Latest Fieldnotes

Several bits of archaeology have been found in the area surrounding Breck Farm. Few remain – for instance there used to be a structure with at least one beehive cell in the stackyard (HY512060). In the field next to this was a clay-lined pit and an urn with a fine stone lid. ‘Lesser’ thick-bodied urns were found in other fields.

It may be that the row I call Beck Spine originally terminated at the standing stone, but as the latter is hidden from the former by being cut into the hill I’m unable to check for alignment.

As mentioned in my “Anything but Mine Howe” weblog my attention was first caught by the standing stone in the field roadside opposite the start of the Muckle Crofty track before spotting that it lay in a dead straight line with another further on . In fact my photo is focussed on the latter as there was a probably more significant scatter of stones about that in my binocular field . Indeed when I went on my second visit , in order to photograph sites that had taken my fancy in the region of the Mine Howe complex ( as mentioned in the weblog ) , I think I may have made out one or two more standing stones on the alignment . Another incomplete ‘standing stone fence’ ? Alas I had to be frugal with my remaining film .

Visited 26th August 2003: Cronk Karran is the site I enjoyed the most on Mann. There’s some disagreement as to what it represents, but the favourite theories are hut circle or cairn circle. Although the stones are pretty unassuming, the location and tricky access make it very special.

Following the GPS from the car park we arrived at the cliff top and were very perplexed because the little LCD arrow indicated that the site was out at sea. A large stone wall blocked the immediate view over the cliff, so we moved west along the coastal footpath, over another wall, and got an aerial view of Cronk Karran from the cliff top. The circle is small, and it sits on a shelf below the cliff.

To the east of our vantage point was a strange looking old building (presumably a shelter) with benches in it, and opposite this a gate in the wall that skirts the cliff top. On the gate a large sign read...

CHASMS
WARNING DANGER
PERSONS VISITING THIS AREA DO SO AT THEIR OWN RISK AND SHOULD PROCEED WITH CAUTION
MANX MUSEUM & NATIONAL TRUST

This was as close as we felt the kids should get, so I continued on my own. Beyond the gate there were indeed chasms aplenty, and I trod gingerly around them trying to find a way down to the shelf. This wasn’t easy, and the exercise took on the feel of a 1980s computer game without the usual quota of three lives.

After all the trouble getting to the circle, I found it very peaceful once I was there. The situation is exposed to the south, but walled in by cliffs to the north and east. The circle doesn’t appear to have an entrance as such, but there were signs that the ‘wall’ was made up of two rows of stones. Also of note was a small quartz stone incorporated into the wall. I wanted to stay for longer, but with the others waiting for their lunch up top, I had to move on.

I feel obliged to emphasise that Cronk Karran is not easily accessible, and the chasms and cliffs represent a significant danger to anyone visiting. The view from the top of the cliff is very good, so some people will be happy enough to view the circle from afar. If you decide to get closer, please take care.

The daylight has now all but gone and I reached my final site of the day there’s the remains of two Bronze Age barrows here both uniquely different to each other ones on a circular raised embankment with a curb of stones the other dips down like a bowl barrow also with kerbstones and both have central depressions with stones in the centre there’s a structure in the field below which resembles a beacon but then again why is it below the hill I sit on? It could easily be seen from the Ringstones or Twist Castle and the hills around so maybe it is a beacon others may interpret it differently. My dog informs me that were hungry and we fed our lunch to the horses on Twist Hill its time to go and my perfect day ends.

I arrived at the Ringstones just a short walk from Worsthorne Stone Circle with its clearly discernable banks, ditches and avenues, im not quite sure what this was but am told its an old farmstead possibly late Bronze Age, early Iron Age which has more than likely been raided to make the stone walls round here it has two enclosures with avenues connecting both one leads away from the larger enclosure a good 40/50 metres into the field leading to hameldon pasture the other avenue leading into the next field to a smaller enclosure. Ive sketched a rough map to give some perspective. A nice little place to sit and gather your thoughts. I’m sat here looking towards twist hill knowing there’s another similliar farmstead up there and a bronze age barrow curiosity gets the better of me and I head off to Twist castle

Visited this site a couple of weeks ago and had a long chat with the Farmer on the adjacent land who wasn’t happy about me not getting permission for access to the site at first but was happy to see I hadn’t climbed through the hole in the wall which some idiots had made for easier access. The farmer also gave me some info about this site the henge type structure on top of the hill is actually known as Burwains Camp locally. Although it is on Shuttleworth pasture and the circle of stones at the bottom of the hill is known as Burwains stone circle although not a true stone circle.
So that is why the site name has been changed to reflect this.
I also visited this site yesterday got a couple more pictures of the low henge looking a little more obvious now the undergrowth has died back some more and at the circle the rubble bank has revealed itself to be mainly large fallen kerbstones covered with turf but now more discernable.

A very sorry site this at the edge of a landfill, with a quietly sad ambience about it, 2 large fallen kerbstones are visible at first glance. On closer inspection and with a little kicking of the turf 3 more smaller stones are revealed. I cant believe a landfill was authorised here, this area is so rich in history I say a few words and apologise and move on to my next site. The ringstones

A nice little hike to the top of Twist Hill for me and my dog When we reached the summit were greeted by 5 very beautiful Shire horses who follow me around and share my sandwiches which was a lovely touch on this gorgeously sunny day.
This is my first visit here and I certainly wasn’t disappointed it’s the Remains of another Farmstead mid to late Iron Age commanding excellent strategic views of the surrounding area it also overlooks an old sandstone quarry (which has got a little too close to the structure for my liking) and Swinden Reservoir I cant help but wonder what antiquities the reservoir has swallowed in its greed to quench our thirst. Twist castle is very peaceful consisting of two enclosures with more stone left than the ringstones and a couple of hundred yards away is a robbed and ruined Bronze Age barrow.
I sit here for a while being gently prodded by horse heads, my dogs a little unsure of the Horses so I decide to set off in search of Delf Hill Stone Circle

After jumping a gate and sneaking over the back of a working quarry avoiding all manner of diggers workmen and industrial plants I hummed the Mission Impossible theme as I laughed to myself i’m on a mission and nothings going to stop me! I was just about to give up hope of finding the circle, when I stumbled right across it perched on top of Delf Hill at the back of the quarry by a wall and tractor tracks with fantastic views across the valley.
Its 5pm and the machinery has stopped. Finding this is my highlight of the day. A beautiful little circle with a central cist/depression an internal ditch and embankment with a ring of seven stones. I sat here for an hour and sketched the circle what a lovely place the grass all around is a very lush green it so peaceful here. On my way back from the circle as the light began to fade I came across a curiously carved boulder which was about 3 feet high at the bottom of the hill. I took a few snapshots and decided to take in Hambledon Pasture barrows before the light completely faded.

This Stone is by the side of the A4136 Monmouth to Christchurch road, about a mile from Staunton. It stands in some undergrowth but there is a footpath close by. It is about 7ft tall and has two grooves running from the top to the ground. The story goes that if you prick it with a pin at midnight it will bleed. There should be other Stones at Staunton, the Buck Stone and the Queen stone, I’ll leave that ‘till another time.

Easy to find when approached from Hownam. The path is decent, but rough in places. It’s sheep farming country, so the stones aren’t overgrown.
I Counted 23, (5 hidden?) spread over a slight rise, half and half. There aren’t any other field boundaries in the vicinity that have left such stones as their evidence. Nor could I see any trace of an embankment having ever been over them, though the undulating terrain may hide this. It would make sense to put a boundary between the hillfort at Hownam rings, and The Street. But there are a couple of far more suitable rises running parallel with the Street that would seem to have made more sense as places to put a boundary structure.

They’re not in as straight line as the Merrivale rows,which are all I have to compare them with. So I wouldn’t offer opinion on any deliberate alignment (e.g.Astral bodies, parts of surrounding landscape etc). You can over to the other side of kalewater, where the Five Stanes circle is, but the circle is obscured by a slight rise.

Hownam Rings is clearly visible as hut circles and earthworks. And the outer ring of earthworks has a few stones around it. Almost as if there was something surrounding the Rings that wasn’t earthwork. Just to highlight the complex history of the area, one small (1m)leaning orthostat to the south of the rings has a cup-mark on the outer face. This could be somewhere that has been reused a few times for different purposes. The one thing that cannot be overlooked is the south side of Hownam Law. Before the hillfort was made, Hownam Law would have been very conspicuous from the Rings. Add to this the mound and standing stone at Horseshoe wood, and it’s clearly a complex pattern of sites, possibly covering thousands of years.

The stone rests on top of a 30m(ish) long, 15m (ish) wide rounded mound that looks suspiciously artificial. Closer inspection shows it has been excavated in a brutal manner a good few years ago, the southern side has a great scoop out of it. There are stones embedded in the surface, under the turf, but none in the excavated section so it possibly is artficial. On the south side, there is a, small, natural looking hole, which maybe part of the reason this particular stone was chosen.
A chat with a Local farmer revealed that the stone fell over a couple of years ago, but was placed back upright in 2003. The entry at the border-stones website relates that before it fell it was leaning at a 55deg angle.

There’s a cup marked earthfast boulder with a single cup mark to the right of the path just before you get to the stone.

As you start up The Street from Hownam, there’s another possible standing stone in the field to the right of the path, just over the stream. It’s about 1.3m high, wider than it is tall. You can’t miss it. It’s got a vaguely circular mark, and has a chunk missing at the bottom.

Ye gods! I was happy to finally reach Buzza as it signalled the end of The Long March.

High up on a hill overlooking Hugh Town, the harbour, two beaches and pretty much 50 per cent of St Mary’s, this cairn is not pretty or charming or a ‘wowwing’ discovery or showy. But is it here in the most commanding position of all, keeping watch.

I really liked it because you can step right down into its little box chamber and be partly protected by the single remaining capstone.

Very accessible if you have limited time on St Mary’s.

A mighty tomb with big stones and a big chamber now cruelly amputated by a main road. Yet despite the loss of its legs this is still a very powerful place, sandwiched in clear line of sight between the pretty dancing Merry Maidens stone circle and Gun Rith menhir which lurks in a hedgerow in the opposite field.

If you’re heading out to see the Merry Maidens, then don’t overlook Tregiffian, its well worth a look-see.

Just a couple of fields away from Men an Tol this 6’ standing stone is worth checking out if you’re en route up the path toward the Nine Maidens. You really can’t miss it. The light was awful to see the inscriptions when we were there at about 11.30am, I guess it’s better in the summer in the late afternoon.

If you want views, then Mulfra’s the place for you. From up here you can see St Michaels Mount, Ding Dong mine, Penzance, the hanging gardens of Babylon...

Knowing my reluctance to walk distances, we chose the shortest route for us to reach it, up an incredibly steep slope, wading through the gorse and heather on something which could only loosely be called a path.

But it IS worth the agro. This place is magic. The light was good on the crazy slanting capstone and I sketched as quickly as a could, but the paint was reluctant to dry, it was so cold.

This would be a fantastic place to spend hours hanging out at. Come when its warm!

Situated more or less half way between the Cheesewring and the Hurlers this barrow survives as an uneven tump which is actually quite difficult to spot in the heavily mined landscape. Indeed, we walked right past it first time.

The entrance is part way up the mound and hidden from view unless you start climbing up the mound. I was disappointed that I couldn’t get in (partly to get out of the cold wind) but I suspect its quite unstable in there.

It’s nothing to write home about now, but once this must have been massive, before the treasure-seekers got to work on it to dig up the most glorious ribbed golden cup, now in the British Museum.

A huge, flat triangular single stone about 8’ tall at the apex with a bloody great round hole carved in it, stands in the back garden of cottage. But not in the middle of the garden, oh no, it’s just 6’ away from the back door! How it wasn’t moved or trashed when the white-washed cottage was built in the mid 19th century is a mystery.

Weird and wonderful and I want one, too!

I had been warned that this, though a ‘must-see’, might disappoint. Fortunately my expectations were sufficiently low that I wasn’t disappointed. Just curious.

It is SOOOOOO small and quite obviously mucked about with, for surely this was once part of a stone circle?

It’s a fun place though and trying to crawl through the hole (despite the mud) is almost irresistible.

An unlikely overgrown hummock turned out to be one of my favourite places in the whole of Penwith.

There are a few graves here, but the one blew me away. Dreadlocked with brambles and gorse, I set to work with ocifant’s ‘Leatherman’ [TM] clearing the tangles away from the entrance with the handy saw to gain access to the tomb. And I was well rewarded with a 10’ long chamber, maybe 3’ high with 3 lovely capstones. The walls were of large stones. I crawled in and sat at the back for some time. A fox had made his home here in a burrow within the chamber.

This one looked like nothing but turned out to be reet special. A real discovery, and not unlike the tombs on Scilly, though I wasn’t to find that out till the next day.

Witnessing the sun set over Carn Gluze, I was aware that tonight the moon would be full. Moth suggested we witness the moon rise at Lanyon Quoit, as its so easy to get to.

En route, as we drove past Porthmeor standing stone, the moon jumped out at us, dazzling and low, and we knew we were in for a special treat. We were not to be disappointed.

Clouds scudded past the moon in the east illuminating the quoit with an eery light, and the last vestiges of the sunset silhouetted the site in the west. What a light show! What a quoit!

We returned here in the daylight twice, but neither time was the weather kind enough for me to paint it.

The moondogchickengoosestone, as we preferred to call it, stands in a field opposite Porthmeor farmhouse and whenever we happened to pass it, morning, noon or night, some kind of Old MacDonald thing was going on.... dogs, horses, geese, chooks, cows...

On the way to see the fullmoon rise over Lanyon Quoit, we passed this stone and as the car swung round the corner by this stone, the full moon appeared in the sky straight in front, almost dazzling us, huge and low and bright. And in the corner of my eye I saw a sheepdog at the roadside, spinning round and round and round chasing its tail in the moonlight.

This stone does crazy things to animals.

14th September 2003:
On a trip down to the Cotswolds today, I visited the Longstone of Minchinhampton. As Gatcombe Lodge long barrow is only a couple of hundred yards away, I thought I might as well go and have a look at that, too.

Gatcombe Lodge long barrow happens to be on the Gatcombe Park estate (Princess Anne`s home). There`s a footpath which runs close to the barrow and I only meant to walk past and have a look. Anyway, I couldn`t resist. I went through a gate and onto the barrow. An estate worker spotted me as he went past in a Discovery; he blocked the entranceway and phoned the police.

A Land Rover duly arrived with two police officers, who did a full security check on me and my motor. They could see that I was an unlikely terrorist, with my sandals, shorts and Stonehenge Tshirt. When the all-clear came through, I was allowed to go with a rollocking.

The barrow itself is overgrown with stones from the chambers scattered over it.

Lower Innisidgen Entrance Grave – St.Mary’s, Isles of Scilly – 3rd October 2003

For directions to both of the entrance graves please see the main Innisidgen page.

‘Lower Innisidgen Carn’ is the poorer relation but still retains a huge amount of dignity and presence, despite being on a slope, having only 2 capstones, and no fancy kerb (or renovation work, which I presume the Higher one has had).

Lost and found – One chambered cairn. Poor condition but would suit collector.

Yes, this cairn was in 1978 described in the National Monuments records as “recently destroyed by quarrying during the construction of a forestry road”. Sadly, I believed this and during my several visits to the nearby Lang Cairn did not bother to make the short additional trip down the forest track to look for it.

A certain A Park was more adventurous and the records now note a letter in June 2002 from him/her saying that the cairn was there and was as previously described. The forestry road had not affected it at all.

So this time I went to see it. It needed a lot of dead bracken stripped from the site before the remaining features could be clearly seen. If the National Monument people went during the summer, it is no surprise that they missed it.

It’s not a very interesting cairn and it’s hemmed in by forestry but, if you were going to see the Lang Cairn, it’s worth extending the trip to have a look.

To get to it, follow the Lang Cairn directions and continue along the forest track for about 1km. It is in a clearing on the left.

For more details on the site, see the photo captions.

Visited 10 March 2004