Latest Fieldnotes

Bleasedale Circle is a wonderful place, surrounded by trees, through which the wind sighs or howls. Sometimes, well, quite a lot, it rains. It is Lancashire after all.
The peace within is complete. Few people visit, and the trees will be a bit overbearing for some, but for me it works well, and adds to the sense of the past. True, it’d be good to see the surrounding fells of the Trough of Bowland, and to look towards the Fylde coast, but the modern wooden markers of their predecessors, along the edge of the well preserved ditch, along with the info board all help to reconstruct the site in the Modern Antiquarian mind.
If in Preston, pop into the Harris Museum to view the beaker with cremation that was found here, along with a reconstruction of the site.

I can’t believe I haven’t posted owt about (like the rhyme?) one of the grestest of our chambered tombs. I’m having a blitz on sites I’ve not posted fieldnotes about, me.
Here goes. A few years ago we took our chances and crossed the A4 without being killed by some speed-freak with lowered suspension, wide tyres, and a big phallic exhaust. I suppose it makes them feel a little less inadequate. I’m turning into my dad.
Anyway, our ancestors, who built WKLB had other things to worry about, like missing thigh bones, skulls, and other body bits. What a memorial to a collective of people. It makes you think about how graves and grave markers have developed over the milennia, yet the basics have remained the same: stone. Did the WKLB people have any form of “writing”, and is the absence of markings on the sarsens proof of no “writing”? I know of the carvings on the Stonehenge sarsens, but wouldn’t you think that such a huge monument as WKLB would have had some form of “words”, symbolic or otherwise? Or was the memory of people in the form of ancestral stories, passed down through the generations? Perhaps telly and stuff has got in the way of our modern communication.
It’s an awe-inspiring site, with big stones, and an even bigger earthen mound, and great views. It’s just below a ridge, so where was it supposed to be seen from?
Marvellous.

A few years ago I stood on top of Silbury Hill, and was absolutely gobsmacked by the sheer effort required to raise this behemoth. Why? Deep thought fails to bring an answer. With all the comforts and ease of a modern day life I bet we couldn’t be arsed to do anything remotely as big with the tools they had to hand. Their life would be hard work without the hassle of this monumental construction.
To get into the mind of these people is impossible, and beyond the realms of archaeologists, who can, like us, just theorise.
Looking from The Sanctuary, on 07/07/09, I could see the downs rolling across the landscape, and there, in the middle of it all, was a flat-topped mini-down, dear old Silbury Hill. It didn’t look at all drawfed by the surrounding landscape, truly a tribute to her architects, for she always seems a she to me. Bless ‘er.

My latest visit (07/07/09), and the Natioinal Trust warden was finishing off strimming the grass, or rather the latest of many showers finished it for her, and sent her scuttling back to the Land Rover. I waited for the rain to stop, and the warm sun to return, and entered the sacred site, ankle-deep in strimmings (is there such a word?). They almost obscured the ugly concrete markers, which isn’t a bad thing. The number of outstanding sites visible from The Sanctuary is more than you could shake a big stick at, and sites that would be on any anorak’s ticklist: East Kennett long barrow, West Kennett long barrow, Seorfon round barrows, The Ridgeway, Silbury Hill, and dear old Avebury. Need I go on. Alright, I will – Adam’s Grave. Good, eh? If The Sanctuary had a doorstep, I could safely say it’s a crying shame that the A4 is on its doorstep. Why, as a nation, are we famous for ruining our historic sites by running roads right through or by them? The Sanctuary would be truly that if it was remote from the A4, and had its original stones. It still exudes an atmosphere, in spite of everything.

A few years ago I visited Knap Hill, and was blown away by the place. However, I then walked across to Adam’s Grave, which outshone it. Knap Hill is the bridesmaid, and adam’s Grave the bride. Having said that, it is a place to put on your places to visit before you shuffle off this mortal coil. Adam’s Grave is a place to put on your list of places to visit tomorrow in case you shuffle off this mortal coil the day after tomorrow. In fact, stuff it, spoil yourself, visit them both tomorrow, it’d be daft not to.
Knap Hill is wide open, with outstanding views, and a sense of loneliness for a people gone. Choose a day of wind, and clouds sailing like galleons across the sky, with the sun-dappled landscape stretched out before you, with Avebury to the north, and Salisbury Plain to the south.

Big Wiltshire skies, cloud shadows chasing across the downs, creating a patchwork quilt over the already patchwork quilt of the farmland, wide-open spaces, pre-history peppered across the rolling landscape, a landscape of curvy, female-like form, and views over golden fields. There’s the odd crop circle too.
I first visited Adam’s Grave a few years ago, and was struck by the prominent position it occupies, visible from miles around. Knap Hill sits handily away to the east, and it’s good to feel the wind through my scalp. This is a special place, a place of great atmosphere, and a place where I feel great inner peace. Whoever was placed to rest her for eternity was truly blessed. I wish I could meet the people who built this barrow, for they truly felt something, something intangible to us today.
Sit up there on the right sort of day, and dream of the distant people, for whom a great, unknown driving force set them to work on this tomb.

Field notes – Sunday 28 June 2009

Visited this site after an afternoon looking around Membury fort. Parked just off the road by the old drovers track, (marked by a well on the OS map), and walked along the hedge trying to find easy way in to the field. Met a local who lived at the White house and when asked, he had never heard of the long barrow and was shocked when I showed it on the O.S. map. Decided to act like a badger and went under the hedge like the other animals. Walked through pasture and along the edge of Ballard’s Copse to the spot marked on map, just below the crest of the hill.
The barrow has been severely reduced and the official record of its 1.2m height, 27m length and 23m width must have been from the initial measurements done by Grinsell in the 1950’s, when the long barrow was first scheduled. The stated orientation of ENE-WSW was also hard to work out, as was the remains of the flanking ditches. I took a score of pictures but the light was against me and a small bump in the grass is all that can be made out. There was a large depression, 30 meters directly opposite the barrow, and it looked like some form of excavation had taken place around the site, although no records exist of the long barrow being opened or examined by known archaeologists. 1km directly east, lies a round barrow and to the north east is Membury fort, all point to an area of continued habitation and cultivation from the Mesolithic period right up to the roman occupation.
The area had a very mellow vibe to it and the view from the valley below to the long barrow on the crest of the hill would have “claimed territory” written all over it in the Neolithic. Not an impressive site itself, poor access but still a link between the modern world and the ancestors.

Chance

Situated at the edge of Aswanley Wood this cairn sits on top of the similarly titled hill. It is some 18 meters in diameter and was covered in grass, although by it’s shape it was obvious that this cairn had been badly robbed. Views up and down the Deveron valley are obscured by the trees. However directly opposite on the other side of the river are the cairns at Cairnborrow, Backtack and Newton Hill.

Leave the A920 at the minor road to Edinglassie, just before the Deveron if coming from Huntly. Follow this road for three miles, past Artloch, taking the first track north after Cairnargat farm. This track peters out to dead end. From here it is on foot following the edge of the wood, south for a 1/4 mile. Probably there would be more to see in the winter months if the roads are open.

Visited 7/08/09.

Strangely Canmore list this in with smaller cairnfield cairns. This cairn is at least 15 meters wide and and at it’s tallest is over 11/2 meters in height being made up of granites and quartize. At least two kerbs can be seen. Unfortunately it has been badly robbed. On the plus side estate workers have surrounded it with a fence and gate. To the south east, the cairn at Artloch can be seen.

I mean’t to find the other cairn at the top of the hill but the heavens opened so I ran back to the car. The car was parked opposite the Mains of Cairnborrow farm, on the A920. Take the track leading uphill, in a north easterly direction, leads straight to the cairn. About a 1/4 mile steady climb.

Visited 7/08/09.

This can be found at the top of the drive to Cairnborrow lodge, near the A920 Dufftown road, on the west side. Originally this stone sat on the other side of the road face down. However it was moved and sits so that all the rock art can be seen.

There are 28 cup marks, 10 with rings and 5 channels. Some of the markings have been badly weathered but I think it’s still a beautiful piece of art.

Visited 7/08/09.

Visited in July 2009 and found the site easy to access, though the base of the dolmen is quite overgrown. The surface of the field within about 8m radius of the dolmen is scattered with small stones and fragments of strange shapes and substances. Quite a few bits thin tubes of flint, some porous stone – or is it bone??? – and what looks like slag from very high temperatures. ‘Tis devilry!

On and at the foot of this marked ridge lies the Iron age (500BCE – 1050CE) burial ground of Grepstad village.

The about 70 graves comprise mainly round and rather flat barrows. Along the barrows, standing stones, and at times stone rings can be found.

On the other side of the present road there is a holy well, called Midsommarkällan (the well of midsummer). The well and the burial ground are both mentioned in local ghost stories.

Remains of old roads can also be seen here. Hundreds of years of tramping feet and hooves have worn shallow trenches in the ground

One of the stone rings can be seen in Google Earth (GE).

Info board on site in Swedish and English.

How to get there
From highway E4, turn to road 50 in Mjölby towards Motala. Drive about 19 kilometres and you will find a parking spot at the site on the right side of the road.

I parked on the Hepple to Holystone road next to something called a Bastle, of which there are a few hereabouts, what one is I don’t know, a castle with a cold probably.
There is no path to the stones from here, but with a good os map it should be easy enough, a good os map is needed for all places round here.
Eric was initially unimpressed with the site “is that it” he said , we had come a long way perhaps he was expecting some thing more.
After we had cleared and flattened as much bracken as possible and Eric had climbed up the biggest stone the place was much more agreeable.
Away over the trees at the armies otterburn camp the army was letting rip with the big guns, rifles punctuated by cannon fire, this was no grouse shoot.
So what happened to the fifth king ? I think it was he who turned these four kings to stone, as kings aren’t really known for dancing on the sabbath, and they definatley don’t conga. The stones are set at strange angles to each other specially the wide terminal stone at the west end.
The two end stones are much bigger than the inner two. A good stone row, pity about the view.

At upper chatto farm the farmer let us park and walk up from there, which saved us about half a mile, the directions are identical to the Five stanes circle except go round the left hand side of the long fenced off copse.
Once your on top of the ridge your standing on a roman road known as Dere street, because of the three ancient places along these hills can I assume the Romans only made the original track more Rome worthy.
The cairn is the other side of the wall but doesnt hide behind it, its stones actually peep over it to visitors walking along the other side, like a puppy wanting a fuss.
Only two stones are still in situ the others are strewn about and broken. Brilliant place though, I think i’ll come back to these Cheviots again, and soon.

A mile or so east of the ring is Upper Chatto farm (not to be confused with Chatto at the bottom of the hill) I drove up there and asked if it was ok to leave the car somewhere round here whilst we go up to the stones. The nice farmer said it was fine and showed me where to park and even pointed out where on the hill above us the stones were, I thanked him kindly and Eric and I set off up the track which is driveable but not allowed by the farmer I’d just seen.
When the track becomes undriveable just head up hill, bend round the right hand side of a long fenced off copse, just go up to the top you cant fail.
Remarkably there really are five stones at the Five stanes stone circle, not like some of them other sites that lie and tell tales. Aubrey reckons there was probably eight stones but I’d guess nine mostly because of ninestanes rigg a few miles southwest. Two of the five are out of place and another two are twenty yards down the hill.
A really nice place with glorious views of the Cheviots, Trestle Cairn should be seen half a mile south and a standing stone can be seen from both the circle and the cairn at NT 758 161, we didnt have enough time for all three which I kicked myself for half of the way home.

This cairn remains reasonably intact except for a little damage caused by digging rabbits. It is 19 meters wide and 2.5 meters tall. The top of the cairn is flat and has a diameter of 5 meters. Turf and trees cover the site.

Go south from Mintlaw on the A952 taking the first minor road east. Take the track to Greenhill and Fordmouth, south. At the first crossroads head east. The cairn is next to the road, north, sitting on the slopes of the Gallows Hill. So for a change no walk.

Visited 5/08/09.

Sadly this stone has suffered a little since I was here last. Some bright sparks have carved their names into the side of the boulder.
Rich mentioned that there may be a plan to site a stile over this stone. The sooner the better I reckon.

Follow the direction for Durn Hill as this badly robbed cairn is on it’s eastern slopes. As the path ends climb the fence and go east. After about a 1/2 mile the cairn can be seen.

Like other parts of the hill white quartize lies everywhere and forms the major part of the cairn which must have massive in it’s day. Large grey granites also form the cairn, and some sit encircling the site. The cairn now is only 13 meters wide by 11/2 meters tall. Once again superb views with the outskirts of Banff visible to the east as well as the Hill of Alvah.

After wandering round the Turra Show it was good to feel some fresh air and avoid standing in coo poo!

Visited 3/08/09.

Durn Hill towers over the small port of Portsoy and has good all round views. I parked at the quarry opposite Broomhills farm. From here a path leads so far up the hill then its watch your feet.

The fort is at the top, I went via the cairn, which means I climbed from the east. Earthworks can be seen at NJ573634 and Canmore suggests that there are various cists. Certainly there are plenty of large granite boulders lying about. However the hill is more famous for it’s white quartize, it’s everywhere. It seems that walls and ramparts for the fort were made from this rock.

To the south west the remains of a ditch and wall are visible, a shorter ditch is on the northern side. Two circular structures can also be seen, one as a hollow another built from white quartize, this might be a type of souterrain although I’m not sure.

Canmore says that the fort was unfinished and had three lines of defence. One thing for certain-the North Sea/Moray Firth has a very strong wind! The climb in places is fairly steep and the strength of the wind, today, helped the climber!

Visited 3/08/09.

This is an easily found, probably Bronze Age, cairn found in Lusy Law wood just to the west of Banff. From the middle of Banff find Duncan Street, keep going until it changes to Whinhill Road, go past the chippy and school playing fields until the wood appears on your left.

This path is used mainly by people walking their dogs and young alkies who leave their bottles lying about. About 50 meters into the walk turn left and wade thru the rather tall ferns and weeds until there is a clearing. In the middle there is a small version of the Law of Balgreen being no more than 15 meters wide and 1 meter tall. This is probably better visited during the winter months when all of the undergrowth will have gone.

Visited 3/08/09.

Aubrey Burl, in his usual ‘right-on-the-money’ style rates this as a ‘a little known but fascinating site recommended to the enthusiast’....... I’d go a bit further and reckon it’s one of the classic stone circles of Britain, all things considered. However, perhaps the sheer joy of reaching it after a two and a half(ish) mile uphill slog means I eulogise a bit too much... and Down Tor still remains my favourite Dartmoor site. But not by much, which is perhaps the highest compliment I can give.

The pilgrimage is such that I somehow manage to leave the superb triple stone row on the flanks of Cosdon Hill ‘until the way back’ – shades of Callanish, where the main event is all consuming. Managed to pick my way through the bog en-route without too much difficulty, but then again I am used to the (very wet) Welsh uplands, so I’m guessing the old tales of travellers disappearing into bottomless pits shouldn’t be altogether discarded and sticking to the path is a must. Proper walking boots – and gaiters, if you have them – will help save the poor feet from a soaking.

The circle itself possesses that aura that only truly remote sites have.... absolute silence. In fact I only had one visitor in some 3 hours on site – a 65 year old local who obviously knew his stuff.

Returned to the Cosdon Hill rows via Cosdon Hill itself, the summit crowned by cairns as the icing on the cake. Finally, note that the initial stage of the walk – near Nine Stones – is a bit complicated with drystone walls and whatnot. I therefore asked a passing dog walker if this was the path to White Moor and received a complete blank look. ‘No, this is the path to Whit’ Moor..... ‘

An uncharacteristic trip east far beyond the Peak district, hah !! Norfolk laughs in the face of the Peaks easterlyness. It still took a yawning three hours to get here, and this was the only destination on the list (except Sherwood forest on the way back).
It was Saturday morning in early June and we had the entire site to ourselves, which was nice.
We bought our tickets and went straight to the shed that houses the stairway to below, which threw the guide a bit as most people have a look around first, but not me, time for chilling amongst the sleepy hollows later, right now I want my mind blowing, and Grim was the man for the job.
Our lad Eric chickened out and wouldnt go down, so me and the wife took it in turns, she went first, she came back up 5minutes later with a glazed look on her face, and said “uummm that was cool” . I’ll be the judge of that said I, then the earth swallowed me whole and I was in a different world.
The air was cool down below and I was all alone, the only sound was the tour guide many feet above me wittering on about the Iceni no doubt, what do they say about a bit of knowledge?
I settled into the place and explored as fully as possible every nook and cranny. I really liked the well worn floor under the stoop, but I only hope ancient feet made it and not some self important
victorian dudes. Hayley was right, it was cool
Time to go back up top side, half way up is a line of big black flint nodules still poking from the mine walls, then when light starts to make a come back so does the mosses and ferns.
The tour guide was just telling Eric how the miners were six year old children and it only took one summer to fully excavate and fill back in again. My spidey (bollocks radar)sence tingling we exited the shed and the guideman sent us in a easterly direction towards Boudiccas mound where she may or may not have adressed her native followers to expel those dreadful Romans.
She’s understandably a major theme round here as this was centre of the Iceni home turf.
More than four hundred mines, thousands of buttercups and a handfull of singing birds chilled me right out after too.
Why not visit Weeting castle afterwards a delightful ruin amongst strong mature trees ,we did, which was nice.

Whilst searching the Pinder Hawes Hill area of Skyreholme I came across a stone with a small, worn cup mark on it. I though little of it and mentioned it in passing to Greame.
On passing the stone Greame decided to lift the turf whilst making some throw-away remark that there was probably a pristine cup lurking below the turf...
Bugger me, he was right! Up came the turf to reveal a lovely large fresh-looking oval cup.
As far as we know, this is a new discovery the credit for which rests firmly with Greame C.

Visited as part of a walk along Shire Ditch. These two barrows are in a sorry state, having been excavated a little too hard, but their spectacular location more than makes up for it.

They are visible from other parts of the Malverns ridge, especially from the north, but cannot be seen from the lower land either side, making them well situated for ceremony.

One of the barrows was damaged when Shire Ditch was constructed, which is perhaps strange when you consider that the latest thinking dates Shire Ditch to the same period as the barrows, rather than the Middle Ages as was previously thought.

Visited on 4.7.09 and walked the length of Shire Ditch from Hangman’s Hill in the south (it actually continues further south to Midsummer Hill ) to the northern end between Worcestershire Beacon and North Hill. In between are the British Camp hillfort, Colwall round barrows and some wonderful views.

What a great way to spend an afternoon!