Stukeley's sketch

Boscawen-Ûn 6

Image by Alchemilla

ocifant Apr 18, 2007 18:43:13

Looking at this, it occurred to me that something was wrong here. Then I twigged it.

The way he's drawn the shadows, the 'Entrance' is on the west of the circle - where the quartz stone is. Would this have been the entrance? Everything today point sto the entrance being opposit ethis stone, where the gate is now, at the end of the track to the farm.

Is this just another example of Stukeley's inconsistency and artistic license?

Chris Bond Apr 18, 2007 20:14:32

Replying to ocifant

The entrance was then and still is almost due west. It is debatable, though, as to whether this entrance is original. The part of the circle adjacent to the gate at the end of the lane is where the supposed barrow was.

Hob Apr 18, 2007 20:49:19

Replying to ocifant

I think there's probably quite a bit of artistic license been going on over the years.
Looking at Borlase's sketch, I'd assumed the two stones marked 'a' and 'b' were the same ones that Stukeley has as the entrance. But the number of stones is wrong for that, and neither of these match with Blight's or Cotton's drawings. Colour me baffled.

Of course it would probably help if I'd actually been there...