Latest Fieldnotes

This is an extended barrow cemetery on military land. There is a footpath across the site and the two barrows photographed here so far are the most easily accessible.
The most prominent is to the north of the footpath and is a large low bowl barrow covered in heather at this time of the year.
The other one is to the south of the path is in worse condition, having been damaged by tanks in the past. Happily now it is fenced off. It has an O.S. trig point on top of it and a flint knife and bronze dagger were found when a flagpole was erected. The finds are now in Dorset County museum.
There is another barrow to the north of these two marked imaginatively on O.S. maps as “Round Barrow”. I couldn’t find it and didn’t look too hard as it appears to be on an explosives range used by the Royal Marines to practice blowing up stuff, so I didn’t fancy hopping fences to look for it.

Visited the site today to see if I could find the long barrow to the north east, no luck I’m afraid. The undergrowth is very thick at this time of the year and I could easily have walked straight past it.
The barrow on this post is very easy to find, park on the other side of the road in the car park of Martin Down nature reserve. The road here is extremely busy and you can’t see very far either way. The barrow is a few hundred yards to the north on the east side of the track.

We visited the Torbreck stone circle in September of 2007. The site is now adjacent to a small farm and house, and there was a tee-pee and fire pit directly next to the circle that indicated very recent activity there (along with soda bottles thrown inside the circle itself). We followed another stone hunter’s instructions that led us through Cullaird Wood to get there, but there’s a dirt road that runs right along side the circle and farm, and this is an easier trek (it’s the dotted road that comes off the yellow road through Torbreck on the OS map). We had a visit with the local dog, Bobby, who was more than friendly.

The stone circle is wonderful, and standing among the stones was awesome, but the other activity in the area was disturbing and disorienting, and we didn’t linger overlong (it took us longer to actually find the site than we wanted to stay).

After visiting the Ring of Brodgar dig I made my long way over to the Loch of Wasdale. Couldn’t quite get across to “Counrtrywoman"s other island (HY34221517) what I shall call Wasdale 2, as I wasn’t sure whether the fence I saw kept the kie out. My first sight of the edgeset stones, offshore by the wooden hut, didn’t look to show any regular pattern. Carrying further along this old road brought more of them to light, ones projecting less above the water, and indicated a fairly regular spacing. Despite the fact that I saw my first ones in front of that hut they could well be more further up the shoreline as there was too much ‘foam’ there to make anything out. I should point out, for what it’s worth that there do appear to be one or more edgeset stones on the shoreline opposite the site i.e. below the road. In Orkney one or two orthostats (or facing pairs) tend to be called ‘sailors graves’, and more than that is a ‘graveyard’, but to my eyes it is most unlikely that there has been any actual burial ground here.
Coming on to the now permanent island there is a greater depth of the causeway showing. Indeed it is passable now. But you will still need some care over the stepping stones in a few sections – rest the foot and then push off, test firmity on the centre of stones where these don’t have an obvious incline. There is nothing to add about the large stones fronting the mound.
Walking around the islet it certainly seems basically artificial, even if the stonework surrounding the mound isn’t yer megalithic broch style it is definitely circular and the base survives for two or more courses. This earlier site makes its presence most felt at the sides and back of the mound, where the width is least, leading me to think that the Iron Age [? Bronze Age if a crannog first] structure occupied a site more at the northern end of the islet. Behind the mound at the back what looks to be a broch age chamber still stands about a metre high (nettles prevented close inspection. On top of the mound at the back, atop a smaller mound, is the conical modern cairn. From this an older wall runs down to the chamber, to all intents and purposes a radial [not that I’m suggesting a wheelhouse for this site].
I tried unsuccessfully to find the cist in the hind part of the mound, but towards the back, to the side of the moundlet, there is a cuboid arrangement of stones covering one long one (there being an overhang my photos may not show this).
There are the lower courses of one (? two) presumably early/middle mediaeval structures to one side of the later entrance. It struck me that the later folk hoicked out the front of the earlier structure and brought it ‘forward’ to form their own more rectilnear site. As the causeway is some distance in front of the main earlier stuff does it really go with it ?
Despite the present state of the whole islet it could once have supported a more megalithic (broch age) set of walls – there are some great stonking stones used below the farm as a shoreline field boundary or summat that might be originally monumental.
With the present lower shoreline after taking my leave I was able to circle my subject and take shots not takeable close to. If you do this be aware your foot could get sucked in on muddier parts of the shore and by the marsh/heath edges of the field. Even had some close up shots of a pair of skuas – do not disturb. Only when climbing up onto the field did I see the kie in another corner of the field, so I moo-ved on.

This may look like a strange inclusion but the building actually stands on top of a barrow. The site is south of the village of Puncknowle, on a hill called the Knoll, from which the village takes part of its name. The name is pronounced punnel as in funnel.
The barrow itself is about 20 metres across and 4 feet in height. Grinsell very nicely describes it this way – as having a  “Tiny hovel (watch-tower?) on it. Site of finding of cinerary urn in 1908.” Dorset Proc xxxv , p. Li.
The building is described in MAGIC as as lookout post built in about 1800 and is grade II listed. An earlier map calls the hill Punknoll Beacon.
The watch tower is well placed as the views go on for miles. To the east is Abbottsbury Castle hillfort and the barrows on Tulk’s hill and Limekiln Hill. To the west is Golden Cap to the north Chilcombe Hill and Shipton Hill.

What a surprise and delight and what a curious site.
As noted in the fieldnotes elsewhere, this fort/settlement/refuge was never finished. This is plainly obvious when walking around it. In some places the ditch and bank are nicely finished and contoured, then there is a break, a sort of causeway, and the next bit is quite different: a shallower ditch, a less “finished” profile and dumps of earth on top which have had no attempt to make them into a profiled bank.
It looks just like a building site when everybody has just knocked off for tea! There is the strong feeling that if you were to wait a bit they’ll be back.

Archaeologists have suggested that each section might have been constructed by a different family. What a source of competition/arguments/backbiting that arrangement could have been!

Anyway it was abandoned when almost finished. Why? Did Big Brother (Sister?) across the valley, Beacon Hill, tell them to stop/join forces/out perform them/enslave them?

Internal and other external features are difficult to see as waist high grass and nettles obscure them.
A winter visit might be in order.

The site is not visited much and there are no worn paths anywhere. Skylarks and buzzards while I was there and it is much quieter than Beacon Hill with very little noise from the A34. Although not as high it probably has better views and is much easier to get to the top.

A site for the imagination.

Access
Take signposts off A34 to Old Burghclere, go through village and at T junction to the left (N) park on verge on right. (2/3 cars?) Take bridleway (S), level if muddy path along valley floor, with diversions. Gentle slope right to the top. At iron gate take sharp dog-leg to the left, follow field boundary to 5-bar gate. (Private land?)

This site is familiar to anyone traveling between Southampton and Oxford on the A34,
A great rounded hill on the W of the gap in the N Hants Downs.
The “fort” is not that obvious from below but after a very stiff climb (with many pauses for breath) the banks and ditches are revealed. They are all very well preserved and of impressive dimensions and some views reminded me of Maiden Castle although smaller. It’s a rather peculiar shape being like an hour glass with the top chopped off, a result of following the contours I suspect.
In the NW corner (not SW as MAGIC has it) is the tomb of the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, the sponsor and co-discoverer with Howard Carter of Tutankhamen.
Extensive views except to the NW with Ladle Hill to the E and plenty of chalk flora and fauna.
The only downside is that the roar of traffic from the A34 below is difficult to avoid. Otherwise a very worthwhile site to visit.

Access
Small car park at base signposted from A34.
Very steep climb to top with many steps.

Sometime when you see those sites pictured in a book in black & white they don’t seem that much good.
Then when you visit them you understand that the book wasn’t a good one.
I’ve been surprised by the beauty of this place and
I’ve wished some friend was there with me to share my joy.

Plenty of small streams all around so the place was chosen for water’s cult, pastoral culture, simple, delicate engravings, peaceful, female in a word. And when I saw an hawthorn’s bush beside the rock I understood more...

The rock took its name by Professor A.Issel who studied and report it at the beginning of the last century. Is 2,80 meters long and 1,40 meters high. Down in the valley there’s a christian sanctuary called Acquasanta (Holy water...) where people use the water of a sacred fountain to cure their problems. I found this site because of a book (a good one)
written by Mr.Italo Pucci and Mr.Ausilio Priuli.

I bumped into this site while I was running down a hill with my son. And I’ve immediatly thought:“Hmm...those stones...“.

A spring surrounded by stones that gives water to a quiet softly-singing stream.
A short path (surrounded by stones too) that leads, from the spring, to a partial circle of stones.
Few big stones scattered all around.

But I don’t go back there anymore because it’s on a private propriety and year by year some stones are caught and carried away to be re-used for buildings.
And I can’t stand it, but there’s nothing I can do against it yet.

In Ceresa, on the banks of a stream (nearby, on the opposite banks, stands Ceresa 1’s menhir) there’s this flat stone.

Three meters long, with only two engraved small cups.

A very simple and delicate cult of waters. Let me say...something very female.

From a pastoral culture.

This stone from Grubstones Ridge on Burley Moor, is now in Cliffe Castle Museum in Keigley:
rockartuk.fotopic.net/c1546584.html

Sitting on a slight hilltop, the fort is easily spotted from the small lane, on which there is room for one car only to park. Before ascending the hill , note the three standing stones acting as gate posts. Climb the rusty gate closest to the trees and make your now unimpeded way up. This compact settlement is well preserved with no definate main entrance but three or four small entrances. There are two sets of banks and ditches remaining high and impressive, as ever the views were stunning specially towards Snowdonia. In the ditch on the northern side is a big boulder, how did it get there? and did it have a function? I dont know, but it did perplex me somewhat what with the stones on the other side near the car.
But now the weather is winning and we must beat a hasty retreat...Yaaay hillforts

The Church of St Mary with St Leonard in Broomfield, Chelmsford, Essex stands on a little knoll a couple of miles from the town centre. It is one of only six churches in the county with a round tower – the reason for constructing round towers here is that large stones are so scarce in the county that using small stones, set in mortar, was an economical way of building larger structures. The Essex RIGS Group on behalf of Essex ( essexwt.org.uk/Geology/sites2.htm ) has the following entry -

“Chelmsford. At Chelmsford Museum a block of puddingstone stands next to the main entrance door.[*] Two sarsen stones can be seen in Broomfield by the church gate.”

Following a recent visit to Alphamstone, which also has sarsens by the church gate and built into its foundations, the mention of two sarsens by the gate of The Church of St Mary with St Leonard was enough to lure me out this afternoon. Could there really be more sarsens in the stone-scarce county of Essex? After a couple of wrong turns I finally found the church and saw the two sarsens as I went past the church gate. Deciding to drive a little further I went down a lane and pulled up behind the church. Entering the churchyard from a gate on the west side I started walking clockwise around the church. Nothing to see in the foundations – nothing that is until I turned the south-east corner. There in the foundations of the south wall was this -themodernantiquarian.com/img_fullsize/68398.jpg

The stone (an amazing black puddingstone) has a similar ‘positioning’ to one of the stones protruding from the foundations at Pewsey Church in Wiltshire – it literally sticks out about two foot from the wall and is about six inches from ground level! I stood there gob-smacked for a while when the vicar happened to walk by. “Interesting stone” said I. The vicar nodded and said he thought it was either a way marker or of pagan origin. He then went on to tell me about Pope Gregory and his edicts concerning the assimilation of pagan practices into early Christianity. Although the church was locked, the vicar took me in (via the tradesman’s entrance as he put it) for a look inside. Some interesting items in there and well worth a visit. On the way out I picked up a copy of the church information pamphlet** which has this to say -

“The original Norman church, possibly on the site of a wooden Saxon church was probably built on the incentive of the de Mandeville family of Broomfield Hall, almost a thousand years ago. The south wall of that original small church containing nave and chancel survives today. The windows were small lancets then and the chancel was shorter, as can be seen from Roman bricks that formed the original south east corner. Among the flint and Roman bricks of the South wall is a projecting puddingstone, or mass conglomerate. Some believe that such marker stones are an indication of a pre-Christian site.”

The pamphlet goes on to say -

“The Roman tiles are a reminder of the story still related fifty years ago. The plan had originally been to build the church at the top of New Barn Lane, called Dragon’s Foot in the tithe maps, there is a depression, now somewhat ploughed out but still deep enough to be a dragon’s footprint. This was the site of a Roman building which still yields numerous hypocaust tiles and bricks, so the story is a delightfully muddled memory of the Saxons trundling cartloads of Roman bricks down to the Green on the orders of their new Norman masters to use as quoins since there were no local stone quarries.”

The Church of St Mary with St Leonard has all the hallmarks of a Christianised site. As at Alphamstone in Essex and Pewsey in Wiltshire it has an unusual stone protruding (and prominently visible) in its foundations. Across the lane from St Mary with St Leonard’s there is a pond (as there is at East Kennet church in Wiltshire). The pond is fed by both a stream and several springs – one of the houses (parts of which are medieval) opposite the church has a rivulet running under the paving stones in its cellar. I was told by the occupant of this house that the two sarsens in front of the church gate were originally in the stream that runs close to the church. The springs and stream, together with evidence of a Roman villa and the unusual black puddingstone in the church foundations, perhaps all indicate that the site was sacred and pre-dates both Christianity and the Roman occupation.

* See themodernantiquarian.com/img_fullsize/68397.jpg

** The Church of St Mary with St Leonard by Ann Howard.

I had time to visit this site today, there is some doubt as to it’s being a barrow, Grinsell seems to think it natural. Given the name and its appearance it looks ok to me, I don’t know whether Grinsell visited the barrow, although he did get to see a great many. Anyway as it is today only the landward side in the photo is still in good condition, the seaward side having fallen away at some time. From it can be seen the nearby Sandy barrow on a hilltop about a quarter of a mile inland to the north. Behind can be seen the Island of Portland several miles to the southwest.

This barrow, seen from nearby Goggin’s barrow is on a hilltop just inland from the coast near to the village of Osmington. I didn’t have time to walk here today, but as a footpath runs close to it I will get closer to it soon.

Field Notes

Amesbury Bowl Barrow – SU 13140 42040 – March 2008

Ordnance Survey Explorer Map 130 – Scale 1:25000
Salisbury & Stonehenge inc. Wilton & Market Lavington.
ISBN 978-0-319-23599-7

Not much to see of Scheduled Monument SM10303, a flattened Bowl barrow. It was almost completely excavated in 1960 by Paul Ashbee, when the A303 was widened for the dual carriageway. A C14 date of 1670 bc +/- 90 was recorded.
When Sir R.C. Hoare first opened it, he recorded finding a primary cremation with shale and amber cones, along with various beads. See, The Ancient History of Wiltshire Vol 1, page 159.

If you take the “permissive path” from the Stonehenge car park, to the New King Barrows you will walk right over it. The path runs parallel to the A344, in the field boundary to Stonehenge Bottom. Gates are provided for access and it is a lot safer than trying to walk along side the road.

For additional information, see SMR Number SU14SW761 at https://history.wiltshire.gov.uk/smr/

Chance

In Maudagna Valley, on a hill overlooking the town of Frabosa Sottana, at the south of Maudagna Valley’s engraved stone and not far from it. There’s this Sacred Area with two barrows and three menhirs.

The site it’s been discovered by Mr. Sergio Piazzo.

At the north of the village called Faie (Faires), along the track that leads to Monte Beigua, there’s this typical altar stone. On top of a small hill with a cup’s shaped engrave and a short and little drainage canal.

I found it because it was described in a book writted by Mr. Italo Pucci and Mr. Ausilio Priuli.

This is an interesting site and the history is conflicting with some saying it was built by the Normans and others saying it dates back further.
The fact that it is associated with Fairy music for me at least suggests that it dates further than this.
To get there turn off the n8 for Cahir and then follow the sign for knockgraffon by turning right over the motorway bridge. From there keep with the road and u cant miss it. It is on the left hand side
I really like this site, its very peaceful on top and the views are amazing. For me there is a definite feeling of this being older than a motte and it would be interesting to see what excavation would reveal. Even geophysics would reveal a lot id say.

This bullaun is to the left rear of the church in Ballindangan. Not the most impressive of bullaun stones, it is located beside some fairly smelly toilets.

This is a lovely standing stone, seemingly it is 3.4m tall. It is just outside the town of Glanworth (near the tomb of Labbacallee).
Access isnt too bad. I parked at a new house on the left hand side with a gate into a field with some wheat in it and went in thru about 3 fields all of which had crops in them but you could walk along the edge. From the gate it is about 500m.
One edge of the stone at the top has an unusual groove shape in it, like a U shape.

This is harder to get to than u would think.
It looks to be in good condition and in state care but it is actually about two fields in past a farmyard with no access to it. The road is a dead end and there is nowhere to park so i just left it as far in off the road as I could and quickly got in and out.
Its a pity because its a nice site and it would be nice to spend more time at it.

From the village of Ardpatrick you cant really miss it.
The town below has an interesting information board with the following info about Ardpatrick.

Even now, hundreds of years after the last monks left the summt, it radiates timelessness and separation from the modern world below. However Christain monks were not the first to appreciate the prominence of this hill, which is part of the Ballyhouras. A series of earthen banks and enclosures near the summot date from the Iron Age (500BC – 500AD). Its later adaption as a monastic settlement suggests that it had a religious significance prior to the arrival of Christianity.
According to local tradition, Saint Patrick founded the monastery in the fifth century. In later times, it collected tributes (payments?) from all the province of munster, which were then paid to Patricks Archdioscese of Armagh. The round tower, north-west of the church ruin, (of which only a stump now remains), is evidence of Ardpatricks ecclesiastical importance.

I didnt even realise what this was when I first visited it. I found the bit of folklore online and thought that is something unusual, a submerged souterain.
It is located just outside of the town of Kilfinnane and is signposted.
There is also a second well in the same field as it.
Sorry about the poor picture, next time Im passing Ill post a better one.

Its funny this hill-fort is signposted from the road but when you get there, there isnt a path or anything. Ive since read that it is on private property and there is no access!
I stopped by a lane that leads to a farmyard which doesnt have a house attached to it.
It is only about 500m from the road.
The rath itself has great 360 views of the hills around it. The trench between the rings of the ring-fort are very deep and the middle part of the rath is raised up, probably to about 4-5 metres above the surrounding land which gives it a very commanding position.
What really interested me about the site was the reference in the folklore to it being a possible site of “Teamhair Luachra”.