Latest Fieldnotes

I visited this site today in a misty drizzle as the light was falling. Huge coal lorries flew past. Yet this mighty stone exudes a real timeless peaceful authority over all the passing traffic. The site stands in a landscape shaped by grassed over pit bings and slag heaps, old mine workings and deserted railway lines. The mining hasn’t completely left and there are huge opencasts in the vicinity (one a few hundred yards behind the stone).
There are two massive stones on the skyline a few hundred yards above the Lightshaw stone which may just be there as a result of field clearance or the opencast. I’ll check them out on my next visit. Forgot my camera today!

Just visited the site again this Christmas, the old road has now been side stepped by a new one, there is a parking space on the new road, then you cut across grass to the old road and original entrance. No directional signs to the site are present at the time of writing. This is such a shame, as the new road seems to go to nothing, with it’s lovely roundabout, very nice and new- leading to nothing, don’t know what’s going on here. Shame as the new road layout now seems pointless, going to an imaginary industrial estate.
I didn’t see the standing stone that used to be in the field opposite.

The circle can be reached by taking the West bound lane off the A470 Builth Wells road,opposite the bridge that goes to Erwood and Painscastle. This lane will take you up to the top of the hill where you take a right turn onto the moors,through a farmyard ,and on for another mile or so,where there are plenty of parking spots as you will be very much alone here. A GPS would be useful as the circle is a small one with few stones left,and not too obvious until you’re right on top of it. The going is very gentle,only a 20 minute walk from the road over grassy moorland.
One of the stones has shattered with the frost,as has most of the others. This has left small pieces of stone scattered around. I held one for a while and it made me sick, only eased by replacing it.The cure was instant. These souvenirs bite,they don’t want a new home.
Great views from here though, the whole of the Brecon Beacons can be seen to the South. So take some photo’s,they’re ok, but anything else will cost you.I’ve never had a headache like it,and i wouldn’t wish it on anyone else. You have been warned.

On my way into Aberdeen at lunch time to catch a bus I stopped at the Pipers Stone near Oldmeldrum. I didn’t know of its existance until Rhiannon’s informative links post. (Thank you) Bourtie is a small hamlet just south of Oldmeldrum, about 1 mile west on the minor road from the A947. To be fair road conditions were not good but the car battled away leaving, thankfully, only a short walk.

The Pipers Stone is in the field before before the church and was used by pipers to greet guests at weddings and the odd funeral. Luckily I know the pipe major for the Oldmeldrum Pipe Band and he has offered to look for any interesting stories which I’ll hopefully post in the folklore column.

The stone itself is well weathered and surrounded with some field clearance. It has a beautiful location looking up and down the Bourtie valley, behind Barra, home to the famous hillfort. With the visit complete I headed back into Aberdeen to catch the bus.

Several hours on, I would think one or two people might be having a laugh at my expense as I sulk on the way back up the road. Time for a snooze!

Visited 2/2/2010.

This is a destroyed site which once had four barrows on it. These were so slight in the 19th century as they weren’t robbed out like the rest of the local barrows. In addition to the barrows there is one of the most extensive urn fields in the country. The flat burial site site is comparable with the also destroyed Rimbury site near Weymouth, and is of the same middle bronze age date and cultural type.
The site was excavated prior to gravel extraction and building work in 1967 – 69 and yielded about 300 urns containing 180+ cremations.This is the largest urn field in the country yet to be excavated. A great deal of worked flint and a large amount of bronze age pottery were found during the dig.

I found reference to this headstone while parked in the tiny village of Glenroe (which actually does exist). Another time while passing through this area I spotted the sign for the graveyard itself and took a spin to see it. Its not far from the crossroads that is marked with a sign Darragh.
The art itself consists of a cross, a backwards P and a long snaky symbol.
The info board has this to say about it “A large stone, resembling a headstone, which may also be seen in the graveyard, appears to have ‘Rock Art’ (abstract images carved on stone), which may also date from the Megalithic or Neolithic periods”

I think this is unlikely however and it may more likely be Christian art.

Magic / O.S. show six barrows in this group, this is the only one visible from this point, which is at the top of Goulds hill looking south. Waddon hill is south of the main Ridgeway and is between Upwey and Portisham.
I have now returned a few days later, on the road south of Friar Waddon hill. Four more of the barrows are visible from the valley below. They are not easy to photograph as they are high up, I don’t think there is easy access to these barrows as although I can see a footpath up to them, parking is very difficult on the narrow lanes.

OK the first thing is that Bradgate Stone & Ring is actually called Hunts Hill Standing Stone. I have no historic proof of the stones age, but if you take the trouble to actually visit the stone and dowse it, you will find 2 lines at right angles running through it. Now again if you actually bother to visit the stone, you will find that the ring is just rocky outcrops that looks like a ring in photographs. These rocky outcrops are all around the surrounding area, and you have to be careful not to trip over them when walking through the woods to the stone. To sum up, going by my own examination of the site I am inclined to think that Hunts Hill Stone is a genuine ancient monument, but the ring is just rocky outcrops.

First find of the New Year , just one big cup mark with the likelihood of more under moss/turf which was frozen solid so a return visit in order .Not really a day for looking for rock art with few surfaces exposed . Included a pic of a family of deer for faerygirl , hardly wildlife photography but they are there somewhere .

The site is very overgrown now,hardly recogniseable .I didn’t realise I had found it at first,the large boulder giving it away,the heather hiding all the other stones. The mound can be made out only because of it’s surrounding ditch causing a gap in the undergrowth.
A bit of a trek to get here up very steep slopes,and not easy to find without a GPS. It’s about 100 meters from a track and a small pond,but invisible from more than about 50 meters away.
Good views though.

Parking isnt impossible, if only for a while park opposite the gate to the field.
Possibly the best sited stone on Anglesy, from the stone the Menai straits are invisible and the whole northern flanks of Snowdonia dominate the view, plus the stone is a good eight feet tall atleast. We didnt stay long, sheep with lambs eyed us with more than suspicion.

This is a very ancient place and disoveries from the Mesolithic, Neolithic and Bronze ages have been found here, and along the road at Wester Fintray. One thing at this site is obvious, as at Kintore Golf Club, is the River Don which might explain why there is so much activity in this area.

As for the cup marked stones, that Canmore mention, I think I found one shallow cup mark on a rock, the rest I couldn’t find. There are hundreds of rocks and outcrop here so someone who knows, far better than me, what they’re looking for might have a field day.

One thing I did find was a big rock that looked very much like a recumbent stone aligned perfectly with Bennachie. There are choke stones. The River Don, I would think, also plays an important part.

The cairn is forty feet wide by 4 feet tall. At least 5 kerbs remain in place. However damage has been caused, not only by the rabbits. On the eastern side tractor tracks can quite clearly be seen, on the western side a dry stane dyke has been built.

Once again very easily found. Leave Kintore heading east towards Hatton Of Fintray. Over the bridge (**WARNING This road is often flooded, and has been several times in the last two weeks**) past the golf course, the cairn there is easily seen, go past Waterside and stop at the next house on the left hand side. A short walk further along the road and the site is amongst the trees.

Visited 28/1/2010.

The Cateran Hole is described as being very difficult to find. So how chuffed with myself was I to find it with no problem at all, straight there, in knee deep snow, without a gps? Very. The snow made descending a bit precarious, it’s enough of a drop that you’d damage yourself if you fell in.

It’s re-working in medieval times would presumably have destroyed any traces of prehistoric activity, but I was intrigued by the pile of largish (2-3ft across) boulders that are piled up about 10m to the SW of the entrance.

My plans to find the end of the cave went awry as the meltwater from the ridiculous amounts of snow meant that after about 20m, it would have required diving gear to keep going. So any hopes that there may be faint carvings to be found went unrealised.

I have to get back here in drier conditions and have a good mooch about.

The Hillhead of Suttie is in an area crammed with ancient history. Just to the south are the ancient settlements at Larrick and Newton Wood, to the north Greenlands. This is a place, I think, of significance.

Not so long ago the Postman, Gladman and myself commented on the fact many sites are labelled cairn when the powers that be can’t think of anything else. As the images show there is a Recumbent (western side over 1.2 meters high, 1 meter in width), probably, aligned to Bennachie but the trees are in the way. Several stones form a circle, two of which are visible at the moment some tramping finds others. A cairn some 12 meters wide by 1 meter high sits inside. Inside this a possible hut circle has been built, once again the stones are obscured by grass.

From Hatton of Fintray stay on the B977 until a minor road indicates Inverurie. Keep going until the forestry works road, after Larrick, on the left. Park here and follow the track, by foot, for a 1/4 mile. The cairn/RSC is on the right hand side of the track. Fairly easy walk, watch for the puddles and dubs.

Visited 28/1/2010.

This is where folklore and ancient history meet head on. In the field due north is the Camie’s Stone and the Clovenstone is a massive rock where various witches, including Isobel Cockie had their cases judged. (fate dealt more likely!) By this time, my sidekick had arrived so the Mad Man climbed up and down for the images. (His better half having more sense brought along some much needed tea!) Looking up and down at this rock, and I know other people feel things at such places, I felt a sense of foreboding and doom. Maybe because of Deystone, various unfortunate witchs, maybe because of an ancient battle between the locals and the Danes. Dunno! Hard to describe, but similar to the feelings I get when I visit Culloden.

Clovenstone is found traveling north of Kintore on the A96, the farm is signposted. Keep going straight, don’t turn the rock is to the north (150 meters walk max.) just before Clovenstone farm.

Visited 28/1/2010.

Once again a very easy but impressive place to find. Leave Kintore heading south on the B977, just after Leylodge take the Lauchentilly, west, road. South Leylodge RSC is in the field to the right but for The Knock keep going. This road should be renamed Rubbing Stone alley as they are numerous on both sides of the road. Keep going until the Tillybin junction and stop.

Look north, The Knock, is a triangular stone, some 200 meters slightly uphill from the road. According to Coles it had been part of a circle and it’s easy to see why. A rubbing stone is the next field, there is one across the road as well. At the top of the hill there is field clearance with many stones that might have stood in a circle. Branwen has mentioned Canmore and measurement problems, in the intervening years this stone has grown by a half meter. The earlier date says 11/2 meters high by 1998 it was just over 2 meters high. Today it stood at 2.04, they say 2.05 so thats ok. Could be, of course, that the stone has been re-erected.

Good views, historic area South Leylodge at the road’s start, The Knock in the middle and Nether Lauchentilly standing (now fallen) stone at the road’s end.

Visited 28/1/2010.

A stop-off after a visit to Sutton Walls (28.1.2010). The stone is in a field alongside the River Lugg next to a busy B-road. It is cut off from the road by a deep drainage ditch and has been surrounded by an unsightly box-like fence. Not very welcoming sadly, perhaps I’ll come again for a proper look when it’s not raining!

Visited on a drizzly January day (28.1.2010), approaching from the west (Moreton on Lugg). The surrounding countryside is very low-lying, the meadows around the Lugg are constantly flooded. The fort rises above all this, occupying the top of a long, low hill on an east-west axis. To the north-west, the horizon is dominated by the much larger Dinmore Camp.

The fort has been ill-treated in the past, pretty much from when the Romans arrived and massacred the inhabitants onwards. It has been quarried and used to dump chemicals during the 20th century, none of which add much to the attraction. A footpath runs around the whole perimeter of the fort, outside the single defensive bank. Another bisects the fort about a third of the way along from its western tip. The bank itself is impressive from the outside, although there’s not much sign of the ditch that originally encircled it. The rampart is highest on the north side and would have been a pretty formidable barrier, with ditch and pallisade. Undergrowth covers the rampart itself now, so a visit at this time of year is recommended. The gates at east and west ends are hidden under vegetation. To the SSW the views extend to The Skirrid and Black Mountains, while from the east end the central part of the Malverns range is visible.

The interior is pretty much a flat and featureless open space. The site was heavily quarried and later filled after toxic waste had been dumped there. There’s not a lot to see and will be even more obscured come the summer. It contains a large area (12ha), including a ploughed field at the eastern end. The eastern half is much wider than the west, following the natural contour of the hill. The bank is at its lowest around this bowed out section.

Leaving via the footpath running south from the fort to Sutton St Michael, the natural slope is apparent. However, the hill is low and so defensive capability, particularly to the south, would not compare with the loftier hillforts in the area. From here it’s off for a quick look at the Wergins Stone before heading into Hereford.

On a day mostly spent looking for clues about witches and wells at nearby Deystone a few little visits were required. Just to keep the leg ticking over, nothing strenuous yet but it’s coming.

This is a well weathered, vertically aligned weather patterns according to Canmore, stone which stands at 1.4 meters tall by a meter wide. Nothing significant then, wrong. Chris pointed out that there is a straight line of stones/circles from Tyrebagger to Broomend of Crichie and beyond. This is one of the parts of this puzzle or part of the ‘spokes’ of a wheel. (I have the same theories for Pitglassie and Cairndale)

Leave Kintore going south on the Deystone minor road and turn right at the Brae Farm signpost. This is a very good road if you like puddles, pot holes and stomach churners. Keeping going thru the farm and the road improves (it does), keep going until the electricity pylons come into view and look left. The stone is a short walk into a field near Ferneybrae cottage. To leave keep going on and the Kinellar road will be reached. Right for the A96, left for Kinellar Church and it’s RSC.

The list, so far, Tyrebagger, Caskieben, Cairntradlin, Ferneybrae, Tuach Hill, Cairnton and Broomend Of Crichie. There was a stone at Scotstown, near Blackburn, but that has gone!

The Garioch area either side of the River Don is teeming with ancient sites. What a place! Add some folklore, away you go!

Visited 28/1/2010

Follow the directions to the Peathill standing stone and walk another very easy 80 yards to the North East. This barrow, indicated as a tumulus on some maps (reclassified as a cairn by Canmore), is all but gone and will be eventually ploughed out. It is less than 30 cm high and is almost 14 meters in diameter. Only a few stones remain a faint reminder of ancient times.

Very easy to reach and sadly, I would think, soon to vanish! The leg is in one bit but a wee bitty sore, The Boar’s Head Pub is nearby, it would be a shame not to have a look.

Visited 25/1/2010

Mellenside is in the perfect position for cairn. Good all round views especially of Bennachie to the south. This was, at one time, described as a “fine cairn” being over 30 meters in width. Now the remaining stones are in the middle of a copse with some field clearance to keep them company. At least two of the larger stones are earthfast and are probably kerbs. Sadly most of the stones have probably been used in the building of dykes and farms.

This is easily found and fortunately a very short, flat walk of about 200 meters. Leave Colpy, on the A96, taking the A920 to Oldmeldrum. Take the first right, marked Williamston and head south on the Lawerence Road (a drovers road which was possibly used by the Italian chaps and their pals). Turn left, going up a very steep road, and the location of Culsalmond Church can be seen, previously this had been home to a RSC. Along the road is the Mummers Rieve cairn. There is plenty of parking at the Mellenside signpost. Look right and the copse of trees can be seen in the middle of a flat field.

Visited 25/1/2010.

First visit to my nearest stone circle today (24.1.2010). A chilly but mostly sunny winter’s day, visited with some friends at the end of a walk around Long Compton. There were a fair number of people around, but most only stayed a few minutes and after a while we had the circle to ourselves for a short while, which was a relief after the women droning on loudly about solicitors and divorces left.

I’ve seen the pictures of the old hut, the signs, etc. They’re all gone now and to be honest I’m not sure that’s entirely a bad thing. There is a collection box on the gate (£1 per adult, 50p per child) which is raising money to replace the info boards. There are no signs by the King’s Stone or the Whispering Knights either.

The biggest surprise was the openness of the site, I hadn’t realised that the fence is now some way away from the stones – the cover of my OS map shows it right alongside the southern arc, so that’s definitely an improvement. It’s a shame that the King’s Stone is obscured by trees and hedges, so you don’t get the full picture of how they relate (although I believe the single stone may have been a much later addition anyway). The stones themselves are fantastic, knarled and pitted, like decayed teeth. I would like to come and spend more time here – today the busy traffic and the short visits of not-entirely-interested people detracted from the atmosphere. A very special circle though.

After the stuffiness of an over heated waiting room and the brain dead numbness of the magazines fresh air was needed and an easy option required. Kintore Golf Club came to the rescue. Take the B977 from Kintore and follow the signs to the golf course. I drove past the club house and pulled into the first right.

The cairn is a short walk over the hill and is according to Canmore, 40m by 35m and 31/2 meters at it’s highest. It is to the credit of the club that when Bronze Age artefacts began to appear that course reconstruction was halted and then changed. On a clear day the towns of Kintore and Inverurie are clearly visible as are Bennachie and the Tyrebagger. The River Don meanders along the Garioch countryside at the valley floor.

On the way back I didn’t manage to drive past the club house. I was forced to partake of some refreshment and watch some football. Oh the strain!

Visited 23/1/2010.

I have walked through the Greywethers drift many times; today I was in the unusual position of leading three ‘walking’ friends who had never seen them before up to Fyfield Down. The Polisher first; where an ominous mist descended – we were not deterred and descended diagonally across the bumpy stone-strewn downland towards the Herepath. In the distance a pair of brown deer leaped their way across our line of vision.

As we made our way across the Herepath and around the sarsen ‘greywethers’ the mist disolved and the pale January sun made an appearence again. One of my friends was plotting a route for a guided walk so following the OS map we picked up a green track along a field boundary. A word of caution – perhaps because of the recent snow there were many potentially ankle-turning deep crevices and holes in the ground so not a good place to walk alone at this time of year.

Most people who experience Fyfield Down for the first time are astonished that somewhere so wild and ancient still existed in Wiltshire. My three friends were no exception. Words used – misty and mystical.

Discovered details on the cists and the grave goods found there in “The history of the borough, castle, and barony of Alnwick” by George Tate, 1866.

Google books link at archive.org/stream/historyboroughc01tategoog/historyboroughc01tategoog_djvu.txt

Text below based on a clean up of the Google scan.

“On the White House grounds, now forming the north-west corner of Holn Park, three other sepulchres have been discovered.

One was opened in 1818 and contained a skeleton, by the side of which stood an elegant shaped drinking cup, covered with zigzag scorings ; it is said to have contained ashes — Plate II, fig, 1. This is the shape most usually met with in Ancient British interments in North Northumberland; elegant in form and in ornamentation, they exhibit no small degree of artistic taste. Another cist-vaen in this locality
was found in 1833 ; but of this we have no definite information; beyond the fact that the direction of the grave was from north to south. Of the third sepulchre, however, which was opened in 1863, we have more particular knowledge. The cist-vaen was as usual formed of sandstone slabs, the length being 2 feet 9 inches, the width 1 foot 10 inches, and the direction from N.E. to S.W. ; within was laid a skeleton with the head towards the south-west end, the body bent, the knees being drawn up towards the head ; and nearly in the centre stood an urn or vase, which is 5 inches in height, with four knobs at the side, and ornamented with characteristic zigzag scorings — Plate II, fig, 3. The skeleton was that of a young person, about 12 years of age ; for the temporary canine teeth had disappeared, and the permanent canine teeth were making their appearance; while also the sutures of the skull were very distinct. Unfortunately the cranium was broken and incomplete ; but so much remained as to admit of its general characters being determined ; it was a short, broad, and compact head; the longitudinal diameter being 6.3 inches and the parietal diameter 5 inches, giving a proportion of nearly 10 to 8, which marks the cranium of the Brachy-cephalic type. The form is well rounded, but there is a peculiar flattening from the occipital protuberance to the foramen magnum, probably due to artificial compression ; for Dr. Barnard Davis, the distinguished author of the “Crania Britannica,’’ has shewn that some ancient tribes modified by artificial means the natural form of the skull. Even now some of the American Indians distort the heads of their children by the use of a cradle board. Singular is it, that in the sepulchre of so young a person, there was a rude flint arrow head about one inch in length, and of the same character as one found in a similar interment at Wandylaw — Plate II, fig, 9. Other vases of the same kind from the district, preserved in the Alnwick Castle Museum, shew a gradual advance in Ancient British fictile art ; one from Warkworth has, in place of mere knobs, small but well shaped perforated handles.”

Added the three plate pictures referred to in the text to the site.