Latest Fieldnotes

Visited 4.6.11
Driving north up the A46 (passing Old Sodbury Hillfort on the left) I took the left turning signposted Horton. I parked outside the school and followed the public footpath up the hill. The official footpath swings to the right around the base of the Hillfort but I of course headed straight up the steep hill.
When I got to the top (stiff climb) I was confronted by a wooden field fence (no problem) but either side of it was a sea of waist high nettles (problem as I was wearing shorts!). I could see the Hillfort’s ramparts across the field but there was no way I was going to walk through that lot! Instead I followed the fence around to the left and quickly came upon a gate where the nettles were not so bad. The gate had a public footpath sign next to it although this didn’t show on my O/S map. Through the gate and onto the Hillfort.
The ramparts consisted of a sort of arc defending the two sides of the Hillfort which were approached from level ground. The steep slope of the hill presumably was enough to defend the other two sides? The ramparts are well preserved; still standing to approximately 2.5 metres high and 5 metres wide. It looked as though the entrance to the Hillfort was where the bend in the ramparts is – this area was flattened.
The views across the Severn Valley are tremendous and worth the climb for that alone. The Severn Bridge could be seen gleaming in the distance.
This is a site I would recommend but one for those fairly fit and able.

‘Visited’ 4.6.11
Had a look to see if I could see any trace of the Long Barrow when visiting the Grickstone Standing Stone. Unfortunately I couldn’t see any trace. Looks like it has completely disappeared?

Ann Burgess was correct when she described the Braedale Cairn as Bronze Age. As recently as 2009 Historic Scotland described it as possibly Neolithic, so I won’t disagree. Situated south of B979, opposite where I parked for Highland Wood. It is almost instantly recognisable as a cairn from the road being a small mound amongst a little wood of birch trees.

Sadly this cairn has taken a severe battering. Locally this is known as Gallows Hill, the cairn being built on top of a natural knoll. A farm track has been built straight thru the center destroying most of the western side. What is left is impressive. From the north to south it measures 19 meters, east -west 7 meters and 2 meters in height with a dry stane dyke protecting the eastern side.

In Ann’s house grounds there is a large flat stone that has been removed, so local myth goes, from the cairn. It is probably likely to be the headstone of a cist under which a much loved pet is buried. On top of this she knows most of the local myths and legends. I’ll record our next converstaion.

Then it was back to the Highland Wood cairn. No luck for me I couldn’t find my car keys. Hope was restored when suddenly Ann called out, the keys had fallen from my pocket near some flat rock. Back at the house I was shown some very old maps which I have been invited back to study. Several ‘bumps’ in the area have been explained so a return visit visit is a definite. Plus she makes a nice cup of tea.

Visited 4/06/2011.

Visited 23.5.11
I asked for directions to Dowth at the visitor centre and the lady at the desk kindly gave me a typed slip of paper with details. We headed off into the countryside and were soon there.
The Tomb is large but looking rather sorry for itself, with a huge crater dug into it. I know that this site has not been ‘tarted up’ like Knowth and Newgrange but a little TLC wouldn’t go amiss.
The site itself is easy to access with a lay by to park in. There was no one else there when I visited.
Due to I guess safety reasons? The entrances to the Tomb were fenced off which was a pity. I settled to peer inside and once your eyes adjust you can make out quite a bit of detail. Whilst I was doing this I could here a bird chirping away. It had built a nest in the drystone walling of the entrance so I made a quick exit not to disturb it.
I then climbed to the top of the Tomb and was nearly swept off my feet by the wind. As the day went on the wind was getting stronger. From the top I spotted a Hare who appeared to call Dowth ‘home’. Good for him – or her.
Not as much to see as Knowth or Newgrange but you do get the place to yourself.

Visited 23.5.11
We arrived at the visitor’s centre just after it opened and myself and Dafydd booked ourselves onto the tour of both Knowth and Newgrange. Karen decided to stay in the centre with Sophie, drinking coffee and talking to American tourists!
We walked over the bridge and caught the 9.15 bus to Knowth. There were only two other people on the bus – two friendly Americans.
The driver was very friendly and dropped us off near the entrance where we were met by a friendly guide – who was very good throughout our visit.
The wind was terrible. Dafydd had difficulty walking and I had to carry him most of the time.
It felt odd being here. Somewhere on my ‘wish list’ which I had seen and read so much about over the years. It all felt a little surreal, a bit like the Passage Tombs which reminded me of giant mushrooms!
I really liked this place; the decorated stones were everywhere and were fantastic. My favourite part of Knowth was the entrance opposite the ‘entrance’ you go in. (As an aside, I liked the way they have left the ditch open so you get an idea of scale – pity they never did this at Avebury). I really liked the two standing ‘male’ and ‘female’ stones along with the art work.
It is a shame you can only look up the grilled passage ways but the guide explained why this had to be so. She herself had been into the tomb proper and said it was not a great place to be – I am sure there are many reading this that would care to disagree!! She stated that this was the chamber Neil Oliver was filmed in during the recent Ancient Britain TV series. She also pointed to the spot where the funeral pyre was lit.
We walked up onto the top of the Tomb but the wind was now bordering on gale force and we didn’t stay for long.
It was soon time to catch the bus back to the visitor centre to catch the bus to Newgrange!!

The information leaflet I was given when visiting Craggaunowen states that this is part of a genuine Iron Age wooden track (or Togher). It was excavated in 1985 at Corlea Bog in County Longford and then moved to its current location.
It is about 10 metres long and 2 metres wide. It consists of a series of wooden logs laid side by side. Only the tops of the logs are visible through the ‘boggy type’ soil. I imagine this is done to help preserve the wood as long as possible?
There is not a huge amount to see but how often do you get the chance to see an Iron Age track way?
Well worth a view when visiting the wonderful Craggaunowen Centre.

Visited 19.5.11
Just to the south of the Wedge Tomb is a small cairn made up entirely of stones. Surrounded by trees it is approximately 0.5 metres high x 4 metres x 6 metres.
Goes to show that this was still a special place long after the Wedge Tomb was built.
Well worth a quick look.

Highland Wood Croft will last in the memory a long long time thanks to the kindness of Ann Burgess, some local knowledge and a piece of extraordinary luck. To reach here I headed north on the B979 stopping at the farm after Woodside. (Probably easier coming from the A947.)

I asked permission to to park from Ann which was kindly given. Being interested in local history herself she acted as a guide. It would be fair to say that the path isn’t the straightest, 0.5 miles, but it is fairly flat making it easy for dog walks and Drews. The path reaches a fence which marks the start of Highland Croft land. Sadly, like the fence, the croft is in bad shape. From here the cairn is north situated amongst a small birch wood. A beautiful setting amongst the green and white colours. Made me feel at home!

The grass covered cairn itself is some 6.5 meters wide and just over 0.5 meters high. Stones peaking thru are indeed kerbs. They arc round the northern side of the cairn, I counted 5 with 3 maybes. Everywhere near the cairn are rocks so I must come back and look for rock art.

With a few photographs taken it was back down the path to the car when Ann announced that there was a Bronze Age cairn across the road at Braedale. One big and massive problem – my car keys had gone missing so frantically I looked turning the car almost upside down, but no luck. Ann suggested that she’d drive so on we went to Braedale.

Visited 4/06/2011.

Drewbhoy’s note and splendid winter images of a possible unrecorded stone circle remnant at Newton of Wardhouse fired my imagination.

In particular, I wondered if further evidence might lie beneath the snow, and decided to investigate.

The location was easily established through Google and BING Maps, which clearly show the huge recumbent lying in an area of rough pasture surrounded by gorse scrub, just north of west from Newton Farm.

Sadly, no further stones were in evidence, but the site gives breathtaking views towards both Dunnnideer and Tap O’Noth, and is well worth visiting on a clear summer day.

The recumbent stone (if that is what it is) certainly faces the southwest arc of a putative stone circle while the other prostrate stone is pointed at one end and rounded at the other as with many typical flanking pillars.

Following a Canmore field visit to the stones in 2012 they have established that “... their resemblance to a recumbent stone and a flanker is superficial and their natural origin is not in doubt.“.

Visited Sunday 22nd May 2011
Very interesting to read the field notes by The Eternal and Gladman on this one as I had no idea it came into the category of hillfort. We walked up to the top of Castle Crag on a damp morning, the first day of a week’s walking holiday in the Lake District. A lovely and relatively easy walk from where we were staying in the village of Grange; after a night of heavy rain the woodland streams tumbled downhill over their stoney beds into the river Derwent.
We saw no one until we started to ascend the hill, then dozens of people (and their dog) appeared making their way downhill from the summit – our first hint that the more popular footpaths in the Lake District can become quite busy, especially at weekends. Marvellous views towards Skiddaw on one side and over the Borrowdale valley on the other.
The top of the hill is a narrow track up through what looks like a slate mound – I didn’t do this bit as was still finding my feet and to me it looked slippery. My holiday companion went enthusiastically to the top and reported jagged slate rocks sticking up in castellations.
Later in the week I climbed the very little mountain of Cat Bells, also walked up Great End Crag at the Great Gable side of Seathwaite Fell (2000ft) so Castle Crag was a great way to start.

From the A5 take the B4366 towards Llanberis after approx 2.6 miles take the right hand turn signposted for Caerhun. There’s a decent pub on the left called the Vaynol that does a nice meal.
Cross over a small stone bridge. Here the road will fork off to the right, don’t follow this but turn left onto Pont Felin which is a single track road. (there was some mad classic car race taking place on these back roads on my last visit).
Approx half mile along this road there is a small stone bridge on the left leading to a field. Park your car (if you are in one) just after this bridge.
Cross over this bridge. The farm gate may be closed but isn’t usually padlocked. The first standing stone can be seen directly infront of you.

The RCAHMW give this ref for this site NPRN
406343
The farm of Ty’n-Llwyn is surrounded by a rough circle or oval setting of 6 standing stones and two mounds. The setting encloses a considerable area of approximately 750m diameter. The discovery of an interrupted ditch enclosure or plough-levelled barrow (NPRN 403377) during RCAHMW aerial reconnaissance in 2005, with a (then unrecorded) standing stone on its summit, gave context to the stone; it seemed as likely to be a prehistoric ritual monument as a modern boundary stone.

A prehistoric date for the remaining stones in this ‘setting’ would be highly unusual given its size. However, their ascription to being modern boundary stones does not explain the occurrence of a mound and a complex barrow within the setting.

There is an aerial photo of this taken by RCAHMW at this web site:

coflein.gov.uk/en/site/403377/images/AP_2005_1627.jpg

.........................................................................

I have visited 2 more of the stones mentioned by Coflien. The next to go and see would be in the field to the right. Follow round the edge of the field next to the woodland. (be aware if you have dogs with you that this is a covert and is full of pheasants)
At the edge of the woodland continue following the field boundary. There will be a gate in the middle of the fence on your right. The next stone can be seen on a mound in the middle of this field.
If you look towards Tyn-llywyn farm you will be able to see another mound. There may be another stone on this mound.
Looking back towards the first stone you can clearly see the mound which that stands upon.

The CBA Wales gives this description of the first mound.

near Pentir, a plough-levelled barrow with a causewayed ditch and partial surrounding palisade was discovered (Figure 2; NPRNs 403376 & 403377). More problematic is the fact that the mound is surmounted by an undated standing stone, which forms part of a wider circle of stones and a levelled mound currently of unknown date, surrounding nearby Ty’n Llwyn farm. More work is needed to ascertain the true date and origins of these features.

And there is a diagram of the features at the following web address:

britarch.ac.uk/cbawales/Newsletters/newsletter30/newsletter30.html

Once you have made your way back to the road turn right after you have crossed over the bridge. After a few metres you will see a gate on the opposite side of the road. You will have to climb this one. Walk around the boundary of the field to the top. The next stone is at the top of the field on the right.
We did find another stone lower down the field but this was surrounded by farm machinary.

I then found that there was an arrow sharpening stone just down the same road at Rhos Fawr. PRN 33 SH56086833 but had no luck in finding it depite my best efforts and with the only outcome being a very sore back, scratches and insect bites.
We found where it should be, but the vegetation was just too dense to have any success.
Would be a great find. But may be one for winter.

G.A.T says of this
Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 33
Trust : Gwynedd
Site Type : ARROW SHARPENING STONE
Period : Unknown
Community : Pentir
NGR : SH56086833
Legal Protection :

Description :
A large boulder with as many as forty-five sharpening marks was discovered during fieldwork along the line of the Pentir Llanfairpwll gas pipeline in June 1976. The incisions were accompanied by an area impressed with small punch marks and patches of deliberate smoothing. The boulder was moved to the side of the pipeline track to avoid further disturbance. A total of 45 V-sectioned incisions were observed.
:................................................................

There is so much going on in this area. Still so much more to find.
Don’t be put off by the blooming great electricity station.

Visited 21.5.11
I didn’t know about this site until I saw it advertised on a tourist leaflet I picked up in the hotel. As it was very near to the Glebe stone circles a visit became a must!
The Cairn is signposted from the main road and there is a lay by that you can pull into.
A 100 metre walk will take you to a stone stile built into a field wall (on your right).
The Cairn is huge and is said to commemorate the Battle of Moytura in 500BC!
I climbed to the top but the weather had closed in and it was windy and raining – not great for trying to admire the view!
I didn’t hang around too long and headed back to the car. The Cairn is just about visible from the road through the trees.
Certainly worth a look when in the area.

Take the first minor road west after Ardallie, and head in a north westerly direction. The first farm on the eastern side is Humblecairn.

Sadly this cairn will soon vanish probably to be ploughed out. What remains is a 13 meter wide grass, sometimes cow, covered mound standing at 0.2 meters high. Cairn material scatters the ground but the bigger stones mentioned by Canmore have long gone.

At least, on this occasion, I made it before it was totally destroyed.

31/05/2011.

Failed to find this one!
I was only able to find and visit 3 of the Glebe circles. I couldn’t see this circle from the ‘main’ circle. Perhaps it was hidden behind the large conifer trees?
By now the rain was getting heavier and it was time to walk back to the car to the waiting Karen, Dafydd and Sophie – via the walls and barbed wire!

Sadly the standing stones on Skelmuir Hill, two stones which would have been near the minor road, were removed or destroyed in 2008. The photograph of the fallen stone in the pics is likely to the last time one of the stones was seen. The Grey Stane still stands tho, looking rather lonely in it’s exposed position. I spent hours climbing up and down just in case they’d been pulled to the side but no luck (for the 4th time). Makes me feel very sad as I must have just missed seeing them. No picture, no reminder, sad.

Last visited 31/5/2011.

This circle was accessed from the ‘main’ circle by climbing over a wall and barbed wired fencing. There are a dozen or stones still standing with many fallen. The surrounding bank is about 0.5metres high. Not in great condition but certainly worth a visit. The fence was quite difficult to get over

This circle required even more walls to climb over isn’t as easy as it sounds due to the fragility of the walls. This circle appeared to stand on a raised platform and had trees growing in the middle. There were several large stones piled up next to the trees – from the circle itself?

Visited 21.5.11
What a cracking stone circle this is! (The main circle that is)
The field in which the circle stands was full of cows that were too busy chewing the cud to be bothered by me. I hopped over the protective black metal fence and had the circle to myself.
The slightly raised ground the circle stands on plus the trees gives this a lovely setting – it also provided me with cover out of the rain to write my notes!
I counted 17 stones left in the circle with a stump of a stone just outside the circle. There were also 3 stones piled to one side – fallen stones from the circle?
In the centre of the circle is the remains of a cairn which was covered in grass with just the tops of some stones sticking out.
This is a great site to visit but access to the stone circles (other than the ‘main’ one) is difficult. Two however be clearly seen from the edge of the field which the ‘main’ circle stands in.

Visited 21.5.11
The Henge is easy to spot on the left hand side of the road when heading south along the N84.
You can park near the houses opposite the site – turn off for the L56635.
A private drive leads from the main road to a house which I presume owns the land in which the Henge stands?
I decided not to do the decent thing and knock and ask permission. Instead I jumped over the gate and headed quickly across the field to the obscurity of the trees/bushes which cover the Henge. Out of sight – out of mind!
This is one of the best Henges I have been to. It is very large and the outer of the two banks has over 100 small stones set. The outer bank is about 1 metre high from the outside but well over head height when standing in the ditch.
Access to the inside of the Henge was neigh on impossible due to the brambles/nettles etc until I found an ‘entrance’ on the northern edge. The inside of the Henge was clear although covered in waist high nettles. Several large stones could be seen lying haphazardly on the ground. (Former perimeter stones?)
This would be an excellent site to visit if it was cleared of the trees and undergrowth. As it is I would say one for the keen only although it is easy to access.

Visited 20.5.11
A very easy site to access – next to the road with a large free car park and 3 very good information boards.
A path takes you from the car park to the site although the Tomb itself is roped off.
Just to make sure you were not tempted to go under the rope for a closer look a council ‘official’ was sitting in his van to keep an eye on things! (I doubt he is there 24/7!)
The Tomb is on an unusual setting of rocky outcrops which looked pretty with plenty of primroses growing out of the cracks.
This is a busy site with several coaches of tourists coming and going while I was there (and I wasn’t there that long!). I don’t have a problem with this as I figure the more people who visit historic / prehistoric sites the better chance they will be respected and cared for in the future. Such popular sites as this must raise the public appreciation of their importance?
The Tomb is certainly well worth stopping off for a visit when in the area.

Visited 20.5.11
As with the Portal Tomb, the stone appears genuine enough but I can’t believe it just ‘happens’ to be standing here.
It is far more likely to either be a reconstruction or is genuine but brought here from somewhere else.
It is approximately 2 metres high and has Ogham Script down one edge.

Visited 20.5.11
What a wonderful place to visit. It’s a bit like a smaller version of St Fagans open air museum in Cardiff. The weather was fine and myself, Karen, Dafydd and Sophie spent a lovely couple of hours here. Car park, toilets, tea rooms and shop are all provided. In addition to the Crannogs Craggaunowen has a reconstructed Iron Age field, cooking site, Ring Fort and Souterrain.
I would highly recommend a visit here.
The Crannog reconstruction is very well done and is bigger than the other two Crannog reconstructions I have previously visited at Llangorse Lake in South Wales and Loch Tay in Scotland. Dafydd in particular enjoyed running in and out of the round houses.

Visited 20.5.11
Although the tomb looks genuine it has clearly been reconstructed and must have been transported to this spot at some point in the past? Unfortunately there is no information in the visitor’s guide on the history of the tomb.
It is nice to look at anyway.

Visited 19.5.11
Very easy to access and in a lovely setting near Lough Gur.
We parked in the lay by and I walked up the grass slope to the tomb. Dafydd wanted to come but had decided to take his shoes and socks off so I had to carry him across the wet grass.
There are four capstones over the tomb and an information board is near by.
Not as big or bold as other sites I have visited today but still well worth the little effort it takes to visit.
This would be a great site for a picnic on a nice summer’s day (not today!)

Visited 19.5.11
From the main stone circle I climbed over the barbed wire fence and made my way across the field. Around the stones I saw what I though was another herd of young cows, unfortunately when I got closer I realised they were in fact bullocks!!
As soon as they saw me they all headed my way and I had to take refuge by standing on top of one of the stones in the circle! I was just glad that I didn’t have Dafydd with me.
This was another near perfect circle made up of 15 stones and just as impressive as Lios – only smaller.
I waited for the bullocks to get bored and move on – unfortunately they didn’t. I chose my spot and headed back across the field as fast as I could walk. The bullocks put on a bit of a sprint and I had to repeatedly turn and shout/wave my arms for them to back off. Eventually I got to the edge of the field and back over the fence – safety!
If when you visit the bullocks are still there may I suggest setting for a view from the fence?