Earliest memory of a megalithic site

nigelswift Oct 4, 2006 08:51:03

Mine was probably in the late fifties, though it was accidental. A pee break halfway over the Berwin mountains.
Can anyone match that? Old(er) people and those who had previous lives aren't eligible.

My main reason for posting is to see if anyone can tell me which site it was. I'd quite like to revisit it. Travelling westwards, miles from anywhere, a dumpy set of stones maybe 100 yards uphill to the left/south of the road. I half remember an isolated gravestone nearby as well.

It was another era - dusk coming, miles from anywhere, not much petrol and the radiator of my father's minute Austin boiling every couple of miles. "Happy days" as old liars often say.

Kammer Oct 4, 2006 09:31:11

Replying to nigelswift

nigelswift wrote:

Mine was probably in the late fifties, though it was accidental.

I think it was Dyffryn Ardudwy, but I have no photos of that. However, there's a photographic record of our family visit to Capel Garmon in 1983...

http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/post/9358

It was another era - everyoneone wore knee high red socks, and denim shorts. The old Vauxhall Astra did us proud, with absolutely no radiator problems.

;-)#

K x

Wiggy Oct 4, 2006 10:14:20

Replying to nigelswift

Stonehenge in the late 60's - I grew up about a mile away.
I have really fond memories of us going up as a family in the 70's to the free festival - heady days. =;0)

Littlestone Oct 4, 2006 10:14:36

Replying to nigelswift

Old(er) people and those who had previous lives aren't eligible.

I'm not playing if previous lives aren't eligible :-(

My earliest memory is standing with me brother on Waden Hill, looking out to West Kennet Long Barrow, the wind blowing through our hair. The barrow was there but they hadn't started on Silbury yet.

StoneLifter Oct 4, 2006 10:27:09

Replying to nigelswift

Spring festival at Rivington Pike - very young ...

FourWinds Oct 4, 2006 11:02:46

Replying to nigelswift

I can remember climbing all over Stonehenge as a four year old. Sorry, but everyone did it back then :-)

moss Oct 4, 2006 11:06:51

Replying to nigelswift

Silbury hill, like Vicster moving on, I chose Calne to put down roots because of Avebury, but it was that heart-stopping moment when it swings into view and you realise that Silbury is man made - it cuts straight through the nonsense of modern life..

goffik Oct 4, 2006 11:29:04

Replying to nigelswift

We used to go to Totternhoe Knoll, the Sharpenhoe Clappers and Ivinghoe Beacon when I was very little (throughout the Seventies). I remember playing there, but had no idea they were hillforts or owt!

Also spent a lot of time running over the Five Knolls on Dunstable Downs, but again, never really realised what they were (I knew, of course, that they were burial mounds, but little else) till some time after... All our history lessons were based around the Roman occupation and later, you see, with very little about the prehistory. As is, I believe, the norm..!

Also remember, on a school trip in the Eighties, the coach drove past Stonehenge just as Concorde was flying overhead - I loved that! Quite an amazing image.

G x

tiompan Oct 4, 2006 12:04:12

Replying to nigelswift

Aged 12 moving to within 200 yards of Balgarthno stone circle .

sam Oct 4, 2006 12:46:01

Replying to nigelswift

Mine would be playing in Lligwy burial chamber - it was just a cool place to go and hide, and have a picnic. I was probably about 4 years old.

Also remember going to Arbor Low with the family, as we have relatives nearby. Apparently I spent more time playing with the farm cat than looking at the stones though.

sam

ryaner Oct 4, 2006 12:52:56

Replying to nigelswift

A school outing to Newgrange in the early seventies. No vistior centre, no quartz facade, no real interest in the whole gig. Just glad to get out of the classroom for a day.

postman Oct 4, 2006 13:23:25

Replying to nigelswift

Back in 1983 when I was 14 our school trip went to menai and there was a dolmen right out side the front door ,I'm not sure if it was Plas Newydd,does any other menai centre have it's own dolmen?new or old

CianMcLiam Oct 4, 2006 17:40:21

Replying to nigelswift

It could have been The Griswolds knocking over Stonehenge with their car in National Lampoons European Vacation in 1985!

Newgrange was only a few miles away from where I grew up so I'm sure that it figures somehwere but without a specific memory I dont think it can qualify :( I did bring my wife-to-be there on our first proper date though!

I do remember being fascinated by the mysterious Knowth and Dowth when our teacher explained they were just as big and old as Newgrange but were not visited. At that time we were told Newgrange was the oldest building in the world or something like that, didn't have a clue for years what was really out there and thought Newgrange was a unique freak of history.

BigSweetie Oct 4, 2006 21:53:52

Replying to nigelswift

I can't remember what I had for lunch!

Cheers
Andy

Hob Oct 4, 2006 22:25:57

Replying to nigelswift

Castlerigg in the early 70s.
Vague memories of being slightly confused about what a 'druid' was meant to be, and why they'd not finished building it.

whatisthat Oct 7, 2006 20:08:06

Replying to nigelswift

nigelswift wrote:

Mine was probably in the late fifties, though it was accidental. A pee break halfway over the Berwin mountains.
Can anyone match that? Old(er) people and those who had previous lives aren't eligible.

My main reason for posting is to see if anyone can tell me which site it was.

Can't tell where this can be in Berwyn Nigel despite a long think. Where were you going? Where were you coming from (I'm serious)? Was this the 1850's or 1950's? More clues please.

Rhiannon Oct 9, 2006 08:06:35

Replying to nigelswift

I've racked my brains and realised mine is being driven past Gwernvale
http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/530
as little child every year on the way to visit relations in Wales. I don't remember what I thought it was, but I know I used to look out for it as a landmark, and I knew it was something weird and old. Otherwise, the obvious memory is Stonehenge at age about 11. But I know I was into archaeology before that (maybe just R*man things. there was more of that about in our neck of the woods).

rocknicker Oct 9, 2006 08:10:41

Replying to nigelswift

I honestly can't remember. I presume it would have been either Castlerigg or Long Meg but can't have been very memorable.

Thing is, my school (and others locally) made a much bigger deal of the R*man stuff hereabouts. So I can remember my first trip to Vindolanda. It seemed to take weeks to get there but it's only about 25 miles.

Crap answer sorry!

Moth Oct 9, 2006 11:13:18

Replying to nigelswift

I REALLY wish I remembered. I certainly don't remember going to anything prehistoric as a kid.

The best I can do is regularly seeing the sign to Kit's Coty* as we drove past (or as a teenager, I cycled past). I was always interested in Stonehenge whenever it 'came up' but never went, & like others here, loved Children of the Stones....

(*Neither knowing or caring what it was.)

Other than that, I can't even remember my first from once I started actually visiting prehistoric sites. That was around 94-95, as my girlfriend at the time was kind of interested & we both liked stomping around the countryside.

The first ones I can remember are a trip to Avebury & a trip to Dartmoor seeing Belstone Nine Stones http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/1298, Cosdon Hill stone row http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/4609, Merrivale and a few other Dartmoor thangs.

Don't know whether the Avebury or Dartmoor trip was first & I may have forgotten something earlier!

love

Moth