Dear Team,

I like the banter. However, what you are both probably not aware of is that during the excavation of the site, a clear vertical cut was recorded within the cairn that originally formed the mound of the Portal Dolmen. The cut lay close to the upper (buried) face of the former capstone. From this and other bits of evidence it was clear to me that I was dealing with a two-phased monument: first phase as a Portal Dolmen and then, during the Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age, after the burial monument had fallen out of use and had become denuded, the capstone was up-ended and used as a standing stone. Close by to the north on a ridge are three/four BA barrows/cairns. Finds were limited but we did retrieve three pierced slate beads, possible Late Mesolithic in date. We intend to do more work there in 2011 so, alas still lots of 'may bes' - just in case! Take care -GHN