Latest Fieldnotes

Visited 12.2.12

Saw this on the O/S map and thought I would check it out as I was heading north towards Porlock stone circle.
It can be found off the B3223 just south of Exford.

There is plenty of room to park at the entrance to a Room Hill reservoir building and the Barrow can be seen from the field gate.
A quick walk across the field and you are there. No public right of access but as no one was about.....................

The Barrow has been well mangled and now only stands about 1 metre high and about 20 metres across. By far the most interesting feature are the 4 stones which stand proud of the Barrow forming a semi-circle. Presumably these are the remains of the retaining stones which once supported the Barrow? Each stone is of a similar size – about 1 foot square. An unexpected bonus. Good views are also to be had.

Near the Barrow is a strange brick building with no door or window. Access is via a metal hatch in the roof. No idea what it is for – perhaps something to do with the reservoir? There is a trig point near the building.

The stones make this Barrow worth a visit when in this part of Exmoor.

Failed visit 12.2.12

By now it was almost dark but I thought I would at least make a token effort to see if I could spot any of the stones. I couldn’t!

Besides the problem with the light; the stones are only 10cms high and the heather (which covers the whole area) is waist height – no contest!

I think even in the middle of the day it would be very difficult to spot any of the stones – it would probably involve feeling with you feet. Good luck!

Visited 12.2.12

What a job it was trying to find this!

I was particularly looking forward to visiting this site as it is not every day you get a chance to visit a new stone circle

The weather had been fantastic and I was looking forward to watching the sun go down from a stone circle – something I had never done before. That was the plan anyway!

We drove up, we drove down. We drove up again and down again. All the while the light fading as the sun finally set on the horizon. Still no sign of the circle.

What was throwing us is that the O/S map shows the stones next to a sheep fold and previous notes also refer to a sheep fold. The sheep fold is no longer there!

We eventually found the circle by stopping at every field gate and (ignoring the no entry signs) having a look around in the field.

This is the best advice I can give for anyone looking for the circle:
The circle is close to the road but you obviously need to find the right field gate. Travelling north the circle is on the left. Keep an eye out for a small brick bridge that the road goes over (over a small stream). The field gate you need is the one just before the bridge. Once you have the right gate access is easy!

The circle is visible from the gate but it is no effort to climb over it – no barbed wire!

Probably due to frustration in finding the thing (plus the fact that I had missed the sunset) I was a little disappointed with this stone circle. There were only 3 or 4 stones of any size (about 2 feet high) – the rest were very small and quite loose in the soil. They were easily moved with one hand and could have been easily pulled out of the ground if someone had wanted to. The larger stones were earth fast. The smaller stones also looked completely different to the larger stones. Why have such discrepancies in stone size? It does make me wonder if the smaller stones have been added later to perhaps show where the original larger stones once stood? They were so shallow in the ground I don’t see how they could have stood for thousands of years! The largest stone is a fallen one – about 4ft long.

I am glad I found the circle but all in all a bit of a disappointment.

Situated SSW of Trawlebane Circle, it is one of several stones in the area. Take the lane leading South from near the circle and the stone is in a field to the left. There is a gate right by it so access is easy.

Foel Feddau, a nice medium sized hill (for Wales, anyway), lies upon the main east/west ridge of the legendary Mynydd Preseli. The summit is probably most easily attained from the B4329 at Bwlch Gwynt (windy pass) to the west... however, finding myself upon Foel Cwm-Cerwyn’s grassy northern cairn – as you do, if partial to such things – the decision is simply whether to visit at all. Needless to say some fantastic winter light draws me in and I really have no choice... like a moth to the flame. Sure, the hillside may be all a’glow, but, seeing as I choose to abandon the main path and ‘cut the corner’ to the north-east, the only heat in evidence is that I generate myself as I stagger and stumble across the rough terrain.

As I draw nearer I’m still none the wiser as to the relative size of the Bronze Age cairn which surmounts Foel Feddau. It is only upon reaching the summit that the annoying walker’s cairn is placed in proper perspective as a puny little construction set upon a massive, grassy monument. To be honest the grass mantle does make it somewhat hard to differentiate cairn from hillside at first, but several distinctly ‘artificially placed’ stones upon the flanks reveal the truth upon closer inspection. But don’t take my word for it... Coflein reckons the monument ‘....still stands up to 3.4m high. (J.Wiles 26.02.02)’. Not sure what the dimensions of Foel Drygarn’s (apparently now restored) trio are, but is this possibly Mynydd Preseli’s finest cairn?

It is also a great viewpoint, the main treasures of the massif lying beyond Mynydd-bach to the east, the wondrous Mynydd Carningli and the coast to the north-west.... not to mention the landscape of Pentre Ifan, Bedd yr afanc and Craig Rhos y felin – the latter apparently the confirmed source of the bluestones – below to the north. That’s just for starters, worthy of much more time than I have at my disposal. Incidentally RiotGibbon’s ‘wasp nest’ was not in evidence... possibly dormant for winter, possibly abandoned? However I’ve seen a number occupying South Walian cairns, so don’t hold me to that. I suggest any visitor respects the little blighters if he/she knows what’s good for them!

All in all I reckon Foel Feddau’s well worth the diversion, you might say... particularly if combined with a visit to Foel Cwm-Cerwyn.

Visited 12.2.12

Directions: Just north of the B3224 – east out of Wheddon Cross
There is room to park next to the field gate / public footpath sign.

Karen sat in the car reading her book whilst I carried Sophie and Dafydd trooped behind us. We went through the gate and walked along the snow covered grass, heading uphill towards the Barrows. I pointed out to Dafydd some fox (I think) prints in the snow and various other animal prints. Dafydd insisted in examining these prints very carefully and following them towards the hedgerow. I told him to be careful not to slip. Needless to say he slipped onto his bum and slid down the bank – much to the amusement of Sophie who chuckled away like a good ‘un. Sisters – eh?

There are 3 Barrows on the summit of the hill. It is only the top of the nearest Barrow that you can see from the field gate. As you reach the top of the hill the other two appear into view. There is a trig point on the smallest of the Barrows. The Barrows are surrounded by fences to help protect them – which is obviously a good thing. The smaller of the Barrows is about 1 metre high; the other two are about two metres high. The largest Barrow is about 15 metres across.

On the way back to the car Dafydd decided to go ‘ice skating’ on a frozen puddle. Needless to say it wasn’t long before he slipped over again. Sophie chuckled.

It was a beautiful winter’s day – blue sky, not a cloud in sight and no wind. The ground was hard with frost and patches of snow scattered about the fields.
You could see for miles all around. Well worth a visit when in the area.

There is a public footpath which runs right past the Barrows so trespassing is not required – for a change!

Visited 12.2.12

After visiting ‘Snowdrop Valley’ and enjoying an excellent cream tea in the rather posh tea rooms in Wheddon Cross it was time for a bit of ‘old stoning’ before it got dark.
First up was a site I had wanted to visit for a number of years – the Caratacus Stone.

It was easy enough to find; being near the road and sign posted.

I was just about able to make out the Latin inscription but if I wasn’t specifically looking for it I wouldn’t have known it was there. The stone is about 1 metre tall.

The area around the stone has an obvious gorse problem and I am pleased to report that a large amount of ‘de-gorsing’ is taking place. There were whole swathes of recently cut down gorse piled up, making access a lot easier. If left to nature I guess it wouldn’t take too many years before it would be impossible to see the stone!

Definitely well worth a visit when in the area.

Visited 12.2.12

Very easy site to access – large N.T. parking area. The 3 Barrows are right next to the road / parking area.

It is only a 2 minute walk from the car park – through knee height heather.

This is a stunning setting with fantastic views in all directions. You can see for miles and miles and miles…………………………..

Although it was a beautiful day it was starting to get colder. Karen, Dafydd and Sophie stayed in the car while I tramped through the heather. It must have been getting cold as my pen stopped working until I warmed it up!

The largest of the Barrows (furthest from car park) is covered in heather but didn’t look like it had been dug into – although it was hard to say with all the heather.

The other two Barrows were much more defined although both had clearly been dug into – no doubt someone looking for treasure!!

The two smaller Barrows are approximately 20 metres across – the largest 30 metres across. All 3 Barrows are about 2 metres high. There is a trig point on one of the smaller Barrows.

The views really are something.
Well worth visiting when in the area.

About a mile East of Castle Donovan along a pot hole filled minor road. It is marked on the OS map.
Situated on a small hillock, with extensive views in all directions.

Situated right by the road,with a pull in making access easy.
A new sign states that this is a protected National Monument, which is probably why it now sits in a nice clearing, all the vegetation that was obscuring it has gone.
Two stones, one larger than the other on a NE-SW alignment. They are just North of Clodagh Circle, which is just visible on the hill.
To get to the circle, go through the gate on the opposite side of the road and is a few minutes walk up the hill.

Park in the pull in near the Clodagh Standing Stones, then gothrough the gate on the opposite side of the road and head up the hill. Clodagh Stone Circle is Situated on a ridge on the Western side of Milane Hill at a height of 180m.
On first sights, it looks a bit overgrown, but as you get nearer you realise that the gaps in the circle have been filled in with large stones and the inside has been piled with rocks both large and small. With a covering of grass and brambles, this poor neglected circle has been treated with complete disrespect !
It is such a shame, because all the stones are upright and in position. It could and should be a perfect little five stone circle.
There are two nice outliers forming an alignment NE-SW,
The circle itself, as I have said, is a five stone recumbent circle again on a NE-SW alignment. Roberts has the astronomical orientation of 230 degrees pointing to the Winter Solstice.
Views across the valley are extensive, with the hills of Cnoc na nAbhann, Dereenacrinnig and Mullaghmesha prominent.

Mynydd Preseli... the very name evokes images of jagged, rocky outcrops looming over mist-wreathed slopes, shifting masses of vapour analogous to the metaphysical apparitions the human mind has always deemed appropriate to inhabit such locations. Is it any wonder this should be the case... when none other than the Stonehenge ‘bluestones’ originated here prior to their epic journey eastwards, although whether this involved extreme human agency or glaciation remains a hotly contested point. It’s perhaps somewhat ironic, then, that it is the very absence of such mist – a (relatively speaking) high cloud base – which prompts a belated return to this wondrous place.

The majority of first time TMA visitors to Mynydd Preseli will no doubt – and with good reason – head for the central and eastern hills... for the iconic stone setting of Beddarthur, the trio of massive, Bronze Age cairns crowning the hillfort Foel Drygarn and... of course... Carn Menyn’s legendary spotted dolerite. But what of the actual summit of the massif, Foel Cwm-Cerwyn? Granted, the OS map depicts a couple of ancient cairns upon its ridge, but seemingly nothing to warrant the not inconsiderable diversion from the aforementioned highlights. What’s more Mynydd Preseli, like the majority of the (to my mind) comparable Dartmoor uplands, fails to reach the ‘magic’ 2,000ft altitude so beloved of hillwalkers. Suffice to say not high on most people’s lists, then. It certainly didn’t make it to the top of mine with a great deal of alacrity, but there you are. Better late than never, or so they say.

Parking to the approx south, near the entrance to Fronlas farm, I follow the signposted bridleway northwards towards prominent woodland, the peak – for want of a better word – rising shyly upon the left hand skyline. It looks like it will prove an easy ascent as I veer left at the trees before making the proverbial bee-line for the summit. In retrospect it is perhaps better to stick with the tree-line and follow it north, particularly since I encounter a couple of high barbed-wire fences and generally make a right ‘pig’s ear’ of my approach. Eventually, however, both the summit and the promised monuments are attained, the wind, fierce and bitterly cold, making a complete mockery of any notion of this being ‘easy’. Coflein cites three Bronze Age cairns at this brutally evocative, uncompromising spot.... I’m only aware of two during my visit, however, a large example crowned by an OS trig pillar upon a concrete base, overgrown with reeds and grasses which obscure form, and a substantial, grassy cairn a little to the north. The latter has a hollow summit featuring an internal stone slab, perhaps a remnant of the cist found upon the excavation of one of the trio, according to Coflein a cist containing an ‘inverted urn cremation’. This monument also possesses what may be the remains of a kerb, two substantial orthostats upon the eastern arc and another to the west. Nice. Not to mention superb views eastwards across Cwm Garw to the heart of Preseli. Yeah, perhaps it is all in the mind, but this place truly sends shivers down the spine... could be the wind, I guess. But I reckon not.

There is more. A further large, apparently ‘unopened’ monument lies upon the lower northern ridge of the mountain. According to Coflein it is:

....flat-topped, sub-circular, measuring some18-19m in diameter and being 1.2-1.5m high, apparently undisturbed. (source Os495card; SN03SE12)‘

As I sit upon this isolated grassy top, Foel Feddau’s annoying walker’s cairn rises in profile to the approx north-east. The map cites another ancient cairn beneath this modern desecration. But is it worth the detour? There’s only one way to find out. Walk some more of Mynydd Preseli. What a drag.

This is a huge long barrow just off the A354 between Blandford Forum and Salisbury. The best place to park is in the lay by when heading North towards Salisbury. The lay by is almost opposite the turning into Blandford camp on the other side of the road.

From the lay by you can already see the long barrow and it’s just a very short walk past the bowl barrow. There is no longer any sign of the other barrows and the “British settlement” as drawn by R. Hippisley Cox in his green roads of England book.

The magnificence of Pimperne long barrow is all the more special as it’s the best preserved part of what was obviously once such a rich landscape of monuments.

Race Down long barrow is located just to the North East of here on the edge of the army camp across the road.

Directions:
Just south of the B3224 – east out of Wheddon Cross.
I parked in the convenient car park opposite (Kennisham Forestry Commission).
I then crossed over the road and walked south down the lane past the Goosemoor Cross – situated at the cross roads.
A short distance down the lane you come to a metal field gate on your left.
The Barrow is easily visible from the gate.

I hopped over the gate and walked over to the Barrow. It is approximately 1 metre high and 20 metres across. The western section being cut through by a hedgerow.

I startled a bird of prey that flew effortlessly up into the deep blue sky – a lovely sight. There is not much else I can add about the Barrow except to say that other than the bit damaged by the hedgerow it seems to be in pretty good condition.

Worth a quick look when in the area.

Even though I’d spotted this circle from above on google earth and knew where more or less it was, the fog was so thick I didn’t hold out much hope for locating it, it is only a slight feature in the landscape.
Eric was by now a tad browned off about being cold and wet and elected to stay in the car, as the road is next to the field I would be searching in and with in shouting distance, I felt this would be okay for ten minutes. As I looked round through the field starting a systematic field walk I saw a fence to my left and would have felt remiss if I didn’t have a quick look over it, luckily on the other side I could see the Bullstones that singular site that luck saw fit to have in Cheshire. I jumped over and had a quick shufty round, it was even foggier than the last time I came here. Back over the fence and south a bit brought me to a big shapely stone “pitched on end” as it were, on another website it’s known as the Bullstones outlier.
Fifty yards further southish is a semi circle of small boulders, it looks for all the world like half a stone circle, the stones forming what would be the east-north-west arc of a circle, other stones lie off the circumference but only by a few feet.
Then fifty yards up the hill west, and there is the reason I came here the enigmatic circular feature that could be another stone circle or maybe a barrow of some sort or as maybe more likely a hut circle, as soon as I found it Eric began to remind me my ten minutes were up five minutes ago, in that way that ten year old boys do, in full voice.
The ten meter wide circle is nicely round with an entrance facing south south west, at it’s south end some bigger stones are showing through the turf.
Eric is fair shouting by now, so I walk blindly through the fog towards the yelling child, backing slowly away from the circular feature, clicking the camera and vowing to be back this way as soon as the skies clear.

I parked North east of the barrow by a church in the tiny hamlet of Macclesfield forest, which is just west of another hamlet called Bottom-of-the-oven, it doesn’t matter where on this island you go in remoter parts there’s always some interestingly named places.
As we walked south west down the road into the forest, I spotted a three foot high or so standing stone in the trees about twenty yards from the road, behind it was a rather barrowy type bump, completely covered by a fallen tree, Apparently I am an amateur and as such “I know naathing”, only that it’s there, and now you can see it too.
Then it’s over the fence i’m afraid and up the steep hill, but only for three minutes at the most. The barrow was small, but kinda cute, (stuggles to keep it clean)........ like......... a nice small barrow.
It was impossible to get a view of the area, Shutlingsloe, Cheshires most recognisable mountain, (which is something for a county renowned for it’s plains) should have been high on the southern horizon but the fog was thick and resolute, there would be no views today, but it never hampered the search for the barrow. The little cutie has a small standing stone sticking up out of its center like a.... (Struggles)...... small thin but wide stone. The ground to the north west falls rapidly down into the forest, which judging from lots of stumps and Stubobs picture has been cut back somewhat.
The barrow seems to sit on a wide slight ridge rising to the northeast, blimy I wish I could see further than fifty yards.

Travelling north on the B5470 from Macclesfield to Whaley Bridge, turn left to Pott Shrigley, easily spotted from the roadside, just before left turn onto farmland.
There was a herd of cows in the field or as they are collectively called “The Bovinator”, they seemed to pay me no heed so I deftly vaulted the fence and moving slowly,edged towards the barrow.
Camera at the ready and muscles tensed for a hasty retreat I got closer and closer, soon I was a top the barrow and the cows simply watched, unphased by my intrusion.
Nothing could be made out through the fog, only me the barrow some trees and the bovinator inhabited this tiny universe, but I knew that on a clear day Reed hill would be visible with it’s large bronze age barrow, and another to the east on the first hill the eye encounters.
The barrow, though obviously spread and much lower than it should be, is quite large, at least a meter high and very obvious in it’s landscape, it shows no sign of tampering, no excavation scars no scooping out of the interior, and definitely no wind brakes.
A good barrow, I will have to come back to see the views and take a walk up Sponds hill for an overview of the whole place, and find that barrow to the east, oh and the murder stone.

This stone is not marked on the OS map. It’s on a small lane from the R586 towards Ballybane, near Dromourneen. The grid ref is approximate but it’s easily seen through a gateway. I only had a chance to pull in and snap a few photo’s from the gate today.... but I’ll get back soon(ish) for a better look.

Just west of Kettleshulme on the B5470 turn north onto a small lane, this takes us along the eastern flank of Reed hill, there is a parking place for one at the side of the road. After jumping the fence go up the hill, just keep going up, the barrow is at the top.

Blast this eternal fog, one of Cheshire’s few hilltop cairns and it’s a good one but the view is non existent. Lost to the blank greyness of a Sunday afternoon, it was the same last week, and wasn’t much better the week before, I’m beginning to think it’s not Wales or even the hills, it’s just me.

The barrow on Reed hill was dug into in 1911 by people whom I hesitate to name, (you don’t know who’s going to read this) and a number of features were found including two cists and a curious drain like feature for a fuller read try the Portal megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=5576
I liked this one hugely, though it’s right on the limits of being in Cheshire it could have been on any Welsh hill far far from home. The cairn material is visible on top and some broken bits of sink have worked their way into it.
Eric made a snowman,
Coming back in the spring for better views.

11/02/2012 – Parked at NO 8071 9447, north side of the Elsick Mounth. We headed south on this ancient trackway then left the track to go SE through trees to cairn. Bad mistake, very hard going through dense conifer. Best to stay on track till it emerges through the trees just past Bawdy Craig then follow tree line NE to cairn. Nice cairn this, bit out of the the way though. From here we headed to Curlethney Hill trigpoint (before the wind farm gets there) then SE to Campstone Hill ring cairns (great place) and then back north on the Elsick Mounth trackway via the Lang Stane. Good day.

11/02/2012 – Elsick Mounth is one of the ancient trackways that cross the Mounth hills from the Dee to the Mearns. We parked on the north side at NO 8071 9447 but just as easy from the south. Lovely walk south on the track today. On the south side you can visit the Lang Stane, Campstone Hill ring cairns and Raedykes Roman Camp.

visited 10th February 2012.
This is a site that we’ve been meaning to get over to for ages, especially seeing that it is only up the road from us !!
We have permission from the land owner and walk over the wet fields to get there.
Situated in a small enclosed field, there are in fact three stones,but only two still standing. The largest is around ten foot high and curiously shaped. I have seen stones shaped in a familiar fashion in a lot of Dartmoor and Cornish Circles, quite often mimicking the shape of a major hill in the background. The smaller stone is split down the centre and I am not sure whether this is an original feature or natural weathering, but as Jack Roberts says in his book “it is split down the centre in a way which accentuates and compliments the alignment of the stones”
The alignment itself seems to be just off NE – SW, pointing just to the left of Mount Gabriel in the distance. I am not quite sure where the third (fallen stone) fits in !
All in all, it’s a pleasant little spot and one that I’ll be returning to !

The best place to park for this site is the layby by the Farm on Portisham Hill, next to the farm at SY601879. The path leading from the style at the layby across the field will lead you directly to the Hellstone. After the first field you need to walk on the other side of the hedge, and then change back again for the third field to be on the correct side for the style and to avoid the electric fence.
This is all going to change soon though as I met the farmer who told me they are soon to change the path leading to the Hellstone.

This lay by is also the perfect place to leave the car to walk to Hampton Down opposite, and just back along The Valley of the Stones and if you have time why not continue on past the valley of the Stones off Coombe Road and then take the right hand turn onto Bishop’s Road. The track to The Grey Mare and her Colts and Kingston Russell is just off another right turn (the next one you come to on Bishops Road) onto a farm track.

[visited 29/1/12] What on earth happened at the top of this hill? I bet 300 years ago there was a ridge, with a nice big barrow and a track next to it. Now there’s a dirty gash of a road, a weird standing stone and what looks like the remains of a quarry. The stone, to me, looks modern, way too square for my tastes anyway. I couldn’t even make out the outline of the barrow, if this was done by “excavators” they really worked this one over. If it is a quarry, the stone is probably from that phase of destruction.

Access is a short walk from a layby either side of the ridge. Once I got close I couldn’t even be bothered to get into the field so just climbed the 3m verge of the road to get moderately close.

[edit] PS Good views though.

[visited 29/1/12] This is to all intents and purposes a boulder by the side of a busy road with some views. If the road and the wall weren’t here, it would still be a boulder, but at least you’d get some lovely views and nice surroundings. Is it Prehistoric though? Its certainly a different shape and feel to the Murder Stone and Whaley Bridge stone less than 5 miles away. With a different positioning in the landscape too. However, could quite easily be a waymarker for the track the main road turned into.

Access is for the stupid. There is no public parking in Ginclough, so you either have a longish walk (rubbish reward ratio), perch on the side of a busy fast road or do what I did and reverse into the track next to the stone from the main road. The benefit of which means no stiles and a 10 second walk.