Latest Fieldnotes

These are all I could find of the Tor Stones, it is said that there were once many but have now gone. If you look at the OLD MAPS there are many stones scattered about that can no longer be seen.

A bugger to find but we finally reach it and suddenly I get that tingle. Its gobsmacking! Treaclechops has been reading ‘The Vagina Monologues’ to me as I drive here, and hey, seeing Stoney Littleton it all make sense! Here is a great vagina made of stone and earth and tufty hummocks and light and shade. I love the way its profile rises from the hillside like a great mound of venus. We crawl in. I love the way it goes DOWN with the curve of the hillside, WOW. I crawl s-q-u-e-e-z-i-n-g-l-y out of the darkness of its long, long passage and blinkingly I re-emerge. I feel reborn. What a place. What a fucking place!

A real survivor, big and bold, but like an old war horse, badly scarred and needing nurture. Despite being such a big complex – three circles! – it didn’t get me going. It felt broken and somehow bereft. My state of mind perhaps? The stones are massive, impressive with highly worked flat surfaces, and as big as the monsters at Avebury. Impressively rose-coloured with peppermint lichen, the sun cast great dark shadows and allowed the spring green of the grass to sing. I made a sketch but came away feeling sad. Up at the Cove, by the church, conveniently situated in the garden of the Druid’s Arms, a monumental stone of the weirdest shape defies gravity and bends over to the left. I leave feeling sad.

This ring cairn, 9m approx across, sits on a spur on a hill just above the village of Bridgend of Lethnot. There’s a convenient parking space beside a gate – better to use this than risk the electric fence!

This looks like a ring cairn and the remains of a stone circle. A shallow depression at the centre, with no inner kerbstones, but still 5 visible all to the SW, and various others which have become displaced. Two stones remain of the circle, a leaning one on the NE, and a recumbent to the SE.

Excellent views from here!

Mark, who runs the Menmuir Community website (link below) tells me:

“Mid winter sunrise is around the time we pass it on the way to school
and the sun clearly rises, seen from the stones, in the v between the
Caterthuns around the solstice. Sadly in the two years since I noticed this
we haven’t had a cloud free solstice sunrise to capture it on camera.” Thought this was worth passing on.

Sheltered by the handsome rolling hills of Hazelhurst Fell, Fair Snape Fell, and Parlick in rural Lancashire, with views across the Fylde toward the North Wales hills, this site is in a lovely location. The site itself is located in a small copse surrouded by farmland. The site comprises an inner circle, which dates from Bronze Age (2000-700BC) and an older outer circle (4000-2000BC). Eleven timber posts from the mound within the inner ditch have been replaced by concrete.

The outer ditch is easily discernible, and several post holes, each almost a metre in diameter, can be seen clearly. The inner ditch and entrance area are clear, and the orientation of the grave at the centre of the mound can be made out. An intriguing stone is placed near the entrance to the inner area.

Special permission is no longer needed to visit the site – a concessionary footpath has been opened. But note that wellies are essential.

1-3-2003
After staying the night in Robin Hood’s Bay village, popped up here first, but took the long way round Doh! No problems with sheep, in fact they ran when they saw me, can’t think why.

Lovely morning, sun shining, nice view of the bay, a skylark above singing away, I mean you’d think it was spring!

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There were signs everywhere asking non-residents to obtain a ticket at reception for the grounds, so in I went, and they let me in, which was nice. I asked for directions to the rock art and they pointed me towards the battlements.
After a wander around when all I could find was a few questionable cupmarks and a pair of newlyweds, I returned to reception for more clues. It’s beside the little cave, they said, to the right. And there it was, just above head height. Very hard to miss unless you know what you’re looking for, a bit faded and even looks a bit two-dimensional. And if there are more pieces, I couldn’t find them!
As it is very close to the little cave (see misc notes on history of Raven Hall) perhaps this area of the wall can be dated to between 1829 and 1845.

Also, I saw, way above head height, some more markings in the cliff face that looked a bit like cups marks. I discounted them as they were so high up, but if you think about it, if they blew up some of this cliff who’s to say they didn’t used to be accessable? Just a thought, and I’ve posted the pic anyway although it isn’t very good quailty being so far away.

Very impressive place – the gardens will be nice in the summer. Worth a trip for the views. Lovely.

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Quite a tall stone, has some pretty old-looking graffitti “FS”.

.o0O0o.

On the single lane road rising above the town of Harlech a series of single stones mark your way to the cairns and remains of a settlement at Moel Goedog.

25.2.2003

Ditto to Juamei – I live in Hounslow, so this is the closest ancient-ish monument to me. Visited it briefly before a work meeting in the Guildhall and went back again yesterday. Local books in the area (you know the type, things like...’Kingston in days goneby’ or ‘Remebering Kingston’) often have good pics of it in various places – it has been moved many times.

NB – The plaque says it was 7 Saxon kings up to Ethelred the Unready (didn’t go as far as Edmund Ironside / next millennia)

Rhiannon visits all these places from my childhood, when I was unaware of any ancient history! I lived in Upper Weston, close to Lansdown, for many years and it is a beautiful area. It’s also favourite dog walking territory and apologies in advance if you visit the Racecourse, Prospect Stile, or Kelston Round Hill areas and you come across 4 mad pointers bombing around thinking they are tough – that will be my mother’s dogs! One ex-dog has his ashes scattered on the Round Hill as it was his favourite area.

I’ve found some old photos of the area. On a very fine day the original Severn Bridge can be seen (not checked more recently for the newer one) as can the Welsh hills in the background.

Well worth visiting the Stone Science museum virtually opposite. Interesting book store and lots of dinosaur stuff to interest the kids!

A small and rather uninspiring stone hidden behind a dry stone wall right next to the A4080 running south from the A5 towards Barclodiad y Gawres. Interesting for the Roman (?) inscriptions carved on to it.

Take the western road up Glen Prosen, past Bykenhillock (I note this now has an anglicised plaque reading ‘Beacon Hillock’ – obviously not locals...) to the turning for Muir of Pearsie Lodge. Park carefully so as not to block the entrance on the west, and take this track, following it for about a mile (and through a red gate) till you see the stones on the south side of the track.

This is a strange little site. The eastern group may be a four-poster or the remains of a circle – I’m not sure. There are four stones, but all at irregular intervals, two being quite large and two rather smaller. The two western stones, however, would have been quite spectacular when upright, being nearly 8 feet in length. Unfortunately, they are both now prostrate.

There are no noticeable markings on any of the stones.

Take the road from Kilry up past Kilry Lodge and Loanhead farm down the track to Scrushloch. You should be able to park in a corner of the yard. Looking down the hill to the NE you will see the stones on a small promontory. Careful crossing the burn! There is an area of new planting here, and when the trees mature the stones will again be hidden from view – but in a large clearing which will make this quite a delightful spot.

These stones were only recently recorded during a pre-afforestation survey. A lovely little four-poster.

22nd Feb 2003

This circle is in a sorry state many of the stones are broken you can see from the pictures that a number have pairs of holes drilled in them.

It’s definitely worth a visit though if you are in the area – a bit sad though.

We had an eaiser time getting to the stones than Kammer... Going North on the A448 we took a left (SO327995) following the sign for Hemford shortly after that we took the first left, this road ends with a bar accross it you can park here (SJ320000).

Walk just past the barrier take a left along the edge of the conifer plantation by the stream (this is pretty overgrown) follow this until you go over Railway sleeper bridge then over a style and you are in the field with the Hoarstones in front of you.

It’s much nicer to approach Mitchels Fold from here, than the official car park and it’s only 2.5Km, this gives you a bit more time to get acquainted with the landscape before you’re among the stones.

There isn’t actually vehicular right of way up the farm lane, but as long as vehicles are carefully parked in the pull in near the sign which says no cars beyond this point, no one seems to mind. If you have dogs with you then please keep them on a lead as the path to the circle skirts the farmyard and there are usually cats and chickens wandering around.

The lane to the circle is magical in spring and early summer with a riot of wildflowers and you should take time to appreciate this as you pass by especially when the hawthorn is in bloom. Once you reach the circle look for the carved stone axes at the base of the centre stone, they are standing out rather than cut in and can be quite difficult to find, they are also extremely rare. Follow the path from the circle to Creeg Tol – Giants Foot and climb up to survey the countryside, look carefully to the coast and you may see the Merry Maidens. Above all enjoy, this is a special place, very peaceful and healing.

This is what appears to be a round barrow, perched on the top of a hill at the northern edge of Cannock Chase. Certainly a shallow ditch surrounds a circular mound of earth, and though worn, I have no reason to doubt that it is what it appears to be! The remants of a cement post stands in the middle, though I can’t imagine what it was there for. I can find no reference to the site in any resources I have on Staffordshire, though two ‘Saxon burial mounds’ (King’s Low and Queen’s Low) are situated on the flatter land to the north-west. I would be interested for some of you more experienced Antiquarians to have a first hand look at this site and say what you think.

Getting there;
Off the A513, turn into the second track leading to Sister Dora’s Nursing Home. Beyond this, turning right, there is parking space for about 10 cars (it will be busy at weekends, so you could park on the Pay car park on the Common and walk through the trees to this point). With the Nursing Home behind you, you will see a small pond between two paths and to the left of this, a track leading directly up the hill. The burial mound is at the top of this hill.
Put the OS co-ordinates into Rhiannon’s Get A Map link:
ordnancesurvey.co.uk/leisure/site.cfm?display=getamap.co.uk/getamap_index.htm
You are heading for the right of the 138 contour, just below Milford Common.

Best visited by taking the Scarth road from Luncarty and parking at the side of the river Tay. Follow the path south along the river for about 1 mile. The stone stands at the back of Denmarkfield farm next to the river. A few cup marks on the top of the stone and a much later axe shaped carving on the side.

There is very little to see on this site now, but Dyer includes it in Discovering Prehistoric England, Ann Woodward covers it in her book, and Julian flags it as standing next to a presumed Neolithic trackway in his Gypsey Race map, so I’ll include it as well although it is probably for anoraks only.
If you stand at the bend in the road with the field boundary in front of you the long barrow is hard to make out in the field to the right and there are the low remains of a bowl barrow between it and the road which confuses things. To the left of the boundary there are a couple of low round barrows recorded by Canon Greenwell but unexcavated.

The long barrow is around 50 metres long and 13 metres wide oriented east-west and badly ploughed down. The north and south flanking ditches are completely filled. The barrow has been excavated twice – by Greenwell in 1865 and Manby in 1958 and between them they found 3 burials, a collection of bones and remains of cremations, sherds from pots and flint fragments. The mortuary structure was trapezoidal with a concave wooden palisade at the east end, the whole thing being covered with an earth and chalk mound before being fired – creating a crematoria with temperatures estimated to have reached nearly 1200 centigrade. Radiocarbon tests from the site suggest a date of around 3000BC.

Info-
English Heritage
Ann Woodward – British Barrows
Dyer – Discovering Prehistoric England

This 8ft stone stands on the fench line between Drumacher farm and Milton farm just west of Harrietfield. The stone once form part of the fence and still has fence bolts drilled in it near the base. No marking apart from them. Permission sould be asked for at Drumacher farm.

A dream home for a megarak. This circle stands on the lawn of Moncrieffe house near Bridge of Earn. It was moved here in the 70s from its original site a few hundred yards away because it was in the path of the M90 motorway. Just to the east is a cup mark boulder moved at the same time as the circle And infront of the house stands the Bore stone of Gask, a damaged cross slab with breathtaking carvings.

Permission must be sought to visit the site as it is in a private garden.

A nice stone just inside the field. About 3ft tall with a tapered top. The stone fell down a few years ago but the farmer put it back up.

A nice little stone and very easy to visit. The stone stands about 5ft tall and was recycle by the Picts for a spot of abstract art. The carving is supposed to be of a goose.

This one is a bit tricky toget even if it is just at the side of the A9. Southbound from Perth take the farm road just west of the filling station and drive up to the farm for permission. The stand is a mighty impresive site standing 8 or 9ft tall at the edge of the field. A good few cupmarks on the south face. The stone has been polished around the base by hundreds of years worth of livestock having a scratch.

Be warned ! Getting back on the A9 from the farm road is bit of a task. Most of the cars are at top speed at this point so give yourself plenty room.