Latest Fieldnotes

For the two weeks I have had off work, I waited for a decent day’s weather to visit this place. At last it came. Treaclechops and myself had this extensive place to ourselves, the weak winter sunshine low on the horizon creating sculptural shadows on the barrows and revealing the final traces of other ploughed-over barrows in nearby fields. It was too cold to paint, so I fired off a couple of pencil sketches (difficult in thermal gloves). This was one helluva necropolis at one time, and I guess it still is. After all the shite and dutiful detritus of the ‘festive season’, what I needed was peace. I found it here.

Not a lot to add to Martin’s notes except this is hard to find,I was lucky to finally find it on a dry day so I only had bramble scratches and nettle stings.It is the most peaceful place and as Martin says undisturbed and long forgotten.Try and find it for a great experience.

This is off the A827 Aberfeldy to Grandtully road, the turning is on the right and quite sharp about 2 miles from Aberfeldy. If you see the remains of an old railway bridge you’ve gone too far, turn and go back to the next turning. You can park by the old railway or trust your suspension and drive about half a mile, on the way on the left is a standing stone in a small plantation, and a little way on the right is a stone on the bank. When you get to the Lundin Stones be careful, the only way across the burn is a plank – very slippery. The cupmarked stone is on the far side and usually covered with grass so be persistent.

The circle stands in a field on the left of the road but can be seen better from the track leading to the farm. I was attracted to the standing stone and saw what I thought were sheep in the far end of the field, these turned out to be the low circle in the long grass. It was very wet and squeltchy, I was not equipped for bog walking so I took the photo from the track. The circle is about 20mtrs in diameter.

Next to the Standing Stone is a small kerbed cairn.

A few miles West of Chanctonbury Ring, and also on the South Downs Way, this prominant ditch and bank straddles the path, and seems to be an Iron Age boundary marker, though I have been able to find little to confirm this.

To reach it head about 2 miles East, on the South Downs Way, from Amberley Train Station. In guides it can be found in the Washington to Amberley section.

An impressively sized Round-Barrow group that meets the South Downs Way at a right angle on the Cocking to Buriton stretch.

This is quite a remote section of the Way, so you have a fairly even choice of routes and can more or less guarantee peace once at the site.
Either walk East along the Way from the Harting Hill car park for about 4 miles, the more picturesque option which also passes Beacon Hill and Pen Hill, or West from Cockinghill car park for about 3 miles, which is probably the less tiring route.

There is an information sign near the barrows.

Have to agree with the other comments here. A very undignified way for the Stone to be treated. People in the lunchtime rush looked at me as if I were mad, taking photos of a wall of a bank! I’m sure none of them had ever looked to see what was there...

The Stone seemed to be screaming to be let free. Given the planning permission mentioned in the News Article last year, it looks as if its wish may be granted, but I couldn’t see any signs or notices in place, so maybe they’ve put the plans back. Does anyone have a better notion of timing for the demolition?

I’ll have to make sure I get down here a bit more regularly in the lunch hour, now I know exactly where it is, to make sure the Stone isn’t forgotten and doesn’t get lonely, trapped in its cage.

Don’t lean on the stones – they’ll probably fall over! Its a terrible shame but one or two of the stones are probably not in their correct positions at all. Still, as others have said, its a great walk up to the circle and you are rewarded with a fantastic view when you get there :)

After a few, er, “difficulties” regarding access to this site, to their credit the local parish council have taken steps to secure better public access.

This little visited site is situated on the outskirts of Swindon. It is a runied stone circle which now consists of an arc of 5 stones. Dayhouse Lane bisects the intact remains of the circle and the vansihed half.

All five stones have fallen but each is significantly bigger than those of the nearby Winterbourne Basset circle.

This site was discussed on the Forum in summer 2002. Liddington Castle and the Ridgeway are clearly visible from here. It is on a direct aligment with Barbury Castle and Avebury to the south.

A three hour walk north along the Ridgeway from Avebury brings you to the edge of the Marlborough Downs and the foot of Liddington Hill. Liddington Castle Hillfort will be a familiar landmark to many as it is visible to the south of the M4 motorway between junctions 15 and 16. At 3 hectares it is somewaht smaller than the nearby Barbury Castle (4.7 hectares) and has only one ditch rather than two. It is however considerably quieter, is about 50 foot higher and offers better views of the Marlborough Downs than Barbury. An entrance at the south east is defined by a few half buried sarsens. Pottery from the early Iron Age has been found here and on the northern escarpment are some neolithic flint mines.

Walking up the hill from the Ridgeway the flint mines are encountered after a couple of minutes and mole hills regularly bring flint waste to the surface.

This visit (31/12/02) was my first time here for about 20 years. The erosion to the site is noticeable as is the vandalism to the Triangulation Point which used to double up as a memorial to local writer Richard Jefferies. Jefferies famously came up here to write. Despite the proximity of the motorway and onward march of Swindon (the settlement and not, unfortunately, the football club) this remains a fine spot for quiet contemplation.

***

My 7 year old son got very confused here. As we walked up to the castle I recounted the story of King Arthur’s victory here in the battle of Mons Badonicus. On spotting a memorial gate to Harry King (1910-1995) “who loved to walk on Liddington” my son quite justifiably asked why King Arthur didn’t have a gate but King, Harry did.

Visited on New Year’s Day, purely on the off-chance. Luckily, the friendly woman who owns the house was taking her dog for a walk, and kindly offered to let me see the stones.

I thought it was funny that she had to pop in and get her crib sheet, but the potted talk she gave was very interesting and informative. I couldn’t ‘see’ the formation until it was explained, then all became clear.

I did the dowsing bit, but wished I hadn’t once I got home, as the card in my digital camera had been corrupted, and my pictures of the day’s visit (including the Cotys) were irretrievable. Ah well, I’ll just have to go down again at some point :-) Must remember to make an appointment next time...

Made my first visit to the Ladies last weekend. And what a weekend! Continuous rain and heavy mist/low cloud made for a magical visit.

Like a fool, I got the approach wrong and started out from the base camp at the base of the quarry. You have to admire the protesters, living in those conditions! The climb was extremely muddy and quite difficult, but I eventually made it to the top, soaked to the skin.

Due to the weather I couldn’t stay as long as I wanted, nor could I explore the rest of the moor, but I took some photos and made it back to the car safely.

From what I could see (shrouded in the mist), this is a wonderful site, quite breathtaking in it’s splendour. I’d read quite a bit about the restoration work to be undertaken and was prepared to be disappointed, but the conditions I saw it in were optimal, and the site was simply awe inspiring. Maybe I’ll have to visit in fine weather to be disappointed?

[visited 27/12/02] If ever a sacred site existed in Dorset this is it. Parking by Littlebredy farm (SY595883) at the mouth of the valley, I set off expecting a few large rocks in a field, I got a wonderful example of nature.

First off is the remains of a banked enclosure; guardpost, salesroom or temple, who knows. Then the train of stones starts, slowly at first like a small recumbent stone row and then it picks up as you head round into a small jumble of stones. Keeping on going the jumble continues into the undergrowth, not many stones visible, kinda like someone had created a freeform megalithic sculpture.

Then it happens, you reach a fence and on the other side is a huge number of stones stretching 1/2 a mile distant along the valley floor. There are some stones bigger than any upright in Dorset, just scattered about liberally. The stones go up one side of the valley wall and the suggestion to my mind is the hill to the left with these huge rocks poking out of it could be full of megaliths.

About half way along the valley floor is a cleared circular space about 15-20 metres across. Its not complete however as at least one stone pokes towards the centre, perhaps whoever cleared it stopped removing stones... It looks man-made and is I presume the ‘mystical stone circle’ the information board at the start of the walk talks about.

Heading back I spotted what could be another circle, though my brain may have been making circles out of anything at this point! This is at the end of the first field, just before the path heads to the right. You need to stand in the far corner from it to see some of the stones as they are hidden from the other direction by a small bank. This ‘circle’ is much smaller, maybe 2-3 metres across.

At the time of posting, the booklet I mentioned in my last fieldnote is unavailable, as the machine is......non-functional. Good to see EH keeping the facilities up to scratch!

Lying to the North of the New King Barrows, this group is slightly older and certainly less imposing.

The more northern barrows of the group are aligned with the Long Barrow that originally was the eastern terminus for the Cursus.

Further to the south another group have been very ploughed out over time, though they remain in clearings that give a good indication of their original size.

My photo is of one of this latter group.

Visited 31st December 2002: First I should warn you that this is one of those sites that has had all the zing kicked out of it. Don’t make the journey unless you’re ready for disappointment.

We parked at the rather incongruous Ramada Jarvis Hotel which intersects the enclosure (I asked permission and they were happy so long as we gave our registration number). A footpath follows the perimeter of the field that the site sits in, but pretty early on we decided to ignore that and follow the edge of the enclosure (there’s no livestock or crops in the field).

The M1 makes the site pretty unpleasant, mainly because it’s so noisy. On the eastern side of the enclosure Lou and I had trouble talking to each other over the racket. In the north west we found a BMX track, presumably made by local kids. Unfortunately it consists of both ditches and ramps dug out of the enclosure. I had a look amongst the mess for worked flint, but didn’t find anything.

Poor old Aubreys.

119 223623

There is a convenient layby just below the site on the B5056 at 229619.
Cross the road and over the stile and follow the track up the hill.
Keep an eye out on your left, for a slim, leaning standing stone in the hedge line. It’s not marked on the map, and upon closer inspection has a hole cut through it (as though to receive a bolt) and I would imagine it was once a gatepost.
Upon reaching the site, if you’re up for it, a direct assault is possible, but there is a path on the right hand side, which makes for an easier ascent around the back.
A wonderful natural landmark, fluid, eroded masses of stone, rising up to two stacks set either end of a horizontal top. It has a pleasing organic quality to it. Large boulders seemingly weightlessly leaning on one another and out into thin air.
Also lacking in official heritage status as there are no protective railings or warnings on it, and although you can’t fall more than twenty or so feet, please take care.
Great view down to the four stones of Nine Stones Circle.
There is so much ‘territorial pissing’ grafitti of names and initials carved all over the faces of the stones on it from past centuries, I didn’t know where to begin looking for the prehistoric rock-art carving (...a large carved ring...on the south-eastern side of the outcrop on a wide horizontal ledge).

119 2249635

Not much to add really, from the other posts and what I’ve read elsewhere, about casual vandalism of the site (whether ritualistic or through carelessness), I’ve been put off visiting this site for a long while, and I dare say I brought this attitude with me.
A sweet small stone circle (local millstone grit, none taller than 1m) in a wooded area, which has become incorporated into an easy circlular walk across Stanton Moor, with nearby convenient free parking.
The surrounding area is beautiful, and includes many cairns, but the area directly surrounding the site has several blackened remains of campfires and the tops of nearly every stone which make up the circle show signs of heat damage where fires (tealights, etc?) have been set upon them.
V & P Morgan (Rock Around The Peak) mention that the circle was once surrounded by a bank, and at the centre of the circle was a stone cairn, both of which have now all but disappeared.
As far as I can tell the site has three parties looking out for its interests (English Heritage, Peak National Park Authority and the land owner), but as it is open access and is ‘...one of the most well known sites in Derbyshire’, it’s looking a bit torn and frayed.

Visited 29th December 2002: Despite the rain we walked most of the way down the renovated stretch of the West Kennett Avenue. I had planned to visit Falkner’s Circle, but I stupidly left Merrick’s directions in the car and couldn’t remember where it was. This was the first time either of the boys had been to Avebury, so I decided not to hunt too hard for the circle and leave the avenue on a high note before Will got too pissed off with the rain.

[visited 27/12/02] This is a large diamond shaped stone in the middle of a valley, just off the A35 to the North (stop at the carpark / layby before the turn off to Long Bredy). Its further west than The Nine Stones and looking at the map, I’m guessing the original track from The Nine Stones followed the valley floor, went past this stone and then crossed the A35 and headed down and round to the Valley of Stones. Its on arable land so visits in the summer may be unsuccessful.

The stone reminds me of some of the shapes at Avebury, but unlike them it stands alone, overlooked by various barrows but seemingly rarely visited. I picked my way carefully across the field to inspect it closely and was amazed at the openness of the valley from the stone.

[visited 27/12/02] My first visible bank barrow and what a brute. Its like someone had finished the mound at West Kennet and then added another half length again. The barrow sprawls over the crest of the hill it dominates. The ditches on either side are clearly visible as is the strange gap about a third of the way along its length, about 5 metres across.

The views to the south are special, Abbotsbury Castle and the hill on which Kingston Russell circle resides are prominent. A short walk to the north side of the bank barrow hill and The Helstone is visible in the valley beyond the A35.

Unclassified road between Birchover and Stanton in Peak.
From Birchover head north on an unclassified road to Stanton in Peak, a little ways north of the entrance to the the quarry, there are two laybys; the first on the right, the next on the left. Park up in either.
To your left is the Andle Stone, a large natural alter stone on a mound surrounded by a retaining drystone wall in the middle of a field. It is large and cannot be missed.
Maintained by English Heritage and Peak National Park Authority, Doll Tor may be, but there are no public rights of way marked on the OS Land Ranger, so...
Over the padlocked gate and head toward the Andle Stone, keep it on your right and walk past it.
When you reach the field boundary (drystone wall), head for the gateway (infront and to your right) which leads into the field beyond.
If you stand at the gateway, there should be a coppice directly to your left, a field infront and beyond that (to the left) a metal fivebar gate which gives access to another coppice of fir trees.
Head for this gate (again locked). Beyond it is a trackway, the fir trees are to its left and a drystone wall to its right.
Follow the trackway a 100m or so, keeping look out ahead for the white/reflective English Heritage information board (about the size of a tea tray, set at an angle, a couple of feet off of the ground).
My impressions of Doll Tor is that it is pretty cute, which I am aware is inappropriate. At a guess you could fit a kingsize double bed into the circle, or that the circle might just fit in a single car garage. It is tiny.
To the eastern end was added a rectangular-ish cairn, which it is possible to make out and understand from what is left at the site.
One stone is double the length to its height. All the stones are low in height.
There are many surrounding stones (there are in the whole area, perhaps that’s why it’s wooded?)
Well worth a visit if the nearby Nine Ladies stone circle is busy, secluded and peaceful.
CAUTIONARY NOTE (from ‘Rock around the Peak’, V and P Morgan)...be aware of a hidden deep quarry within twenty metres (to the south-west) of the circle.

[visited 27/11/02] Ideally get to this site via the Dog kennels next door as a public footpath goes through there apparently. Though a notice on their wall implied the footpath will be moving soon. Alternatively park in the next farm track a field past the barrows and work your way back, climbing over the fence of your choice.

I was amazed at the number and variation of the barrows here, not to mention the huge size of one of them. Another thing I noticed were strange parallel lines or track-ways leading up to the barrows and between them. Probably just plough marks but interesting nevertheless.

[visited 27/11/02] This is half buried on the verge of the A35, just past the AA layby (park here). I’m starting to hate this road. Nine Stones, Poor lot, Broad stone, Helstone, Long Bredy, Chilcombe and multiple barrows are affected by its continual roar.

The Broadstone lies about 5cm below the current verge level, the earth encroaching in from all sides. I cleared some mud off its surface and discovered another 1 ½ foot of its breadth. This is a stone in serious danger of disappearing completely.

Another stone lies in the field next to the AA layby and a third was seen by John Aubrey in 1687.