Latest Fieldnotes

The kist is on the east side of Ingra Tor and is again in amongst tussocky grass so a bit difficult to find.The easiest way to find it is to follow the disused leat that runs to the south and east of the Tor.The kist is just to the south of the leat around 100 metres from where it turns east from north.All sides are inplace, although the grass etc has started to cover them, and the cap stone resting on the northern end.Ingra Tor itself is easy to find as it is beside the disused railway that runs from Dousland to Princetown.

There are two kists on the north west side of Ter Hill.They are both in the newtake fields and are hard to find as they are surrounded by long grass and reeds.The northern most of the two is in the best state and still has the cap stone and all four sides where as the other one which is to the south has been badly ransacked withonly one side and one end standing the other side has fallen into the kist,the rest has disappeared.

Not going to go into too much detail as these are hopefully temp notes whilst Ed tries to find the original site.

There are several ways of finding the circle but i think (after using different routes) that the easiest way is to drive up the moorland road signposted Bastreet just north of North Hill. The road climbs up through woodland, goes over a cattle grid and levels out just past a farm. Here you can park on the side of the road. Make for a small stone cross on the moorland to your right and carry on up the hill marked Ridge on maps.

Once on the ridge (large tumuli to the east) descend onto East Moor. The stone circle should come into sight between yourself and Fox Tor.

This route is reasonably easy and avoids the marshy ground that lies between the circle and Fox Tor.

The stones themselves are nearly all sitting in pools of water, caused by countless animals using them as rubbing posts.

To get there follow the sign to Froggatt on the A623 from Calver. When you turn off the main road onto the narrow country lane that goes into Froggatt village stay on this road all the way through the village keeping the Frogatt Edge up on your right hand side. As you come out of the village turn left onto the main road and when you climb out of the wooded stretch of road there are parking spaces on the right hand side of the road. Walk back along the road towards Frogatt and there is a gate about 100 yards down from the car park on the same side of the road. Go through the gate and there is a wide path that follows Froggatt Edge. After about 1/2 mile you’ll come to a small brook and another gate, the stone circle is about another 200 yards up the path just off to the left hand side of the path. I visited in winter so all the bracken had died back and the circle was easy to spot, but I can imagine during the summer months you would have to look out for the biggest standing stone at the south end of the circle to spot it as many of the stones are probably hidden from view of the path in summer. The circle has a diameter of approximately 50 feet. The stones are set at the inner edge of a now ruined earth bank and dry stone wall. Most of the stones are less than a foot in height and there is a taller stone of about 3 1/2 feet at the southern end, that has some interesting grooves on the top that beg the question whether they have been carved out.

Almost as good a name as Snook Bank.

Visited this site today with David and found it with the help of Stan’s slide photo in the Archive taken in 1993. Maybe noone has seen it since then! It was too cold for hanging about and after a short look round we headed home for a late breakfast.

The rounded, cup-marked boulder commands a fine view over the valley to the N and E. There are several large cups, some with possible faint rings and grooves running down the rock surface and there are two more cups on one edge.

Another cup-marked rock, Crocky’s Heugh b, is apparently in the same area but we didn’t find it this visit. The Archive describes it as a massive rock table in a quarry. There are many small quarries all over these slopes and a large amount of stone has been removed from the area.

The kist here is easy to find as it is on open moor just to the east of the Tor.It is well worth a visit as the tor itself has a prehistoric hill fort around the summit similar to the one at Minnions in Cornwall,around the Cheese Ring,called Stowe’s Pound.

Not to be confused with the Yellowmead Circle, this cairn/kist is to the west of Princetown.It is along the track which takes you from the B3357 to the Foggin Tor Quarry.It is in amongst the buildings in the settlement just to the north of Yellowmeade Farm.

There are two cairns/kists at this site,one is on the summit and the other at the northern base just outside the fence that surrounds the north side of the Tor.The one on the summit is not to difficult to find but the one at the base is in amongst long grass and takes a little more work to find.This one was not discovered until 1940.

The cairn and kist at this site is situated just to the east of Devonport Leat as it runs from Whiteworks to Nun’s Cross Farm,it is easy to find.

Our drive to Sherberton (1.3.05) ended about a mile from the site, with a sign, which announced that parking was forbidden beyond this point. So with some brooding clouds looming above we strode out into the afternoon. Walking along the road we reached the farm and with a welcoming sniff from two border collies, proceeded to walk on through the farm yard bearing to our left and out into the fields beyond.
This circle sat quietly in a corner of a field, once revered now just an observer of farming life happily going on all around. The N/S measurement across the circle was 99ft, the E/W being harder to ascertain due to the intervention of a stonewall. With seven of the eight standing stones in an arc from the north/west to the east, the rest of the circle has suffered at the hands of the stone mason/wall builders. The two tallest stones (8ft 8” & 7ft 4”) lay fallen in an 18ft arc spanning the southern point of the circle.
Without another second’s hesitation, the clouds that had been with us all afternoon decided to join us, with a snowstorm of near horizontal proportions. With regrets that we couldn’t have spent longer enjoying Sherberton, we packed up and wandered away through the blizzard.

As the sun sets, glinting through the clouds across the moor, Scorhill casts a shadow from an ancient time. Having suffered from the region’s stonemasons, this circle is still such an evocative beauty, whether admired as it stands now or letting your imagination loose trying to replace and complete its former majesty.
The circle has a diameter of 88ft, which originally had between 65 and 70 stones, of the 34 that remain, 24 still stand. The jagged uniformity of Scorhill’s stone selection, adds an intensity to the circle’s atmosphere.
We had planned to finish today’s trip (Cosdon, White moor, Buttern and Scorhill) at Batworthy corner, our driver for the day having walked over to meet us at Scorhill. With some spare time before we trooped over the horizon, she sat in the circle, wandered and walked out to meet and greet two of Dartmoor’s ponies.
Returning to the circle, the ponies followed venturing up to the outer edge of the circle but wouldn’t enter. Reasons for that? Maybe the outer edges of the stones proved to be the best scratching posts! The grass isn’t always greener on the other side (Also very short grass inside the circle) or could the legends be right? Horses/ponies sense something about the circle. Who knows the answer? (Two ponies but they weren’t telling), whatever the reason why, these megalithic wonders remain as mysterious and fascinating today, as they did when they first rose to the sky.

Arriving at the area of Buttern Hill Stone circle (28.2.05) from white moor, a walk of 1¼ miles over some rough and in places boggy terrain, I set about trying to find the circle. After 10 minutes of walking up and down a N/S course, about a third of the way up Buttern hill’s western slope, the 3 stones standing at the Northeast edge of the circle came into view. SX 64945 88484 Elev 1301ft.
The circle’s approximate dimensions are 82ft 4” N/S and 80ft 2” E/W, with 15 stones many obscured but the larger ones ranging from, 7ft 4” W, 6ft S/SW (Twin lines on the stone, natural or carved?), 5ft 11” W/NW, 4ft 11” N/NE, 4ft 4” at S/W & N/E. With most of it’s stones fallen, the circle does not instantly captivate, but it would be a mistake not to give this circle some time to appreciate its true qualities.
I sat picturing the circle in the afternoon’s broken sunshine, it’s placement on the west side of Buttern Hill and the steep rising bank of Kennon Hill (West of Circle), leading the eye to a wide open South west Dartmoor vista for the sun to sink slowly into.

After leaving Cosdon Stone row (28.2.05), we considered the weather report from that morning’s news, mentioning overnight temperatures of -9 C. After walking in very cold conditions the previous day, (making several boggy areas much easier to cross) we had high hopes that taking the path that skirts around Ray Barrow Pool might be possible. It was, but only because of the low overnight ground temperatures and was still precarious. On reflection, I would prefer after visiting Cosdon rows, to continue up Cosdon Hill crossing over to Little Hound Tor and then onto White moor stone circle. The extra ascent and distance being better than an early bath.
White moor stone circle sits on the southerly slope of Little Hound Tor and with it’s surroundings of many impressive Tors, creates an enigmatic scene. The circle measures 67ft 3” N/S and 66ft 3” E/W with 18 visible stones (tallest 4ft 5” in the south) and one is broken at ground level.
From the circle, standing 521ft away on a bearing of 155 deg is another outlier of conjecture. With Dartmoor boundary/directional markings “T” & “TP” carved into it, but an unerring alignment through the circle, this stone is a puzzle.
It was worth all the effort to reach this lovely circle, a jewel of the moor.

Cosdon Hill (28.2.05) loomed large as we started our climb to the stone rows, following the bridle path sign posted Nine stones, the start of our second day on the moor tested the resolve and stiff muscles of our group with this ever increasing gradient. As the 3 stone rows finally came into view, the hill levelled out (slightly) as if to welcome us.
Walking along the rows from the east, many of the stones are missing or have sunk into the peat, but crossing a small gully that cuts through them; the rows seemed to gain vigour as they rise in abundance from the soil (Many thanks to the 1897 restoration). Standing at the terminal stones and looking out over the valley below, it was easy to understand why this would have been such an appealing site for the rows constructors, selecting as they did the row’s approximate orientation of 100/280 deg (consideration for the slight wandering of the rows courses). The Left Ts* measures 2ft1”, Centre Ts* 1ft 6 ¾” and Right Ts* 3ft 1 ½” inches (*Ts: Terminal Stone).
The circle (W end of rows) has a diameter of 18ft 5” with 5 stones standing of a possible 17, these surround a ruined kerbed cairn with a diameter of 15ft.
Setting our course to White Moor stone circle we left Cosdon Hill, feeling energised as if enriched for spending time in this wonderful place.

Hampshire Treasures describes the barrow as follows: “Bell barrow with outer bank at edge of disused gravel pit. Part of ditch filled in.” Its not a Pond Barrow, its just very close to Setley Pond (now used by model boat enthusiasts). Saw it today, its recently had the woodier plants removed from it. Fine view across the plain, there are many other round barrows in the neighbourhood.

I’d read PureJoys’s fieldnotes and visited this site expecting only a view from the outside. I was pleased to find that the public do have access to the “hillfort” (I’ve heard it called a “lowland fort”) via permissive paths. Lately Hampshire County Council have been busy with fencing, gates and general tidying up. The field to the south of the fort has many “kissing gate” entrances, the only difficulty is finding a place to park.

The unwelcoming signs are just to stop people driving down what is a public footpath (and private access) that runs to the north of the fort: do not be put off by them. There are two private properties occupying the western side of the fort.

This is a fairly unique fort: firstly theres the fact that its so close to sea-level. Secondly, its got a very rectangular shape for an Iron Age fort. Thirdly, half the eastern flank is gaping open as a result of an over-enthusiastic 18th century farmer’s levelling.

Just east of the site (between the ramparts and the railway line) is a huge hollow, utilised by the local BMX youths. Probably just as well that the ramparts and ditches are fenced off to prevent them being used as ramps etc. Drove past later and an ambulance was picking up one of the budding bike-stuntmen.

Worth peeking inside the church to see how much more attractive such contained worship would be were the roof removed. Not sure whether this is a result of design or decay, but was reminded of this passage from TMA:

“the roofing of the temple, which, it was claimed, allowed the worshipper more time for quiet contemplation, was the final christian cap, removing forever the relationship of the worshippers with their sensual landscape, their rain and their skies.”

Not so here. Would be nice to think that with the stone and the unroofed chapel, this is a real example of pagan values surviving within ‘keltic christianity’ right up to the present day....

This is the only cairn on Ringmoor Down to contain a kist.It lies to the north east of the stone circle and to the east of the cairn circle at the end of the stone row. It is quite unusual as the west end of the kist is made up of two stones instead of the usual one.

I remember visiting Hengistbury Head many years ago whilst accompanying my grandmother on a weekend break away from home. As I recall, there is some variety of motorised train ( several carriages hitched to the back of a tractor/land rover) which takes one round the promontory. The whole thing is home to masses of heathland flowers and wildlife; I recall Grandma saying that there was lots of ling growing there. It was very cold and windy, and for some reason I kept thinking about Willan & Searle’s ‘1066 And All That‘ in which they claimed that it was the spot Hengist and Horsa landed, then started agriculture – or something. Those of you who have read it will know what I’m on about. Good views though.

We popped by this lovely cairn on our way to and from the Nine Stones of Altarnun a couple of days ago...

We had to take a different route from the recommended start point of Tolcarne Farm, cos there was a dead sheep with it’s insides spilling out blocking the gate. Moving the gate would have been a bit gruesome, so we shied away and drove round to what is possibly Treburland...

Bit of a longer walk, but very pleasant... Walked to the end of the track to what was once a gate (destroyed by a careless farmer, apparently!), left down the path that doubled as a delightful stream, then up, up and more up... It’s all signposted as footpath until you reach the woods. Then up, up and up again alongside the woods. Keep going and you will pretty much fall into the cairn, as far as I can remember!

Ver’ nice it is too. Lovely windblown tree as a marker, some smaller stones (and an empty cider can which I removed) inside it – it makes a great wind-break! There is a wall that runs up to and beyond the cairn that made me think of a stone row... Wonder if it ever was? I know there are boundary stones aplenty in the area, but they were elsewhere...

You can see the Nine Stones of Alternun from here, too, which is handy if you’re lost!

Very windy and boggy, but pleasantly remote...

5th March 05

What a beautifully preserved, peaceful and interesting site. A standing stone in a field on the right just before the car park welcomes you as you arrive. Two passage graves, a central ring cairn and a kerb cairn, with another dilapidated cairn and enigmatic ruined chapel (?) 10 mins walk to the west at Milton of Clava. My favourite stone has to be the split ‘crocodile’ stone in the circle around the SW cairn (see images). I had the place to myself for a while this morning and it was pretty special. Now a variety of folk have passed through, all obviously impressed with the power and artistry of this place. (See the
link to the leaflet below for practical info, then just get here and soak up the atmosphere of this perfect resting place).

Carey Tor is one of the lesser known of Bodmin Moors tors. It is not that high, not on a main walking route and generally forgotten by one and all. OK, I admit, I had no knowledge of it until last Sunday (6 March 2005) and I claim to know the moor!
Anyway, I “discovered” it at the end of a cold days walking and only had a brief look around. I was on my second battery in the digital camera...and that was running low...and the sun was setting in the west and I still had a good walk back to the car.

So, what is there to see? Great natural rock basins, two of the stones on their sides which tells me that they fell before the last Ice Age washed away all the soil from beneath them. I found one hut circle but the OS map shows more, and some cairns.

The site is not far from Nine Stones circle and all the other ritual sites dotted around East Moor and Fox Tor.

Lying at the end of the footpath from Tresellern Farm, I was unsure if this was a manhir or not. It does have one hole drilled about half way up on one face so may have been used as a gate post at some time.
However the fact that the wall has been built to go round it as opposed to being incorperated makes me think the people who built the wall had a little bit of superstition amongst them.
I got home and checked the listings for North Hill parish and found the stone is listed as a menhir under the name Colquite.
Colquite does not feature on the maps but I can well believe that at some time there was a settlement of some sort here in the middle ages.
There are a couple of barrows in a field just to the south but I did not try to visit them due to the fact that the field had about 8 dead sheep in it in varying states of decay....Nice!

Using a map I was finally able to identify the site from way over on the Old Scapa Road. Much further up the slope than I had imagined, just under the farm almost. Made it out with the digicamcorder on full telephoto and it looks fairly impressive in parts, good bank height in the ‘Hill Park’ section still. Definitely has all the appearance of a hillfort to me. Of course we ?don’t have proper hillforts in Orkney and the present view is not high up enough for a full 360 panorama, though you can see over to Kirkwall and all the way up Scapa Flow. Observed the site from most of Scapa beach, at a distance, but couldn’t see it from the road below, alas. Going around from the coastguard station there is the edge of the hill and at the top at the town end of this section there is what could be plough-out. The site is in that direction as you look up. One day I shall go onto the site for some proper photography (leaving Kirkwall on the South Isles road the farm is on the top of the hill just past the Tradespark junction, the fieldwall beside the drive cutting across the site behind it). A little further along there is a dark triangle of land on the hill that indicates ‘Well Park’ above.

The Outcombe kist sits high on the hill above Outcombe inside a newtake field.It can also be reached from the Eylesbarrow kist by walking around one kilometer north west.