011ce

Eyam Moor Barrow (Cairn(s)) — Images

<b>Eyam Moor Barrow</b>Posted by megadread megadread Posted by megadread
29th August 2010ce

Wet Withens (Stone Circle) — Fieldnotes

A new path has been cut across the moor and passes with in 150 metres or so of the circle and the barrow.
They've basically mown a 3 metre wide section through the heather and bilberry.
At one point the path seems to end, but carry on a few metres and you'll find it again, you'll still have to keep your eyes peeled for the barrows though, then head off the path towards it through the heather.
This is by far the easiest access i've known to the area of the monuments.
megadread Posted by megadread
29th August 2010ce

Eyam Moor Barrow (Cairn(s)) — Images

<b>Eyam Moor Barrow</b>Posted by megadread megadread Posted by megadread
29th August 2010ce

Wet Withens (Stone Circle) — Images

<b>Wet Withens</b>Posted by GLADMAN GLADMAN Posted by GLADMAN
18th July 2010ce
Showing 1-10 of 76 posts. Most recent first | Next 10