Re: Another Horestone in Gloucs, nr Rodborough | Forum

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Another Horestone in Gloucs, nr Rodborough

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baza Oct 23, 2011 09:02:55

Replying to tjj

It was reported on here in 2001:

http://www.headheritage.co.uk/headtohead/tma/topic/3125/threaded/22335

By "it" I mean the real Horestone, not Danny Sullivan's milestone which doesn't count.

I looked for the Horestone myself some years ago and couldn't find it, so I'd certainly like to see the stone's whereabouts posted on TMA.

thesweetcheat Oct 23, 2011 15:08:48

Replying to baza

The milestone is near the pub on the Rodborough Road (The Bull?) and can be visited along with Whitfield's Tump long barrow on Minchinhampton Common. There is a very similar milestone near the long barrow, the back of which is covered in small circular depressions:

http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/post/78607/whitfields_tump.html

The Rodborough milestone has some little fossils embedded in it, just for a bit of extra interest.

There is another broken milestone a bit further along the road as well. These are the ones that are mentioned in the Sulllivan book.

The other Horestone is in someone's garden I believe. It may be prehistoric, but the other's aren't.

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As an aside, Sullivan's book also mentions two little stones at the foot of Tom Long's Post on Minchinhampton common. One has a red reflector mounted on it. Contrary to the suggestion that they may be part of a vanished long barrow, they are modern. A photo of Tom Long's Post from the 1930s shows they were not there:

http://www.stroudphotos.co.uk/page7.htm

But by the 1960s:

http://www.francisfrith.com/minchinhampton/photos/tom-longs-post-c1960_m83060/#utmcsr=google.co.uk&utmcmd=referral&utmccn=google.co.uk

tjj Oct 23, 2011 20:45:45

Replying to baza

baza wrote:

It was reported on here in 2001:

http://www.headheritage.co.uk/headtohead/tma/topic/3125/threaded/22335

By "it" I mean the real Horestone, not Danny Sullivan's milestone which doesn't count.

I looked for the Horestone myself some years ago and couldn't find it, so I'd certainly like to see the stone's whereabouts posted on TMA.

Baza
Thanks for the link to the old thread, really helpful. I hope to be back in the area towards the end of the coming week and will be happy to post photos if I can manage to find the stone.

Drew, I will try to find and photograph both stones - lots of milestones around on Minchinhampton Common.

Tsc, thanks for your interesting post and photo - I walked around Whitfields Tump long barrow when I was in the area about three weeks ago but missed the stone. Will look out for it next time.

tjj Oct 27, 2011 20:47:34

Replying to baza

Thanks for interest in this stone. I did go to Minchinhampton Common today, with a friend in the rain - so many thanks as well to M for the transport and large umbrella.

We found the stone with some difficulty as it is tucked away in some obscure shrubbery in a turning at the bottom of a long down hill road within the rather exclusive looking Bownham Park estate (which also contains Bownham House). The houses look relatively recent and I imagine the land in question once marked the boundary between Minchinhampston and Rodborough Commons.

A grey oolite (?) stone similar to the Long Stone at Minchinhampton though not holey. It is set in concrete with a curious 'step' at the bottom - can only speculate on its intended use. Stands about 2 metres high though on a slope so difficult to judge - it is just by the entrance to a detached house at the top of a small road containing other similar properties.

Horestone on Rodborough Common

View approaching the stone

@Thesweetcheat - we also walked to the curious milestone mentioned by D.P. Sullivan about a quarter of a mile away just across the road from Whitfields Tump long barrow. The indentations on one side are odd aren't they - look like they were made with a hammer and chisel but very neat and round.

I've submitted this to the TMA EDs as a new site (or possibly a disputed site) and, if accepted, will add clearer instructions on how to find it and some more photos.