Latest Fieldnotes

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.

Two standing stones are marked to the south of Kilfinnane. However both seem to be gone. The first one seems to have been where a new house was built and the other one is no longer there. May have been that the other one was gone before the house was built but I dont know.

There are two standing stones marked on the west side of the town of Kilfinnane. Neither seem to here anymore. Unusually enough on the opposite side of the road to them there is a standing stone, however its not marked on the OS Map and so could be a scratching post.

This standing stone is just on the south side of the small town of Kilfinnane behind the soccer pitch and beside a large motte.
The motte is actually more interesting than the standing stone in that it has two semi-circular ditches around it. Dont know if that is common on Mottes or not.

These are marked behind the cush barrows.
It is accessed via some tough terrain plus the site would be on the other side of a high barbed wire fence. The hill is covered in heather now and unless the stones are 300mm tall I can say with certainty that they are no longer here.

This standing stone is near the village of Caherdaniel, follow the signs for Derrynane House (Home of Daniel O’Connel). The standing stone itself must 2.2m high and there are two pieces of Ogham on it.

This really has to be one of the most beautiful locations for a stone circle ive ever been too. Plus the best thing is that it is off the beaten track and so if your lucky you can have this place all to yourself. Its in such an amazing landscape that this circle must have been some kind of nature temple.
Something I did notice was that the sound of the waterfall doesnt seem to be coming from the east where the falls were but to the southern bank of the lake.

This great stone row is located just to the south of the town of Waterville and is easily spotted from the road. The stones themselves are very tall maybe 3m high.
It seems to be forming the edge of a circular enclosure which im presuming was added on at a later date.

This stone circle is very tricky to find as it is located up a number of back-streets in the busy town of Kenmare. Maybe its just me but I hate asking for directions, all it needs is a few sign-posts from the main square.
Saying that we met 4 sets of tourist while we were there so it looks like people are finding this lovely stone circle despite the lack of help from Irish tourism.

The quarry, quarrymen, quarry machinery – been there, done that, bought the t shirt. Well, I would have done so, but they don’t sell t shirts when you’re in the middle of a blizzard!

This is a delightful circle. Not easy to locate, but well worth the effort. From the trig point you can see two parts of the same wall, split by some undulation in the terrain. Focus on the part of the wall that you can see to the right, specifically on the leftmost part of that that you can see. Then head towards it – easy.

Just to the right of the circle is a substantial dip. It’s not clear whether this has been quarried or what function it might have performed.

The trouble with tractors is that they move! The blue tractor (roller) is still there, but there was no sign today of a beige one. Following the track north, take the left fork when it bifurcates, and follow it for about 20 yards into the landfill area. Leave the track and walk over to the left, in the direction of the farmhouse – you’ll find the stones quite easily.

It’s a small, but charming site. (I don’t agree at all that it’s a sorry site. Yes it is next to a landfill. Just look the other way – it’s lovely.)

I wonder whether the summit of Pendle Hill has some importance here – signalling sunset at the summer solstice perhaps??

Despite what the encroaching plantation may detract from the enjoyment of views leading towards the Sugar loaf and Killiney bay, Ballyedmonduff wedge tomb is an area of great tranquility and atmosphere despite its proximity to the fleshpots of Dublin City. The lack of visitors to the area is exemplified by the presence of a lawn of Cladonia cup lichen (whose red pigment was utilised as an antibacterial compound in times past), and a general lack of ‘visitor weariness’.
The entrance to the tomb has a central doorway, leading to a slightly sunken room. At the back of this room there is a wall where several slots have been carved out, suggesting some form of wooden inserts (?). Over this wall section, a smaller annex seems to be present. The internal walls seem to have been made with larger slabs of rock, whereas the outer shell is of cairn like material. One portion of the internal wall exhibits cup markings.
Its hard to say if the roof did have supporting lintels, was constructed ‘igloo’ (hollow cairn) style, or the insert holes mentioned previous indicate wooden roof supports (personal observations).
A truly exquisite spot, I miss it like a Christian misses his parish, even though its little more than an old boneyard to folk (sigh).

PS my ablutions where a few km away in the confines of the blue light pub (fine views, fine guinness and non-pretentious), and not nearby lest I destroyed the mineral balance that allow the lichen to thrive, thereby not contirbuting to the damage already done by man. (or woman).

For your GPS,
Lat 53°13’44.66"N
Long 6°13’35.39"W

Access from the north, passed Ty Mawr standing stone is still blocked but is ok from the south. What is happening here is very sad as if the duel carriage way and steel work wasn’t bad enough, the work site on the other side is a godawful mess, a much more busy road has been built and the tall menhir Ty Mawr has dissapeared from view completely and is almost unvisitable .

Visited this location on 9th March 2008. The ditch surrounding the barrow is infilled but the barrow itself is clearly distinguishable.

There is some damage to the monument as a result of the erection of a galvanised water tank on its western end. There are a further two or three derelict water tanks lying around on the barrow and in the hedges.

Condition reported to English Heritage National Monuments Record, who are sending one of the Field Monument Wardens to take a look.

I parked by the little chapel at the foot of the hill and from there we scrambled through the bushes and into the hillfort. It’s a big one,not high up or impressive earthworks but it does cover a large area. Fantastic views south of the Menai straight and mountains east over Puffin island to Llandudno west across the beach and island and north is across the sea. I think I even found Arthurs table with seats but I couldn’t find the entrance.