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Goffik,
If you were heading for Old Winchester Hill, you most probably took the Bishops Waltham road, which is the left hand fork after Botley station (wait...of course you took the BW road 'cos Curdridge church is on it!). Kitnocks Hill is on the Wickham road, which is the right fork.

Old Winchester Hill is great - been going up there for 38 years - have you seen the tree-shrouded dew pond up there called Seven Wells? Beacon Hill, across the Meon valley from O.W.H. is also worth looking at. There's a Bronze Age linear bank there(traceable in the car park), the line of which appears to be extended by the modern road, which itself aligns on the deserted medieval village of Lomer,named after a tree-shrouded pond (is there a theme developing here?).

Do have a look round Curdridge, I'd be interested to know what you think and what you might find out. Not strictly 'prehistoric' perhaps, although a Bronze Age urn was found on Kitnocks Hill in the nineteenth century, which is now in the Winchester Museum. I do wonder, though, whether some of these witch stories convey echoes of primeval goddesses - if Curdridge was in Ireland would we be talking about 'the Cailleach' or a Sidh woman?

Another thing that needs sorting is whether Kitty Nocks and another Curdridge witch, Kate Hunt, are different people, or the same woman with different names. Kate Hunt, or 'Hare Kate' used to transform into a white hare, until she was shot with a silver bullet (fashioned from a sixpence?). She used to ride a five-bar gate to meetings at Bishops Waltham. She was also associated with Pink Mead, by the River Hamble at Botley.
Cheers,
SI

Seventhorn Inn wrote:
Do have a look round Curdridge, I'd be interested to know what you think and what you might find out. Not strictly 'prehistoric' perhaps, although a Bronze Age urn was found on Kitnocks Hill in the nineteenth century, which is now in the Winchester Museum. I do wonder, though, whether some of these witch stories convey echoes of primeval goddesses - if Curdridge was in Ireland would we be talking about 'the Cailleach' or a Sidh woman?
Bingo!

The Bronze Age urn means it has possible/probable prehistoric provenance, so I don't feel bad talking about it now! ;) I must say I'm intrigued, and will certainly be doing some snooping on the subject...

I did indeed go the route you suggested (IE the other way!) but noticed the hill mentioned on the map to the right of where we were.

I can't help but think, as you've alluded to, that the "witch" legend could have older roots. I'm sure there's lots of demon/witch/monster stories around that were probably created to stop people visiting the site or worshipping at an old temple or sacred spot. Those bloomin' christians, eh? ;)

I've not seen the dew pond on Old Winchester Hill! Or rather I saw what I presumed was a dew pond but it wasn't surrounded by trees or owt. Maybe there's more than one? I'd love to hear more info about it though - where abouts on the hill is it? Our problem is that our young boy can't walk as far as we'd like, so by the time we get to the hill, he's had enough, so exploring is out of the question! I think an earlier start and a picnic might solve that one... :)

G x