Re: Circles under churches | Forum — The Modern Antiquarian

Alton Priors 2

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Circles under churches

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Pete G May 5, 2005 00:45:33

Replying to Littlestone

Alton Priors church seems to be the exception.
I have Never come across this sort of access to stones inside a church before.
I have seen churches with no visible signs of stones from the outside but visible once in the church (cunning eh?)
and several in the porch (Sussex) so they can be touched on the way in.
I think the Alton Priors mystery lies in Who paid for the the trap doors.
PeteG

FourWinds May 5, 2005 07:41:26

Replying to Pete G

There's a beautiful Xtianised standing stone in the porch of St Audoen's (St. Odin's !!!????*) in Dublin, known as <i>The Lucky Stone</i>. The church is Norman and the stone has been kept there since around 1300, but is much older. The stone is not local and was probably an eratic, but I've not heard anyone say where it came from. It's a dark, almost black, stone full of bits of mica and quartz. Obviously volcanic but not from the Wicklows.

The stone used to mark the start of the ancient road that crossed Ireland from coast to coast between the two Hurdle Bridges (the Irish name for Dublin, <i>Baile Atha Cliath</i>, means 'Town of the Hurdle Bridge').

* The reason why I think it could be St. Odin's is that it is just 100m from where they uncovered the main Viking settlement in Dublin. I've not heard anyone else propose this, but it does seem pretty obvious to me.

Littlestone May 5, 2005 13:02:37

Replying to Pete G

> I think the Alton Priors mystery lies in Who paid for the trap doors.

Ah... an interesting point (is that a rhetorical question Pete or do you know :-)

I can't remember, and will need to go back and check, but are the stones lying on the original church floor? If they're on the original floor it probably means they were in view (and in use) up to when they were covered over (when was that?). The trap doors only seem to make sense in the context of allowing people continued access to the stones to do whatever they may have been doing for centuries.

There must still be a bit of inherited knowledge/wisdom about the stones amongst the locals - has anyone asked them do you know? I wouldn't mind doing it myself but don't want to bother local people by asking questions they may already have been asked.