Latest Fieldnotes

Visited 5.9.2009 as part of visit to Norbury – unsurprisingly, nothing to report since Jane and Moth’s visit. Reduced to almost nothing, after my earlier visit to Hampnett barrows this was obviously going to be a day for ghost barrows.

Visited 5.9.2009, walking up from Northleach along the Monarch’s Way. The first sight of the “fort” comes over a gate, where the by-road takes a kink to the NE just south of Bunker’s Hill. From here, the defensive line of the southern side of the site is visible – it appears to be defended purely by a scarp slope, with no obvious rampart or earthwork.

It’s a very large site, and as none of the ramparts (E and W sides) or slopes (S and N sides) would appear to be particularly formidable, I can only guess that it was more of a settlement site than a true defensible hillfort. The internal area alone would make any kind of sustained defence almost impossible unless you had a very large garrison to man all of the palisades (assuming there were palisades).

At the western end, inside the rampart, can be seen the ghost of Farmington long barrow and the farm inside the fort produces ice cream. The western rampart is the most “impressive” but is still very low and has no natural slope to assist.

Leaving the fort to the east, the eastern rampart follows the line of a hedge and again if you didn’t know to look for it you wouldn’t even notice it in all probability.

Visited 5.9.2009 after a quick look at Hampnett barrows. According to “Old Stones of The Cotswolds & Forest of Dean” (D.P. Sullivan 1999 Reardon) there are two stones, one of them built into the wall as a stile in a way that is quite common in the area. This proved to be the case, but I would have thought it’s the “holed” stone that carries the name Hangman’s Stone, rather than the slab.

The dry stone wall has been rebuilt since the earlier pictures posted here, so the stone now stands away from it. The “stile” slab is built into the wall.

Whether this was part of a long barrow at some point or something else is not possible to say. Position-wise it fits the usual Cotswold long barrow pattern of not sitting on top of the hill but on the slope. The stone is somewhat buried in undergrowth and right next to a dry stone wall, no sign of any mound is visible. A curiousity, but not one carrying much atmosphere when I visited.

This double row of stones runs downhill going south from Higher White Tor keeping the ridge on your right. The stones are small and i would imaging would be hard to find once mid summer has passed and the grass has grown.

I’ve added a single entry here as although there are three (or possibly four) barrows of varying types and ages there’s actually very little to see.

Visited 5.9.2009, walking from the Puesdown Inn, following the Salt Way. At SP084161, marked “tumuli” on the 1:25000 OS, there is either one long barrow or two adjacent round barrows. LV Grinsell couldn’t make his mind up as to which it was and listed both in “Gloucestershire Barrows” (1960). However, there is almost nothing left, just a slight rise in the contour of the field. The crops had been recently harvested or I wouldn’t even have been able to see that.

Slightly further to the SE, there is a long barrow (Furzenhill Barn long barrow) sitting in an unploughed square area of an otherwise ploughed field. Once again this barrow has been badly ploughed down in the past and it is only the fact that it is no longer being ploughed that makes it visible now. At its eastern end there may be a small round barrow (as shown on the OS) but it could easily be part of the much reduced long barrow.

Once for the extremely obsessed.

I don’t suppose I will ever visit this cairn again.....might not even be able to find it again! It really is in the middle of nowhere and the only reason i chanced upon it was because I was trying to find the driest route between two points.
Broad Down is a large expanse of boggy grassland to the north of Postbridge running down the the East Dart river. This small cairn sits atop of the down...but i have to say i am not too sure of my grid ref mainly because of the featureless terrain.

Not the easiest site to find if approaching from above...so....walking north along Drift Lane from Postbridge look out for a stile on the left as you start to climb out onto the open moor. Once over the stile keep going till you reach a dry ditch (the Powder Mill leat) Turn right and follow this to the first tree. The turn uphill for about 50 yards and you just might find it....

Not the easiest site to find....walking north along Drift Lane from Postbridge look out for a stile on the left as you start to climb out onto the open moor. Once over the stile keep going till you reach a dry ditch (the Powder Mill leat) Turn right and follow this to the first tree. Then turn uphill for about 50 yards and you just might find it....

For ages I thought the Bridestones were my nearest ancient place, but then I found out about this place, I knew it was on my to do list but for some reason or another it seems to have taken ages for me to find the time to drive just twenty minutes away. Strange.
Situated in a farmland triangle made by the A54 and the A534 and a small lane connecting the two.
Park as close to the trig point as you can, then walk over to it and the long barrow is seen beneath you.
What a big one this is, in Wiltshire it would be one amongst many, but up here in the megalithic desert that is most of Cheshire it is pretty darn rare to say the least, how could have I been so remiss to have left this fine tree covered long mound in the pictureless wilds of obscurity.
It is well preserved (also rare for Cheshire) and though it is tree covered they are tall mature trees that lend an air of tranquility here between the fast roads.
One more thing, not only is the long barrow aligned NW-SE but its also aligned on a chink in the hillside where the Bridestones burial chamber sits and the winter solstice sun rises, much like Marton church prehistoric mound.

Bronze Age Barrow with a cist, a skeleton in the crouched position was found here in the 19th C.

This stone can be found in the middle of Barra Hillfort and is a handy shelter. The picture shows the views over to Oldmeldrum.

Visited 3/10/09.

There are many hut circles and little cairns in these woods near Kintore. This must have been a sizeable community. There could be up 20 huts here. The entrances all face south. Unfortunately forestry has taken over and many have been ruined or destroyed, some been run over by huge logging machines. I only found four but will return to find the rest.

I parked at the forestry commission track opposite the entrance to Greenlands farm. Good boots needed, this is ankle breaker country. Plenty of wildlife to see as well. After Hatton Of Fintray on the B977, leaving from Dyce, take the road north to Inverurie.

Visited 3/10/09.

This site has caused confusion for a long time in the town and amongst the people who take an interest in ancient things. Pub conservations often have an element of truth and in this case was proved correct. A ring cairn does exist at Woodside but this isn’t it, Canmores one is possibly 1/4 mile thru the woods to the west. Only running short of time, rain and dodgy footwear prevented further search for it. But I know where it hides.

Mrs. Shand kindly gave directions, she stays at Woodside farm, to both is interested in local history also explained many things. This ring cairn has no stones left but the cairn can be seen and the middle is hollowed out in a circular shape. But kerbs have been here possibly white quartz as a nearby pile proves. The inner kerb is about 10 feet in diameter, the outer being over double that. The height of cairn between kerbs is about three feet and is tree covered. Some damage has been done to northern side by a tractor. Unfortunately my photographic skills aren’t up to much so anybody wanting to do the place justice can get in contact thru the normal means. As for me I’m away to find the other ring.

Just to add to the confusion there is mean’t to be a stone circle near Delgatie Castle, fustrating cause I worked there some time ago. Add in a barrow and yet another cairn and the search becomes even better. Even more annoying they are all less than a mile from my front door!

From Turriff head north on the A947 towards Banff. Take first road heading east marked Delgaty and Cuminestown. Woodside farm is the first farm on the left at the end of the road. I asked permission to have a look round which was kindly given. Follow the track, east, behind the house until it’s end. Behind the cairn is the boundary fence. I was warned about the Highland Cattle but they seemed quite happy resting in the watery sun. Only a 1/4 mile walk but wear wellies!

Visited 30/9/09.

The passage grave in Tolarp is the biggest megalithic tomb in southern Halland and is almost 5000 years old. The chamber is 2.5 x 6.5 metres, and the passage is 4.5 metres long. It was investigated ande restored 1926.

I forgot to take a compass reading of the passage, i’ll try to do it the next time I pass the area.

Info board on site in Swedish and English.

How to get there:
At Halmstad, take the exit from highway E20 to road 25 towards Ljungby. Drive 1.5 kilometres and take the 1st exit in the roundabout. After 50 metres, turn left at the blue sign “Mästkocka”. After 700 metres, turn left after the church, at the sign “26 Mästkocka”. Drive for 4.1 kilometres, then turn left at yellow signs “2 Tolarp” and “Gånggrift”. After 1.1 kilometres the site is on the left, and parking spot to the right after further 10 metres.

This barrow was partially excavated in 1972. Then the archaeologists found out that the barrow is built on a natural hill, so the barrow itself measures 40 metres in diametre, and 4 metres high, the total including the natural hill is 50-60 metres in diametre and 7 metres high.

The name ‘Ivars kulle’ (Ivar’s hill) traces back to a man with the name Givar Gunnarsson, who in the years 1717-1756 owned the land around it.

Info board on site in Swedish, English and German.

How to get there:
The barrow is southeast of the crossing between highway E20 and road 26, visible from the highway. Take the exit to road 26 towards Smålandsstenar, and turn right after 300 metres at the sign ‘Sperlingsholm’. The site is after another 300 metres.

Sometimes it’s strange when life’s eddies and currents conspire to bring you back to somewhere you last visited as a kid. Such a place is Manorbier, a stunningly attractive little town on the SW Pembrokeshire coast, one complete with castle and a most picturesque sandy cove. I was last here during the red-hot summer of 1983 to visit the virtually unaltered Norman fortress – yep, it’s really that long ago.... . Didn’t even notice the presence of a far older structure perched upon the headland overlooking the bay at the time. Why should I, seeing as I was in thrall to the brutal military architecture of the Normans? (still am to some extent, I suppose). Ancient stones don’t have a portcullis, arrow slits or murder holes, do they? Boring.

So, 26 years later I arrive with the Mam Cymru to remedy the oversight, (arguably) wiser, certainly older and a little more obsessed with these islands of ours. Damn, that castle still looks as broodingly magnificent as ever, although in the interim the village has developed into one of those ‘chocolate box’ locations American tourists describe as ‘quaint’ in scribbled postcards to the ‘folks back home’.

The chamber’s name is apt. If there’s a more fitting location for the final resting place of an important individual on the Pemrokeshire coastline, I’ve not yet seen it. But bring it on! Needless to say I don’t clock the fantastic positioning at first, some clambering over rocks between the punters on the beach being required before we gain the headland path. Don’t worry, the Mam’s used to this by now. And there it is........ perched overlooking a frankly awe inspiring cove, the sea the colour of azure.

A simple structure, the tomb is, I believe, of sub-megalithic type, whereby the rear of the capstone rests directly on the ground without orthostat. We perch upon the impressive capstone and simply watch the world go by... there’s a lot of it, too, walkers marching past in single file, none of whom even pause to glance at this ancient structure. Hell, at least I was only a kid! As is my wont I take a look inside the chamber, not the experience it should be due to the frankly disgusting habits of some of the walkers. And with a position like this the only real place to be is upon the top....

Worth the wait? You betcha!

Incidentally check out Moss’s recent blog for info on sub-megalithic chambers in the area at:
themodernantiquarian.com/post/79254/weblog/submegalithics_in_west_wales_or_not.html

This is speculative at best, that the original stone circles existed is not really in doubt. Documentary evidence survives from several contemporary sources, two of whom wrote books in the 19th century. Both books were written by local women, Clara King-Warry and Elizabeth Pearce. Pearce wrote her memoir in 1805, before much of the major quarrying took place on this part of the island, she names one of the circles as being called The Frolic . King Warry wrote several books about a century later and sites the circles as having stood either side of Easton Lane ( now Easton road ), she says they were removed and due to the unwillingness of the local workmen were not destroyed but built into the walls along the lane. The sawmills name comes from the name of a now destroyed inn.
This brings us to the stones in the photos I took, they are in the right place and are much larger than any other stones I have seen built into old walls on the island. I have not seen all of the dry stone walling on Portland, there are miles of it, but these are unusual inclusions. Portland stone is and was expensive stuff and large pieces of it are not usually used in this way. Portlanders are a superstitious people, the word rabbit is still taboo, and I would not at all be surprised at the reluctance of workmen to destroy ancient stones .
The only other place where such stones exist is in another wall close to a site described by a visiting antiquarian called Fido Lunettes. Lunettes describes a place near the Portland young offenders institute, which was the original convict prison on the island. He visited the site in 1824, before the prison was built, he descibes an ancient British eartwork called Arun’s Green. He further describes some standing stones with a large flat stone on top which he calls a cromlech.
There can be little doubt that standing stones, circles, barrows etc did exist on this ancient island, but due to the quarrying and military activities in the 19th century much of it has been destroyed or moved or reused.

This is the site of a now destroyed round barrow, it is believed to been in existence prior to its removal by quarrying in the late 19th century. The site is now a nature reserve.

I have finally got round to visiting this site on foot. I have deleted my previous photos and comment as they weren’t much cop anyway.
As can be seen there isn’t much to see, the actual excavation being under the shelter of the small, low wooden building. Having said that this is a very important site, nationally as well as locally. Apart from the recently excavated Doghouse hill, this is one of the oldest settlement sites in Dorset.
Several hundred feet west of the site can be seen the well after which the site takes its name. The well is edged with high quality local stone and is held to have been in use since time out of mind. A narrow gully takes its outflow to the cliff where it flows in to the sea as a waterfall.

Needless to say this could very possibly be one of the most obscure sites to feature in TMA... one for ‘completists’ or the obsessed only, perhaps? Hmm... so much so that I’ve no idea what to ‘label’ it as?

Set a little to the south of the 2,358ft summit of Fan y Big, high upon the great northern escarpment of The Brecon Beacons, the location is awe-inspiring. It truly is. The physical remains, frankly, are not – for if there is something actually here to see, I could not find it. Might even have walked right by without realising it, who knows? Guess it’s my fault for assuming a cremation burial would be within the remains of some kind or cairn or cist... but I understand this need not be the case. Perhaps a GPS owner might be able to provide a definitive answer? Perhaps.

What is not in dispute is that this wild, windswept mountain ridge was the last resting place of at least one Bronze Age inhabitant of the region. To quote Coflein:

‘Remains of a cremation burial lying on the path passing Fan y Big, two cordoned urns and a bronze implement were recovered from the site in 1981’.

Significantly he/she was not alone, for nearby Pen-y-Fan, Corn Du and probably Cribyn (cited by the relevant local archaeological trust, but not Coflein in this instance) also featured Bronze Age burials. For me this simply adds another dimension to a multi-faceted landscape that already has me freaking out with delight. Clearly here we have South Wales’ highest Bronze Age cemetery……..

The most direct approach is via the long northern ridge Cefn Cyff, parking your car (carefully, mind) near the farm at Pen-yr-heol. Minimal the remains may be, but that is just one aspect of the ‘package’. Less is very often more, I find.

Hmm.... how can some people be so lucky as to have a bona-fide chambered cairn sitting in their local park? Not to mention one that hasn’t been daubed with paint or otherwise vandalised in such a location. Sometimes life can be really unfair........... so much so that the Mam Cymru wants to move to Llangattock immediately. Sod the commute!

The sentiment is understandable, if a little, er, ‘impractical’. For in addition to the Norman castle – obligatory for a Welsh borderland town with such a turbulent history – the charming town of Crickhowell, just across the river, already boasts the Gwernvale chamber. Not to mention the bizarrely decapitated hillfort of Crug Hywel acting as terminus for one of the sweeping, elegant 2000ft ridges of the Black Mountains across the valley.

The cairn itself possesses a fine set of old oaks planted around it – a nice touch – and even has a small capstone.......

On second thoughts, where’s that piggy bank?

Wow it’s been 9 years since I first visited this circle-Mr Cope has a lot to answer for!

On a whim I decided to re-visit this Sunday past to watch the sunrise over the circle. Like my experiences at Tyrebagger & Whitehills, even without a camera to watch the sky lighten, the sun rise and to see the light creep across the ground before hitting the stones is an amazing experience.

The light literally changes second by second, through a range of pinks, yellows and oranges and, like this morning, heavy overhead cloud only amplifies this. There was a window of around 20 minutes from sunrise until it disappeared above the grey clag but it was worth the 5:30 alarm.

As Gladman has mentioned, East Aquhorthies is a show site, and perhaps can variously be accused of being over-restored, over-manicured and occasionally over-visited. Some visits with 20 other people are wholly unmemorable.

But then, at other times, you fully appreciate the builders genius.

The northern side of this cairn is pretty well covered in grass with very little erosion. However on the south side the erosion is spectacular and probably man and animal made. Godsman makes mention of the cairn in his book as well as the Law Of Balgreen and the stone circles at Clochforbie and Auchnagorth, although the OS omit it from their maps. According to the farmer one kerb remains of the Bronze Age cairn. Sad and inspiring at the same time this cairn will gradually erode away, at least the photos will prove it existed.

From Macduff travel east towards Fraserburgh on the A98, turning south at the Pitgair signpost. Follow this road until it ends at Fisherie, turning left. The Mill Of Fisherie is signposted a further 200 yards along the road with the cairn clearly visible.

Visited 26/9/09.

Set upon a subsidiary ridge of Mynydd Mawr at almost 2,000ft (please refer to that site for additional comment – and ranting!), this burial cairn is in a wonderful position overlooking Betws Garmon, possessing magnificent views along Llyn Cwellyn to the Snowdon Massif.

In fact most of Central Snowdonia is visible to some degree or other – even Caernarfon Castle – making this just what the doctor ordered on a lovely September afternoon. A place to sit and ponder ‘Bronze Age’ related thoughts – whatever they might be – whilst chomping on several Yorkie bars and chicken tikka samosas. Naughty, naughty. But nice.

Coflein states:- ‘remains of a burial cairn, probably dating to the Bronze Age, situated within open moorland in a prominent position on the summit of Craig Cwmbychan ridge. Stone built and circular on plan, measuring 11m in diameter and up to 1m in height. The cairn has been disturbed in the past, leaving a large hollow in the centre which has been built up to form a drystone shelter’.

One of the great things about being a megalithically-minded (and hopefully reasonably enlightened) hillwalker is that sometimes everything you hold dear in the field comes together in one glorious combination. Another is that people tend to leave you alone when they think you are mad. Bonus! Then again perhaps they know something I don’t.... wibble...wibble..

Anyway, the great passage grave upon Seefin, in County Wicklow, is probably the greatest example of this ‘combination’ I’ve yet experienced, but an expedition up the 2,291ft elephantine bulk of Mynydd Mawr in Central Snowdonia isn’t that far off, in my opinion. Being an isolated peak, the views from Mynydd Mawr are absolutely sensational, particularly from the vertigo inducing Craig-y-Bera to the exquisite Nantlle Ridge and across the Cwellyn Valley to Yr Wyddfa, Snowdon itself. However study the map further – particularly Coflein’s annotated example – and you will see that the greater part of Central Snowdonia is one gigantic, upland Bronze Age burial cemetery. Not as immediately obvious as any of the great Irish sites, granted, but there nonetheless and mainly subject to the attentions of people who couldn’t give a monkey’s about it for one reason or another.

Coflein describes the huge burial cairn at Mynydd Mawr’s summit thus.... ‘a large sub-circular summit cairn that measures 22m in diameter by up to 2.5m high. It is constructed of small-medium angular scree stones piled together. There has been later delviing (sic) to form three drystone shelters which are built into it. Each of the shelters measure up to 3m in diameter by 1m high’.

So, more destruction of a once magnificent monument, then. What’s new? Thankfully, however, the cairn is in a very real sense only a symbollic marker of the location, the sense of place at which is, well, above everything normally experienced in this day and age. Across the valley the new multi-million pound cafe upon the summit of Snowdon is clearly visible, while we’re content to let the grave of some great predecessor be treated like this. Well, it is just a pile of stones, after all......... or is it?

Note that there is another substantial cairn – also ‘amended’ somewhat – upon the rocky promontory of Craig Cwmbychan, overlooking Nant-y-Betws roughly to the NE. Both cairns are best reached from Planwydd Farm, a little above the inflow of Llyn Cwellyn. A steep climb, but then the reward matches the effort. Ten times over.