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

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Long Meg & Her Daughters (Stone Circle)

from the w3px poem exchange website, via the Stones mailing list

Long Meg, by A.S.W

Two fathoms long, she points the way
to children 'ranged in a special play'.
Her time has come, when from the sun
her shadow marks the year as done

Roseberry Topping (Sacred Hill)

Anyone planning a visit to Roseberry Topping is advised to either undergo a circuit training program, or strap themselves to a passing mule train, due to the near vertical slope of the hill --- a true challenge for the dedicated Odinistic explorer. Highly recommended. I last climbed RT about 15 years ago, at the start of the White Rose walk, 30 miles down to the Kilburn White Horse (and now the site of a rediscovered hillfort) - the sheer scale of the hill struck terror into our adolescent hearts, a never to be forgotten experience ...

recommended

London Stone (Standing Stone / Menhir)

from "A Rough Guide to Occult London"
http://www.newworldwoman.net/occultlondon1.html

THE LONDON STONE

The London Stone is the Omphalos of London and the Navel of Albion. The sacred centre of the capital city. Its origins are shrouded in mystery, one legend tells us that it was set there by Brutus to magically protect the city, another legend claims it was the Ancient Stone from which King Arthur pulled Excalibur.

The Stone was originally a tall monolith that lay at the centre of the city. Some authorities claim it pre-dates the Roman conquest, whilst others claim it was a Roman Milestone used for measuring the distances of journeys. But most sources agree that for centuries The London Stone was the site where proclamations would be made, laws would be passed and lords would be inaugurated.

And where does this mythical stone reside today? Its remaining fragment can be found unobtrusively tucked into a glass case, behind a metal grill, and set in the wall of the Overseas Chinese Banking Company opposite Cannon Street tube station. Forgotten and neglected by the millions who hurriedly pass it everyday without ever even noticing it's there.

http://www.bartleby.com/81/10475.html

E. Cobham Brewer 1810Ð1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.

London Stone.

The central milliarium (milestone) of Roman London, similar to that in the Forum of Rome. The British high roads radiated from this stone, and it was from this point they were measured. Near London Stone lived Fitz Alwyne, who was the first mayor of London.

London Stone was removed for security into the wall of St. SwithinÕs church, facing Cannon Street station, and secured from damage by an iron railing.

There are two inscriptions, one in Latin and one in English. The latter runs thus:Ñ

ÒLondon stone. Commonly belleved to be a Roman work, long placed about xxxv feet hence towards the south-west, and afterwards built into the wall of this church, was, for more careful protection and transmission to future ages, better secured by the churchwardens in the year of OVR LORD MDCCCLXIX.Ó

Windsor Castle - The Citadel

Talking to Holy McGrail about the new TMA site not long ago, he said that he was glad that no-one had yet abused the site submission facility ... "at least", he said, "no one's put in Windsor Castle" ...

err ...

I believe that the site that Windsor Castle now stands on, on the edge of the Great Park, home of Herne the Huntsman, and on the banks of the River Thames, does belong in the TMA. Very much so. At the centre of the Castle is a massive chalk mound (familiar?), that rises to over 100ft above the Thames. You don't really get a sense of that aspect of the site from the ground, but what we have is a Citadel that stamps it's presence over the surrounding area. Imagine it in it's "natural" state ... stripped of vegetation, gleaming in the reflected sunlight.

Accounts differ as to whether the chalk mound was already there when William the Conqueror built his Western base, one days march from the Tower of London (another White Mound).

We mustn't let the current occupants distort our vision of what *may* have been an vital centre of ancient existence. I might be totally wrong about the whole thing, but what can you do?

Here goes ...

Slough Glebe Farm Barrow (Round Barrow(s))

email from Bucks Archaelogical Service:

-------------------------

The barrow at Slough Farm only survives as a cropmark and as a very slight "bump". It is scheduled however, and we would strongly support reversion to grassland under Countryside Stewardship, if the farmer were ever to consider it.

Wittenham Clumps and Castle Hill (Hillfort)

Joseph Tubbs, 1844 - carved this poem on "Poem Tree" up the Clumps ...

As up the hill with labr'ing steps we tread
Where the twin Clumps their sheltering branches spread
The summit gain'd, at ease reclining lay
and all around the wide spread scene survey
Point out each object and instructive tell
The various changes that the land befel.
Where the low bank the country wide surrounds
That ancient earthwork form'd old Murcia's bounds.
In misty distance see the barrow heave,
There lies forgotten lonely Culchelm's grave.
Around this hill the ruthless Danes intrenched,
and these fair plains with gory slaughter drench'd,
While at our feet where stands that stately tower
In days gone by uprose the Roman power
And yonder, there where Thames smooth waters glide
In later days appeared monastic pride.
Within that field where lies the grazing herd
Huge walls were found, some coffins disinter'd
Such is the course of time, the wreck which fate
And awful doom award the earthly great."

Bedd Arthur (Stone Row / Alignment)

Without going on the Bluestone trip too much (Bedd Arthur overlooks Carn Meini, the alleged Stonehenge bluestone etc etc), it's interesting that Bedd Arthur is a horseshoe shape, as in the inner Stonehenge ring.

But it's possible this site isn't that old...there's no date on it, and Burl doesn't list it in my copy of his guide.

Nice place to stop by though, if you're passing.

RG

Gwernvale (Chambered Tomb)

From Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust - http://www.cpat.org.uk/cpat/past/meso/meso.htm

Excavations were undertaken between 1977-78 on the Neolithic chambered tomb just outside Crickhowell in advance of improvements to the A40. The buried soil beneath the cairn produced evidence of Mesolithic activity in the period between about 5900-5600 BC represented by characteristic flint points or microliths. This activity appears to have been superseded in about 3750 BC by a small settlement represented by a number of pits and traces of a timber structure, probably a house. Cereal grains recovered from the buried soil provide evidence of early agriculture.

The Neolithic tomb which overlay the earlier settlement appears to have continued in use for a period of about 500 years, between about 3750-3200 BC. The monument took the form of a long trapezoidal mound, about 45 metres in length, which contained four stone chambers entered from the sides of the mound (one of which is visible in the photograph right), with a ceremonial forecourt at the eastern end. This type of tomb is well known from other sites in the Cotswolds and the Breconshire Black Mountains, together with a number of outliers in North Wales. Evidence from other sites suggests that the chambers were used for communal burial possibly by different family groups.

Excavations were funded by the Welsh Office.

Cock Marsh (Barrow / Cairn Cemetery)

The big hill in the background is Winter Hill, where "Wind in the Willows" is set ... hurrah!

Foel Feddau (Cairn(s))

Watch out for the wasps nest at the top.

Castell Henllys (Hillfort)

This is the place where "Surviving the Iron Age" was filmed. Luckily, the site is everything the series wasn't. Get there by 2pm for the excellent guided tour.

Fantastic place - can't recommend it enough ...

Mynydd Carningli (Sacred Hill)

Haven't seen the archaelogical report myself, but apparently they found hemp seeds up here. "Hill of the Angels" indeed!
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