Latest Fieldnotes

If you follow Burl’s directions and drive up Mountain Road to the two pillars, the stones of the Druid’s Circle can just be made out on the horizon.

Louden Hill Stone Circle – 26.12.2002

After finally finding this it then made me realise how pathetic my ‘possible circle remains’ looked (see the sub-site I’ve called ‘Louden Hill 2??’). Although this is regarded as a pretty minor circle (it is only mentioned in passing by Aubrey Burl in his ‘Stone Circles of Britain, Ireland and Brittany’ (1995) and was not apparently discovered until 1973) at least it is clearly a fallen circle.

I counted 31 stones, including one double stone and several only just poking through the moor land, but not including probable overgrown stones (humps in the ground), nor possible stones just inside/outside the circle. This is rather strange because Craig Weatherhill counted 16/17 stone in all (see ‘Cornovia: Ancient Sites of Cornwall and Scilly’ – Cornwall Books – 1985, revised 1997 & 2000).

Several other stones seem to be scattered outside especially to the East and North East.

Stannon Stone Circle – 26.12.2002

I thought I would visit Stannon, Louden Hill and Fernacre Stone Circles all in one go. I drove up through numerous lanes and parked just before Camperdown Farm. As I walked past the farm entrance there was actually a plaque saying that the rest of the track is for use only by Fernacre Farm (presumably the buildings at SX151798?). A few hundred metres along the track (i.e. to the East) quite a strong grass/mud 4x4 track ran across the moor towards Stannon Stone Circle. This is quite a good marker, especially in bad weather, and neatly skirts around the marshy ground.

Stannon is a really nice circle but it is now slightly out of place next to the HUGE China clay works. I found it very difficult to count the stones! I counted 89, plus 2 inside the circle, 5 just outside the circle and quite a lot further outside the circle, especially to the South West.

4-8-2002CE

This stone is in Hepburn Wood (Forestry land), which has a good car park and planned walks; the stone is marked on a map at the start, however it’s easy to miss the signs and the path is overgrown.

The setting of the stone is very peaceful, lots of good woodland plants, ferns, mosses, etc.

There is also a replica cist on one of the woodland walks, and you can walk to Ros Castle from here.

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Ros Castle 11-1-2003CE

It was too good a day to miss, clear day, not much wind, perfect conditions. Glad I took my wellies… nice black bog to cross, still mostly frozen thankfully.

National Trust site, with a replica fort and memorial obelisk for an old politician (?)

I’m glad I went up there… the views today were fantastic. Could see Bamburgh castle and the Farne Islands, Lindesfarne castle and Holy Island, the ridge of Simonside, the snowy Cheviot… lovely.

Didn’t know there was rock art until I came to post these pictures – I looked around, as you can’t help it, and I didn’t see any. Maybe next time.

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Although this large stone is a couple of miles from White Hag I have included it as it is on the approaches to the site.
The stone is a large Shap granite boulder (as are most of the other Thunder Stones in the Shap area). This chap has been built into the farm wall and lies on the Roman Road just after the junction with the Orton to Shap road.
It’s a sad stone, not only is it built into a wall but it then has the further indignity of having a barbed wire fence built across it and various items of rubbish strewn around it including an old tyre and an abandoned car.

Lesquite Quoit – 26.12.2002

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This burial chamber is in a field to the North of a country lane that is just West of Tredinnick Farm. The lane is signposted ‘Tredinnick’ from the B3268 below Bodmin, just to the South of where the B3268 crosses over the A30. There is no entrance into the field from the lane so go to the dead end road at SX069627. Opposite the sub-power station a gate leads into the field. As it seemed to be private land and I didn’t have time to find out where to ask I just peered at it from the hedge on the country lane and didn’t actually explore it.

This is what Craig Weatherhill’s excellent book ‘Cornovia: Ancient Sites of Cornwall and Scilly’ (Cornwall Books – 1985, revised 1997 & 2000) says about it. “Also known as Lanivet or Trebyan Quoit, the ruined tomb consists of a fallen capstone 5.3m by 2.8m leaning against an upright 1.9m tall. A second upright, at right angles to the first, is 1.7m high and 2.7m long. The capstone could not have been supported by both, which suggests that the original tomb was a fairly complex one. A pipe-laying trench cut just to the South of the remains in 1973 revealed several stone sockets and a post-hole which were possibly connected with the surrounding barrow of which nothing remains. The monument has been in its present condition since at least 1858.”

Craddock Moor Stone Row – 25.12.2002

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I’m not sure if this site has an ‘official’ name so I have simply called it Craddock Moor Stone Row. There’s no easy way to describe how to get to this! A compass bearing from Craddock Moor Stone Circle, or the old quarry track, is about the best you can do.

At some point on your bearing you’ll come across an ancient ditch (marked on the OS map from 241720 to 242723), which reassuringly means you’re getting close. You may be fortunate to find a sort of track that leads down towards a house marked on the map as Lambadla (SX239723).

The North East end of the row terminates around the area of this track. The stones are tiny (most barely 10 to 20cms tall) and not easy to find, but once you find one the row becomes quite apparent as the surrounding area contains few other stones in general. I counted 49
stones in all, including 4 slightly off line, ones barely poking through, and a double stone at the South West end (with another stone only 40cms away). I didn’t count possible other stones around the area, nor what looked to be a type of ‘hook’ at what is probably the North East end, where 2 stones hook around towards the West.

Craddock Moor Stone Circle – 25.12.2002

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Without a map or compass you may be lucky enough to stagger across this circle 1 km North West of the Hurlers whilst exploring Craddock Moor. Even with a map and compass you may not find them as they all recumbent and are not visible from any distance. Fortunately the bearing I took (from the kink in the old quarry track at SX250720) was suprisingly perfect and I walked straight into the middle of the circle! I counted 17 stones, 18 if you include one slightly outside the circle. Naturally it’s not a massively impressive visual circle but I had at least found it and fulfilled my intention to spend ‘Christmas Day’ on a windy moor looking for ancient sites!

The Hurlers Stone Circles – 25.12.2002

A large car park just South West of Minions leads up to the Hurlers. Lots of walkers and doggy people around, even on ‘Christmas Day’. Not only are the circles fascinating, but the whole place is steeped in history, from the Pipers, Rillaton barrow, the Cheesewring, Stowe’s
Pound tor enclosure, and the Craddock moor sites, to the plethora of old mining ruins.

Stowe’s Pound tor enclosure is just 600 more metres to the North North West of Rillaton Barrow, just beyond the Cheesewring.

Rillaton Barrow – 25.12.2002

Rillaton Barrow is well worth a visit (ref SX260719) when at the Hurlers. It is exactly 500 metres North North East Of the Northern most Hurlers circle, and is the funny looking mound on the brow of the hill. This bowl barrow is just open on its east side. The cist once contained a skeleton lying full length, a bronze grooved ogival dagger, and the famous Rillaton Cup, a handled beaker of corrugated sheet gold, which is similar in style to gold and silver vessels from Mycenae, Greece. Both cup and dagger are in the British Museum but an exact copy of the cup is also in the County Museum in Truro.

The Pipers – 25.12.2002

The Pipers stand to the South West of the Hurlers, apparently a pair of outlying menhirs 3 metres apart, but Craig Weatherhill’s excellent book ‘Cornovia: Ancient Sites of Cornwall and Scilly’ (Cornwall Books – 1985, revised 1997 & 2000) says there are doubts about their antiquity. Cornovia says they are 2 metres tall. I measured them both at 165cm. A line of more modern boundary marking stones pass close by to the Pipers.

I’ve driven past this War Memorial on numerous occassions, and apart from thinking it was made from a remarkably large lump of quartz, never thought anything of it.

More recently I started to wonder about the origins of the this boulder. It reminded me of some of the standings stones in the area (the Glandwr Stone and one of the Pond Nant y Cagal stones). I made some enquiries and a good friend of mine who lives nearby (and has a passing interest in archaeology) assured me that this was probably just a boulder transported from one of the nearby mines.

It was only by coincidence that while I was thumbing through some records in the NMRW looking for something entirely unconnected, I found an the extract from Sainsbury’s thesis (below). This indicates that the stone does have a mining connection, but it wasn’t dug out of the ground by modern miners, it was already standing out in the open. I can’t help feeling a bit smug.

I have been told the Hole Stone has been moved from it’s original position and is now either used as..... A gatepost in one of the field walls near Holestone Farm or Holestone Cottage. Used in the construction of a  farm building or just plain (h)ol(e)d lost.

A couple of sources quote two rings on orthostat walling on Warren Moor.
I parked up by the entrance to Park Farm and walked up the side of the park to the crag that overlooks Kildale, I then followed the path onto Warren Moor and walked down the eastern side of the dry stone wall for about a kilometre, never taking my eyes off the wall. I then retraced my steps along the western side, again studying every inch of the wall. I did come across some vague markings on the eastern side but nothing that I could hand on heart describe as a pair of rings.
This NYM rock art is bloody elusive stuff.

A huge millstone grit block, that is said to grant wishes if you walk around it 3 times widdershins and then stand on top. Another version saves you walking round it, just sit on it and wish.

Mentioned in several ley hunters guides (if you go for that sorta thing) as the start/end of one of the Arbor Low ley lines.

Cuckoo Stone is thought to have originated from cock crow stone, this is another Derbyshire stone that is said to move around at dawn.
I have never been able to make my mind up about this stone, whether it is natural or erected. It was it’s closeness to the lost Seven Brideron circle that got me thinking.

With J. Barnatt, Hayman Rooke and Samuel Pegge all suggesting that the Seven Brideron stone circle stood a short distance away to the NE on Matlock Moor it does seem plausible that this stone played a part in the ancient landscape.

The stone has been a long recognised feature of the area with a dale, a lane, a farm, a wood and a quarry all named after it....it also features on Matlock Golf Club’s badge.
It stands on the 11th fairway at Matlock golf club, about 20yds from the path that cuts across it.

Visiting this one risks life and limb! It lies on the A911 about a mile west of Leslie, and there are no pavements and very little in the way of a verge... Fife drivers exhibit a blithe disregard for minor impediments like speed restrictions, so be very careful. There is a place to park a little way past the stone in the side road leading south.

This pair stand in the fields of Longloch Farm just north of the Binn Hill at the back of Burntisland. Use your map carefully, I’m not even going to try to describe the route! Permission should be sought at the farm but is readily granted.

Canmore says of them: “These two standing stones are situated on the summit of a gently rising pasture. The ground immediately surrounding their bases may have been made higher. The stones are vertical, stand 19’2” across centres and exactly E-W. The bases of both are packed with small stones. The W stone is a smooth-sided block of quartziferous rock 6’2” high, 12’8” maximum girth. Close to it is a block of stone 1’4” above ground. The E stone is of much weathered whinstone and is 5’7” high. Its greatest girth is 12’9”. Several small circular hollows are attributed to weathering. It is unlikely that the stones formed part of a stone circle.” What you see is pretty much what is described, and there’s no point in adding to it, other than to say that the two stones each have a very unique appearance from each other. The view over the Forth from here, even on a cold and windy winter afternoon, is pretty stunning.

I visited today. This stone stands in a field just on the eastern outskirts of Kirkcaldy, just where the A921 branches from the A92. Parking can be accomplished a couple of hundred metres along this road (a small layby). It is a large lump of sandstone standing just under 2m high, 1m wide, and about 0.6m thick, aligned E-W. There is one small cup mark high on the north face of the stone.

Creich Manse is situated off the A92 between Glenrothes and Dundee, just beside the village of Brunton. The Reverend Collins is the Minister of this parish, and the circle is within the grounds of the manse. He and his wife are friendly and welcoming, and must be approached for permission to view the circle – which is readily given.

These delightful concentric circles were moved from their original position in 1817, and set up exactly as found within the grounds of the manse. Canmore describes it thus: “In the centre of this feature was an upright cylindrical sandstone 14” high by 12” diameter, around which at a distance of 3’ was a circle of 16 upright stones, and beyond that a circle 15’ in diameter consisting of 32 upright stones the number of points in a compass, and in both circles, a stone larger than the rest was placed at each end of the cardinal points. The stones forming the inner circle were of sandstone which could not be obtained nearer than Cupar Moor, seven miles away; the stones of the outer circle were of local whinstone. Due S of the centre, and between it and circle B were two sculptured stones, the remaining space being paved. When being removed, burned human bones and charcoal were found under the inner of the two sculptured stones.” And that’s pretty much what you see today.

The sculptured stones are interesting, if vaguely detailed: a circle, a circle with extensions (ewer?), two raised mounds with a groove between, and a square with circle on top containing a crescent.

This site may have been moved from its original locus, but retains a great deal of charm, even on a cold winter’s morning. Well worth a visit!

The Longstone – 24.12.2002

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After Pencarrow a narrow lane passes by Gillings Farm. 350 metres after the farm the public footpath to this menhir is clearly marked by a wooden signpost and a concrete stile. It is near 2 field gates on either side of the road. It’s not easy to park without potentially blocking some access along the lane, especially any wider vehicles.

The longstone itself is impressive, measuring approx 330cm (H) x 90 (W) x 45 (D). The whole Western part of the field seems to be strange. It is littered with stones, some seemingly being like a recumbent circle, some as though they could be a burial chamber, and some like a type of boundary work. Or it could just be a jumble of stones? Intriguingly the rest of the field has no stones in it, nor does the next field (to the West), yet it’s obviously an area of antiquity with
cairns and field systems/settlements being marked on the map in other nearby fields. So despite this just being a single stone on the map, maybe this place is far more interesting than just that?

The Longstone Cross / Long Tom Cross – 25.12.2002

This stone is situated just off the main road 800 metres South West of Minions (on the road towards the A38). The stone stands alone, often amongst sheep roaming the moor, an impressive 285cm (H) x 60 (W) x 30 (D), complete with mark on the back and carved cross. It may have once been a menhir that was then Christianised by carving a cross on its face.

This stone is not mentioned in Craig Weatherhill’s excellent book ‘Cornovia: Ancient Sites of Cornwall and Scilly’ (Cornwall Books – 1985, revised 1997 & 2000), maybe because it bears no inscription to make it more special than the many other stone crosses / Christianised menhirs in Cornwall.

On the horizon behind a line of old mine chimneys can been seen, marking the lode (course of) of a copper vein.

Trethevy Quoit – 25.12.2002

‘Christmas Day’ at the most famous quoit in East Cornwall.

Although this stunning quoit is just about signposted from the main Dobwalls to Minions road, and then from Darite, I wouldn’t rely on these small old white signs to get to this famous quoit. An OS map makes it easier. Once you get to the triangle just outside the field in the which it stands, there is then a then a large modern brown sign, but by then you are only about 20 metres from the quoit anyway! At this triangle there is a tarmaced lay-by for 5 cars, plus other spaces on road, and a nice information board. The info board contains info on the quoit itself and also some of the other ancient monuments in the St Cleer parish.

The site is just inside the field, through a wooden gate, and seems shockingly large once you step inside the field. The stone at the back (the one that has fallen in) seems to be cup marked – ancient or modern?