Latest Fieldnotes

The cairn at Grims Lake mire is to the north east of Grimspound,about 400 metres.It is easy to find if you follow the stream, in that direction, from where it touches the wall of the pound keeping to the left side to avoid the boggy ground.It has a nice kist within it that is set to the right side if you are looking north.

The Eylesbarrow cairn and kist lies on open moor between the track from the scout hut to Eylesbarrow and the Eylesbarrow Reave.Around 800 metres up the path from the scout hut you turn left [north] and the kist is around 200 metres into the moor.

With Cut Hill (and Fur Tor) our main aims for the day, we parked at the Post Bridge car park and set off into the moor. Before I go any further with this field report, this walk should not be attempted with out great respect for the dangers that Dartmoor holds. Over the rough and boggy ground we had to pull one of our party from a thigh high bog and considered ourselves lucky that no sprains or twists were picked up on the day. With my conscience clear, I will happily sing the praises of this wonderful wilderness.
The February (27.2.05) weather was sunny with strong easterly winds and a crisp frost/light snow covering making walking the wet areas slightly easier, (in our opinion) but obviously icy areas were an extra hazard. Using an OS 1:25000 map we took the direct route, (favoured by mountain goats) this gave us many beautiful hill top panoramas; a fitting reward for our exertions. Cut Hill is in a Military range; this is clearly marked with red/white posts (Range details can be obtained by ringing 0800 458 4868, this number is also on the OS 1:25k Map).
Cut hill stone row (SX 599 828) is the highest in the Dartmoor national park at 1,971 feet, consisting of six stones, all of which are in a prone position. From the SW end of the row, the first stone measured 7’6” x 2’11” and visible at its base are several smaller packing stones, evidence of the problems faced in erecting a stone row in this peat terrain. No. 2 – 7’10” x 2’7”, No. 3 – 6’1” x 2’3” and has the letters J E W carved into it, No. 4 – 6’3” x 3’11”, No. 5 – 8’6” x 2’3” and on the other side of a peat platform No. 6 – 6’10” x 3’5”.
I took a bearing from true north of approx 230 deg, this closely aligns Cut Hill stone row with the midwinter sunset. (Referencing from Prehistoric Astronomy and Ritual by A. Burl, at a latitude of 50 deg. the midwinter sunsets at 231 deg.)
WSW of stone 1 stands a platform of peat containing a ditched barrow with a diameter of 46ft and standing 5ft at its highest point. The row and barrow are not aligned, this distinction is also shared by the small cairn found between stones 3 & 4.
The beautiful & remote setting gave this stone row an inspiring aura. Settling down out of the wind to spend some time just savouring the atmosphere, the pervasive spiritual connection with our ancestors surrounded me.
If you’ve made the journey to Cut hill, I would recommend the extra walk to Fur Tor (some superb rock climbing) as a beautiful spot to eat some lunch and a really good wind break. We journeyed back via the East Dart river / Sandy hole pass, this route was very boggy near some of the rivers tributaries, but with some paths and less steep climbs this felt an easier route, although longer.

There are twenty two cairns spread around the hillside of the complex.Five of these still contain kists two of which are in the centre of quite substantial mounds.The other three are very small to almost nonexistant, as with the one at the north west edge of the Giant’s Basin.
The best way to access the site is to park near the so called scout hut at SX579673.Space here is very limited so an early arrival would be best.From here you walk across the stream ahead of you and head up the hill towards Eyelsbarrow.A s you pass the scout hut[now used by the Royal Navy for training purposes] there is a leat,cross this and then turn right and go in a south easterly direction towards Whittenknowles Rocks.You will come apon a quite well preserved settlement here,well worth spending some time looking at.To the west side of the settlement there are the remains of two medieval long houses built amongst the walls of the prehistoric dwellings.From here you should be able to see the antiquities of Drizzlecombe so you can head down hill towards them.There is however a small amount of wet ground to cross as you come upon the tin workings around the Drizzlecombe.This is not too difficult to cross and can be done, with a little care ,keeping your feet dry.

This stone sits atop a moraine , locally known as a “sithean” or fairy mound . A couple of miles to the North, a slightly bigger fairy mound , Schiehallion , can be seen over the shoulder of Meall nan Eun .

This stone was found in 1976 when a road gate was being replaced . It was then removed to Naughton House and can be found 100 ms to the South of the house , not to the West as suggested in the Canmore details.

The kist on the south side of Down Tor sits on a ledge around 600 metres from the summit.There is a small cairn around the kist and what apears to be the capstone sits amongst stones on the down hill side.It is quite difficult kist to find as it is on a small ledge amongst clitter from the rocks of the tor above it.

The kist is in the centre of a small mound which also has a few stones just in view above the grass.These could be from a ring surrounding the kist.

The Ditsworthy cairn circle is actually across the Plym to the south of Ditsworthy Warren house, amongst the buildings of the Lower Hentor Brook settlement. It was once supposed to have surrounded two kists although there is now no sign of either.

Did not get to the medieval settlement as the ford was to deep to wade through. However did visit two cairns perched on the edge of the hillside to the north. Both are about 12 ft in diameter and have been dug into by way of a deep trench. They also have a good covering of grass and gorse.
This is a lonely part of Bodmin Moor which I doubt gets many visitors. To the north of the two cairns is a featurless area stretching away until it reaches forestry and the A30, no landmarks just flattish moorland. To the southeast the mighty ridges of Twelve Mans moor dominate. I shall return when the ford is lower.

The kist on Crow Tor is best reached by walking up the West Dart from Two Bridges.This way you can visit the settelments on the west side of Littaford and Longaford Tors and Wistmans Wood.After visiting the site if you have time it is only around a mile to the north west to the Beardown Man.

There are ten cairns to the south and west of the tor, five of them having kists, although some of them being very small to non existant. Two can be found to the west of the tor and the others are inside Black Newtake to the south west. The ones in the newtake are difficult to find as they are amongst long grass, one of them is a ring cairn.

As others have said this is an excellent place to visit. It is best approached from the Postbridge end where you can park just inside the forest at SX646788 and walk south over Lakehead Hill taking a look at Krap’s Ring settlement, then on over the top to the Lakehead cairns/kists and stone row. From here you will walk up to Bellever Tor passing the very early settlement as the hill starts to rise. Once on the top of the tor the views are outstanding. I spent some time up here one afternoon when it was so windy you had to lean into the wind to stand up, but it was well worth it. From here you can go west to the first of the Bellever kists then south to the newtake to see the others. All in all an enjoyable day out whatever the weather.

The kist on Whitchurch Down is on the south side of Barn Hill. It is easily accessible as it is only around half a mile south from the Pork Hill car park which is at SX531751.

The Crock of Gold, as it is known, sits beside the path that runs from Tor Royal to Hexworthy across the top of Royal Hill.It is quite easy to get to as the walk is mostly flat apart from the first 300 metres or so which is up hill past the farm at Bullpark.There are 5 other cairns to the south east ,3 with kists and another 2 also with kists to the north west by Blakey Tor.
Just across the valley to the north there 3 kists beside the Blackbrook River to the west of the wooden bridge, that crosses it.To the north west of these there are 2 more cairns with kists at the bottom of Round Hill and another 2 at the east and west of the summit.
All these cairns are within easy walking distance of each other and the area has superb views allround.Well worth a day out for anyone with interest in antiquities.

I called here today to photograph the Pictish symbol stone built into a rockery at the house. Spoke to the lady there and was told there was another stone there too. Different bit of the garden, bit it was OK to go and take a look. I’m glad I did.

I don’t think this stone is in its original position, it’s too well landscaped. Think it may well have been acquired at the same time the Pictish stone was removed from Whitefield Farm. But it is a standing stone, as the three well-defined cup marks point out. A nice surprise as I don’t see any reference to it in Canmore. The lady of the house didn’t know where it had come from, unfortunately.

Not too hard to find. Park below the kirk at St Martins and take the left of the three tracks ahead of you. About quarter of a mile in you pass the gate to the Abbey on the right, then another field gate on the right. About a hundred yards past this on the left a gently sloping track leads down to an old stone bridge. Cross and follow the path up to the left, then cross to the fence and follow it to the right. After a couple of right hand turns following this you’ll see a wee clearing – and there’s the circle.

Pretty disrupted, about 6 stones of a possible ten left, and all recumbent. Nice atmosphere though, and there’s a bonus – a cup marked rock about 50 feet SW of the circle.

Worth a look!

These stones are just lying at the side of the track. Canmore has the north stone standing erect but it looked pretty toppled to me. Not a very inspiring site I’m afraid. The Witch’s Stone is just up the road a bit, and a couple of deer ran out across the field as I took the photos.

Close by to the site of an old stone circle (now vanished), this appears marked on old maps as “Stone Cists found”. It was rather a damp day and the field had just been ploughed so contented myself with a long range shot. A lot of stones round the base (field clearance?) so will definitely have a look at this one again.

A cold March day but the undergrowth is mostly dead. A much improved view of this site from my previous visit.

I had a look here today, but wasn’t much impressed with the boulders. No sign of cup marks on any, and I remember reading in Canmore that a cup marked stone from here had been removed and built into a house (since demolished) and lost. They look like bog-standard field clearance, to be honest.

Cold but bright day today when I visited. The farmer’s quite happy to give permission. This mound is associated with MacBeth (the real one, not the Shakespearean invention) but there’s no evidence linking him with his mound other than folk lore. As far as I’m aware this hasn’t been excavated so I have no idea whether it’s a burial mound or not. Far too small for a castle motte however. Pretty impressive tree on the top!

My local barrow.

In diameter the barrow’s maybe 20m and approx. 1.75m in height. It survives in tact; never excavated. On the western side of the mound a shallow ditch remains, highlighted today by the remains of the recent snow.

Rising up outta Matlock Dale opposite the limestone cliffs of High Tor, Masson is one of the Peak’s great hills sitting on the south-eastern edge of the White Peak, it’s also one of the last before reaching the plains that stretch northwards from Chesterfield.

The views from up here are excellent. The flood plains of the Trent are to the south with Shardlow’s power stations marking the location of the henge complexes and cursus that once stood there. Stanton Moor, Longstone Edge, Froggat Edge and the hills of the Dark Peak beyond, are to the north.

Minninglow hill, and its beech trees are visible from most of the Peak’s high ground….and from many of the White Peak’s barrows. From here it’s three quarters of a mile away to the west.

Masson’s barrow however is one of only a small handful of burial mounds to have a proper two way thing going on with Minning Low.

The concrete slab on top the barrow is for the base of a trig point, Masson;s summit only being 100yds to the east.

In 1995 a late Bronze age hoard was discovered to the North of Corrymuckloch Farm. The finds were 3 socketed bronze axeheads , fragments of a bronze sword and a unique handled vessel. Field walking produced one cup marked rock and a further possible cup marked rock. This one is one of 10 recent finds in the area.

I have always been put off the trek to this site by what sounded like meagre remains. On Thursday I attended a FOAT lecture by Anne Brundle of Orkney Museum on the Bu of Orphir. At this a map showing fieldnames and archaeology in Orphir. I was 6p shy of the asking price so took the chance for a close look then. Looking at the name Hillock of Breakna there was beneath the notation “poss. broch”. And directly below that I was startled to see the notation ’ Earl’s Palace’. Which turned it around into a must-see.
Today, fortuitiously, Dave Lynn popped by to see me during a visit to Orkney and offered to take me. Out to Orphir and down the unmarked Swanbister road, past Swanbister House down to where the road turns right opposite the shore.
At first all I see is a mound of man-height with an angular stone sticking out the top (made me think briefly of the NE mound at the Taing of Beeman, though that was only an earthfast slab). My fellow brochaholic was strongly confident of its broch identity despite all the accretions. From the top looking down you can see the circular edge resulting from ploughing most of the way round. The terracing effect, especially on the seaward downhill side, brought me in mind of Wideford Hill Cairn. Probably a fancy on my part ( though at both Quanterness and The Howe roundhouses were ‘smashed through’ earlier chambered tombs).
Wish we had known about the First World War construction when we were there, to help make sense of things. The stone that was clearly visible from the road had a fairsized anchorpoint and short length of chain, both rusty, attached to it. Across the way another rusty anchorpoint is attached to an only slightly smaller stone. So the hollow leading down seawards would appear to be where boats had been secured in modern times, well away from the shore. There are many visible wall traces but it is far from easy to assign periods to these. Similarly with the various stones sticking up through the turf. Dave thought he could make out at least a domestic structure at the seaward end.
The cliff geology extends its rocky outcrops around and up the dyke below the RH-side of the site. It certainly bears out the Orcadian fondness for putting their settlements in places we now consider a little too damp. Between the site and the dyke peaty (as Dave said) waters came to the surface and reached for the burn.

We visited this site on the way down from Orkney and were glad to turn off the A9 for a bit of a break. The site was spectacular in the summer sunshine and was very accessible being less than five minutes walk from the road. Luckily we were the only ones there and managed to explore and take some great pics without anyone else arriving. I don’t know whether we were just lucky or whether the remoteness of the place keeps people away. I’m sure it would be swarming if it were better known. The raised platform at the front of the picture was, according to Historic Scotland, used for ritual purposes. The proximity of the ancestors no doubt added to the significance of the location. Although part of this site has been reconstructed this did not detract from it at all.
A crawl into the interior of the cairn provided all the atmosphere and sense of otherworldliness you hope for in sites like this.