Re: Circles under churches | Forum — The Modern Antiquarian

Alton Priors 2

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Circles under churches

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moss Jan 25, 2007 17:47:22

Replying to Littlestone

Pevesner says.... All Cannings; no mention of sarsens, but Norman beginnings (so probably no saxon) but at All Cannings Cross 3/4 miles an Iron Age settlement and Rybury Camp 1 mile ne..

Bishops Canning - large church, again Norman is the earliest mentioned; apparently it has a penitential chair, or at least where one might have been under a gigantic painted hand with a large number of latin tags (death and sin) painted on the fingers! Kitchen barrow 2 miles away

http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/5077

Littlestone Jan 25, 2007 18:50:36

Replying to moss

Thanks moss.

When Alton Barns and Alton Priors are also included you begin to see a whole bunch of churches centred in a really very small area. Not dissimilar to the concentration of churches around Avebury - must surely indicate an ongoing tradition of pre-Christian activity in those areas that the Church felt it needed to subdue (or assimilate). Wonder if there's actually a trail of churches with pre-Christian elements beginning at Winterbourne Bassett, through Avebury and on to Stonehenge? Pewsey church is the last one that I know of en route to Stonehenge with pre-Christian elements but there might be more along the way - something to suss out on a warm summer's day.