Latest Fieldnotes

A rare type of round barrow. According to L.V.Grinsell; ” 93 feet overall diameter. On OWERMOIGNE boundary. The central mound is surrounded by a narrow berm, bank, and outer ditch. The bank and outer ditch are more massive than with the normal tree-clump circle, and may be ancient because the road, which follows the parish boundary, cuts through them, and is presumably later. The barrow is covered with firs.”
Information taken from Dorset Barrows 1959 P.D.N.H.A.S.
This describes accurately what can be seen today, the plastic portaloo is there for some road works a few feet away!

A note re: the Out of Hours Access.

If you can afford it, do it!

To see the stones up close and with only 12 other people present, as we did on Saturday evening, was a completely different experience to the standard “tourist” one.

Forget about the security man in his bright yellow coat, texting his friends and ignoring all questions; forget about the fact that they close the toilets and the cafe, so the fact that you may have paid TWICE as much as other visitors doesn’t count for anything when you need to go to the loo or want a hot cuppa whilst you are waiting to go in; forget about the fact that you know EH are cashing in on the fact that some people feel a need to see more than a quick view from behind a guarded wire. Forget all that because.....

.....we spent an hour, walking among the stones, kiddy as kippers with a dozen like-minded folk and were able to take some fantastic photos. As the sun set, the golden glow of the sun against the blue sky was contrasted with the grey of snowclouds gathering. And just as the first few spots of sleety rain fell, a rainbow arched over the site. Just beautiful.

I got to nosey into the excavtion site (only shown to “day tourists” on a live feed in a  marquee by the car park) and we could wander round freely (as long as we didn’t stand on the stones or light any flames) enjoying this site in all of it’s glory (almost)

I had been wary of visiting SH for a number of reasons but this was actually a very impressive visit and one which, whilst not ideal, is better than most get these days. As a birthday present, it was hard to beat.

Whilst doing fieldwork for A-level courswork I pursuaded the family to drive me around Penwith so I could measure and photograph what my younger sister termed as “a pile of old rocks!“. As it was our first visit to Mulfra, we firstly drove past the footpath, pulled over next to Try Farm, checked the map, turned around and parked in a layby just behind us.
From there we followed a footpath up the hill, as it looked to be going the wrong way we turned off, and followed what turned out to be an animal track, that soon disapeared.
Freezing cold wind didn’t discourage us and we plouged on, shins scratched and bleeding by low lying gorse, we arrived on top of the hill to the fantastic site of Mulfra Quoit!
The qouit itself is fantastic, big enough to squeeze inside for a moments rest and to open the flask of tea!
The views in all directions are fantastic, and many photo’s were taken.
When hands and face was numb, we followed a clearer path back down to the car, was steeper going but much quicker.

Easy access. Park at the cafe/shop next to the beach and walk towards the dunes across the road, bearing NE ( I would guess). The Ossuary, The Little Menhir and The Broken Menhir are all close to each other. I failed to find The Great Menhir.

A great example of a gallery grave, but unfortunately not too easy to access (at least using the route which I chose, which saw me descending a steep overgrown path on a crappy hired bike; I would probably try and get access from the road that goes along the coast in the future). Another bummer about this site is that there’s a brick building not 3 meters from the tomb. This, in combination with the brambles, makes photography quite tricky.

This very early site is a beautifully small burial chamber, near to the coast, that once had a corbelled roof. I could have spent much longer at this very quiet site, but was keen to visit as many of the others on Jersey as I could.

Quite simply the most impressive site on Jersey. A 20-meter long passage leads to a largish central region, from which 2 side chambers and a rear ‘terminal cell’ join. Four small standing stones (called ‘betyles’) were found in the chambers. Although much smaller, perhaps these held the same ‘purpose’ as the central stone at Bryn Celli Ddu? Excavation in the 1920s revealed the remains of at least 8 individuals. Also found in the tomb was a quern (mill grinder), found buried upside-down beneath the upright slab at the entrance to the terminal cell.
At the equinox, the sun shines down the passage and illuminates the terminal cell. La Pouquelaye de Faldouet is also aligned to the east.

In the 6th century an attempt was made to Christianise the site and in medieval times a chapel was built on top of the mound. During the German Occupation of Jersey, a command bunker was built in the grounds as part of Hitler’s extensive fortification programme.

There is a smallish but excellent museum showing many finds from the area, including a few prehistoric sites that have been relocated here. There’s also a shop, but its a beautiful and not over-visited site to visit.

A gallery grave and cist-in-circle within spitting distance of each other. Easily found in St Andrew’s park, but unfortunately the site is fenced off. Around a dozen beakers were recovered from this site.

Down a path at the side of the road (and incidentally near the YH where the police have been searching recently...). This is a great site, aligned bang on east, with a 5-meter long passage and several cists built into the walls of the passage. The whole chamber is surrounded by a small mound, which has a sort of dry-stone walling effect going on at the eastern side.

Visited 6/4/08, and took the Rock Art Tour. This costs six pounds, which some might say was pretty dear for a couple of definite images and a couple of possibles.

Having said that, the moment when you ‘see’ the reindeer carving reveal itself from under the modern graffiti and natural markings as the guide outlines it with her laser pointer is pretty incredible.

Our guide was very good with the children in the group, some of whom were quite young. There are no restrictions on photographing the art, although you are advised not to use a flash, this is because you get better pictures without then with.

As others have said, the gorge seems to have been transplanted into a very bog-standard midlands landscape from elsewhere. According to our guide there are some other smaller ones nearby some of which also had rock shelters.

Completely non-MA, but a short walk to the E of the site along Robin Hoods Way takes you to the remains of subterranean structures built by the ‘Mole’ Duke of Portland in the C19th including a chapel and art gallery. Strange to have such an unconscious echo of the ancient past constructed in the industrial era....

This visit I had time to have a proper look at this site. The feature you see when you first get here is an impressively big pair of banks and ditches, known as the double dykes. These are the main defensive feature for the settlement. They run north to south and cut across the narrowest point here.
Behind the banks is a field called Barn field in which there is a large bowl barrow in pretty good condition.
The next feature is Warren hill which is 90 metres in height and has steep sea cliffs on one side. It is a steep climb all the way round this hill, and it is an easily defensible position. On the hill there are several round barrows, the most easy to see was a low bowl type, gorse covered another 2 low ones.

A medium sized hillfort just inside the New Forest national park. Its in reasonable condition for the most part although it is cut through by a track leading to houses.
This is a univallte hillfort enclosing five acres. The bank is at its highest on the eastern side, as the west side slopes steeply away.

A large bowl barrow on heathland on the edge of the New Forest. This is in good condition with a complete outer bank and ditch. It has a flattish top and appears to have been excavated at some point. Its scheduled monument number is 20293.
The barrow is 25 metres in diameter and just over 2 metres high, the surrounding ditch is nearly 2 metres wide.
About three hundred metres to the west is a small bowl barrow. It is on OS maps, but not marked as a scheduled monument on M.A.G.I.C.

Copney Stone Circles are very impressive. There seems to be 2 smaller circles (about 16m in diameter) and a 3rd larger one (about 22m diameter) which is only one quarter exposed. A stone row of about 9 stones leads off one of the smaller circles. The circles are stone filled with a central cairn. The central cairn has a stone lined hole in the centre, one of the circles has a cap stone at the base. Like spokes in a wheel, the stones radiate from the centre out to the edge in rows of a bout 7 stones. As you can see by the images it is very over grown and some stones are extremely weathered. Obviously there has been some movement of the stones so it is hard to make any definate observations. Apparently there are another 6 stone circles beneath the bog yet to be uncovered.

Just a quick few words to inform anyone who may have visited this site previously that the land owner has removed the hedge that was about fifteen metres west of the complex. It’s a bit of a cold rinse to the senses if you’re used to seeing it the way it was, but it does open the view out. Less distraction in the eyeline I suppose.

The ground is intact, dry and solid for a distance of about ten metres from the monument but between this and the gates to the west and east it looks to have been turned over and reseeded, with grass growing in isolated clumps. This ground, even in the dry conditions at the moment, was excessively waterlogged. No change there then.

This menhir is just a couple of hundred yards from the airport entrance.

Directions

At the roundabout outside the airport go south (turn right) towards St Brelade along the B36. Turn 1st left (sign for Mermaid Tavern) then immediately left again. The stone is in the field on the right just after the hire car compound.

The island of Jersey is well endowed with megalithic sites. Here, you’re never far from something of interest. However, if you want to see all of the major sites you’ll need some form of transport.

I flew in to St Helier airport and collected a hire car from there. The hire car company gave me a map; it was crap. Be sure to get the free map from the airport with “Jersey recommended” on the front. You may need good eyesight or a magnifying glass to see it, but it has got all of the main sites marked and named on it.

I drove directly to La Hougue Bie. There’s a small museum there, so, even though I had done some research, I thought they may have a guide to the other sites on the island. There were two useful and complementary free leaflets. “Where to find the dolmens of Jersey” and “The spiritual landscape”. On Jersey, they call all of their prehistoric burial chambers “dolmens”.

Entrance to La Hougue Bie (the only megalithic site at which you have to pay) is £6.50 in 2008.

Most of the roads are narrow and parking is difficult everywhere unless you can find a car park. Luckily, there was always a nearby car park or a handy, flat field boundary whenever I needed to stop.

I’ve visited Porth Dafarch since I was a child, and have only just noticed this settlement. Thanks for bringing it too my attention, when noticed, they are clear to see, just off the country road junction. They are not noted on the Ordnance Survey maps of the area, and seem to be overlooked.

Easily the best preserved broch on the northern Scottish mainland. Just inside the southern limit of Caithness. Not signposted from the A9. Time visits well to avoid it being totally overgrown.

Just away from the main track along Froggat Edge, most people seem to pass it by as they walk their dogs.

One stone, held offerings of coins in it’s upper surface, kept in place by a smaller stone.

A single rather impressive stone rises above the others marking the site from a distance. The contours of the surrounding landscape form the illusion of a circle without, when viewed from within the stone circle itself. I have noticed this phenomenon of the encircling landscape at many other ancient sites.

This circle is well worth a visit.

I unexpectedly found myself near Windmill Tump today, so popped in for a visit. It’s quite different at this time of year, without leaves on the trees, and without the tangles of vegetation beneath, and all the lumps and bumps are exposed, making it much easier to understand what you’re looking at. Crunching through the beechmast I expected to see more stones around the side chambers, but everything was mossy or covered by a carpet of short grass and other plants.

I did some sketches, but the length of the barrow kept squashing itself up on the page. I tried to draw the stones with some pastels, but the colours eluded me. Never mind, the process of drawing gave me that curious ‘attentive / relaxed’ meditative state, and I felt peaceful.. apart from the racket that was coming from somewhere nearby, out of sight.. something agricultural maybe. It would have been a blissful picnic spot there today but for that noise.

A word on access – there’s a steep bit up from the road (a few feet) and you can either step through a little squeezy bit at the side, or I did notice the big farm gate is unlocked, so you could open that. The 200m(?) to the barrow is a nice flat wide path (with loads of daisies), and then it’s a short flat nip across the oil-seed rape (look out for all the bright blue speedwell in between) to the barrow (the wide gate here was propped open). So I’d say it was pretty accessible now (compared to when Kammer visited), assuming you can make the distance from the road.

I did notice on the barrow that there were patches of violets, strawberry, dogs mercury, arum, and something decidedly oniony looking which I assume will be in flower soon, along with the patches of bluebells. So, I heartily recommend it for a spring visit soon.

The most northerly of the interesting features on the hill, the summit cairn is a jumbled assortment of rocks with one stone standing proud.

I was shown this circle a month or so ago whilst on a walk with the Cornish Archealogical Society. At the time there were too many people milling about to get a good photo so another trip out onto the moor was called for. It has only been ‘discovered’ in the last year or so when archeologists returning from Leskernick decided to take a different route.
In all there are seven stones still in place, all recumbent, making up perhaps a third of the circle.
It takes a little bit of finding but is easiest reached from Westmoorgate (take the road from Trewint on A30). Go through gate onto moor and cross ford. Head north climbing slightly keeping the wall on your right. There are stones all over the place just to make life difficult and several ‘standing’ ones on the crest of the hill..this is not the circle. You will find it before you reach the crest near some earthworks that are almost certain to be the result of mineral prospecting.
This part of the moor is quite featurless...do not venture out onto it if cloud is low or it is misty.

A very steep climb. 650 metres according to Carleton Jones’ gazzeteer (Temples of Stone: Exploring the Megalithic Tombs of Ireland, 2007), and straight up. The tomb is just the other side of the peak, at the end of the track.

Inside the chamber it’s diffcult not to engage with the salmon-pink flush of the stones, freckled with bits of quartz and this and that, pitted and alternatively smooth as you gaze along their features. Then the passageway pulls your attention out across the vast plain underneath. It points much too far north, at least on my compass, for a solar orientation but it’s tempting to imagine, having read Bawn’s bit of folklore below, some ancient crumble of bone staring out over his former domain.
A gorgeous place.

I was a bit disappointed by the site, it seems to only have one discernible ring around it. The hill itself is 242m high and has great views all around it. To the north you can see the shannon estuary. It is very near the village of Ardagh of the Ardagh chalice fame.
To climb it I just parked at the edge of the road and walked up thru the fields.
On looking at it I wouldnt think this hill-fort had any ceremonial function and I would think it was only for defence / keeping in the cattle.