Latest Fieldnotes

....if you can afford time from your busy schedule,
Park in the RSPB car park on the left then cross the road to a stile signed to the Hut Circles.
There is plenty to look at in the main settlement but a wonder up the dirt track brings you to the huts in the image above, once seen from the right of the track there’s a bit of a tricky climb down to them via a barely visable (and at the the time) overgrown footpath.

I always approach Eyam Moor III from the Leam side of the Moor. There is a space on the verge, near Leam & the footpath that takes you up onto the moor. (SK232794). When you reach the drystone wall, look left, the circle is near the corner of the wall 200m away.
The 4 upright stones are covered with bilberry and there are a further 2 laying in the heather. In the centre is a ruined oval cairn, with a large trench cut into it.

On my first journey here the farmer was totally ignorant of this chamber in his back garden pointing us down the road instead.

ATTENTION: The gridposition -and therefore the map too- is not correct and should have read: NU01353541, the main grid for various rock art locations along of what is left of the ridge in and outside the plantation.
The site lies 1 km NNE of Wrangham Farm, N of Doddington Moor and is accesible off the minor road that links the Devil’s Causeway with the A611. Ask farmer David Grey of Wrangham Farm for permission to walk his land.

3rd February 2003

We had quite a time trying to find this stone, mainly because we were looking for a “Standing” Stone – and this is a very “Horizontal” Stone, the snow on the ground and blowing in to our faces didn’t help either and stopped us taking photos.

The stone lays in a meadow close to the River Clun (it’s quite close to the road but there is no public access). It is about 3Metres long and 1.5 – 2 Metres wide (difficult to tell the other dimension as most of the it is below ground) sadly it is broken in to a number of peices, it’s still impressive though – very large for this area.

The longbarrow is around 35m in length and is situated in a field to the east of Minninglow. The actual barrow is rather unimpressive and it struggles to get noticed above the long grass.
As with Minninglow it lies on private land.

The road from Ystumtuen to Bwa-Drain farm is gated, so by car it’s easier to approach from the north. Don’t be put off by the sign saying the road is private. I’ve checked with Ceredigion County Council, and this isn’t the case. You can park near the farm, although there’s not much space (make sure you leave enough room for farm traffic to get through).

The footpath that runs past the hillfort starts just to the west of the farm. You cross a strange little wooden bridge over the stream before going through a gate and along the edge of the field. At the corner of the field you’re supposed to stay to the north of the trees and keep to the west of the ruined farm house (called Pen-castell), but it’s well worth taking a peek at the ruin. It’s only a Nineteenth Century building, but its state of decay is fascinating (obviously, don’t go inside). After this you pass over a stile and you’re in the same field as the fort. The footpath goes to the east of the fort, so at this stage you have to deviate from it. You can’t miss the earthen banks of the fort, and there’s a gap in the defences orientated in your direction.

The views from the fort are spectacular, especially looking west down the Rheidol valley. You can see the sea, and Aberystwyth, without much difficulty. You can also make out Pendinas with the chimney-like monument on top of it. Look out for steam trains in the valley below you in the summer.

I have walked around this area for about 6 years and must have passed within 200 metres of this stone over 100 times but it wasn’t until just before the winter solstice that I saw it. It was on a gloriously bright sunday afternoon, I was sitting on the top of a hill testing out my new pair of binoculars when I saw something glinting in the sun which looked like the top of a stone, I had to check it out and when I did I was stunned – I’d found a standing stone. I’ve no idea of its age but the stone doesn’t appear to be of a local type, it’s pretty heavily weathered and looks like it’s been there for a long while.

The pictures say it all really, it stands in an amazing position with views of many other sites, and it’s 2.5 – 3 Metres tall and is around 350 – 450mm square at the base.

[visited about 29/1/03] Mud mud glorious mud. I foolishly thought that a London park would be non-muddy in January and my trainers paid for it here. This is a large tree covered mound with a kinda obvious ditch around the outside. As has been said it was once used as a tea-house and I found some pretty remains of a plate at the top.
The views from here are hidden slightly by the college nearby, but I was able to see the London Eye, about 10 miles to the North which was nice. I imagine the views when the mound was built were to the horizon in all directions, or at least to the hills in the distance to the south and west, which are 15 odd miles away. Oh and it looks damn like a classic round barrow to me!

And finally, I picked up a carrier bags worth of rubbish from this and could have had 2 or 3 more. Someone needs to teach the local kids to take their Hooch bottles away with them...

[visited 4/2/03] This being the closest ‘standing stone’ to my house, I thought I’d better go give it a look. It sits on top of a modern (well 19th century I think) stone plinth, surrounded by attractive blue railings. Very easy to find, sitting in the grounds of Kingston Guildhall, ignored by all who walk past. The stone itself is fairly large (compared to The London Stone) and could well have been part of a circle or more likely have been a markstone.
I presume it originally had a similar function to the now disapeared stone at the top of Brixton Hill, which was the meeting place of the local Hundred.
Quite a nice little visit if you are in the area though as per with London sites, not really worth travelling for. (I can imagine the cries from peeved family members, “You came all that way to see this???“)

A Perfect View

Just once,
I saw a view that was truly perfect.
Indescribably so.
And yet,
Amidst that choking beauty, I was sad,
For there are no words for me to tell of it.
And yet,
So what! Just go and look on top of Cherhill Down!

The book states that this is in the middle of a housing estate, and so it proved to be. There were a couple of burnt out motor vehicles and so much urban rubbish that archeaologists of the future will truly have a ‘field day’ here...

The source of the Lea is trapped in a concrete and steelwork cage, as mentioned by Julian. It’s very difficult to make out the layout of the bank itself from the lea-side. The course of the bank is more obvious from the road, but looks just like the soundproofing embankments so loved of modern planners. The only difference between the bank and its modern equivalent is that there are no houses behind it.

Wind. Lots of it. The Downs in February are cold. The gliders were out in force, swooping overhead like circling hawks. The wind was biting, taking my breath away, yet standing among the barrows, all seemed quiet.

Magnificent views to the north, and to the west is a slightly higher ridge. If the landscape were unchanged, I can’t help feeling that the higher ridge would have provided a better site/sight for the barrows, being in view of Ivinghoe Beacon across the valley.

Despite the signs exhorting no damage, the barrows all look as though bikers have been using them for jumps, each barrow having a track right across its top.

This is one of those sites you know you shouldn’t miss, its just a pure joy to be here.
Merlin would have definately stopped by here for tea though I doubt he would have been impressed by modern building techniques.

The site itself is a gem, even with the neighbours and without the stones. Being so close to the village and essentially the church my mind wonders over the history of this place and climbing up on the bank behind the site gives views to hills beyond which makes the neighbouring plots seem (a little) less invading.

Whilst driving towards Luxulyan from Lanivet this huge arse appeared over the hedge. After nearly crashing the car I stopped in a layby and stared in wonder......surely this was a place of worship?

This site has fascinated me for years; it is a bell barrow constructed around 1500bc probably with a central cinerery burial and perhaps side burials of later date. It is very clear on the skyline from Blackrod, but i do not know how prominent it is from the Chorley direction or if it is visible at all. If you know let me know.

This stone lies in fields adjacent to the road into Glen Prosen, by Cortachy. Park at the Scottish Woodlands cottage and follow the track up beside the wood. When you reach the top of the slope, look west and you will see the stone about a quarter of a mile away in the distance. It was an interesting stravaig today, as the snow was fairly deep. Tracks of hare and pheasant were clearly visible in places. There is one fence to negotiate.

The stone stands nearly 6 feet tall, with no discernible markings on it. Veins of quartz are visible.

It would be nice to have more up to date info on this mound as the last research done was in the 50s. If it was a “Roman” burial mound it must have been enormous as the present mound has been “truncated and spread” and is still large. Info at the site mentions that it was built over a previous barrow!
It’s position commands extensive views in all directions and would have been visible for miles. Was it the site of the burial of an impotrant chief as it’s dominant position suggests?
There are few enough prehistoric/Roman structures to be seen in the London area perhaps this is one that has escaped the net.

Disabled: Car park within 100M, Level, mown grass.

12th January 2003

True this isn’t the most interesting site but I believe that there were large stones here once as the surviving stones of similar material to other local standing stones and the pieces also appear to have been broken relatively recently, many of the shards have flat sides.

There is also large recumbent stone in the hedge of the field (to the East) I’ll post a picture soon.

Although this site alone might not warrant a special trip the surrounding area is quite spectacular, with a most impressive Hill Fort – Caer Cradoc clearly visible across the valley.

This setting is about 40 yards from the first, and is pretty overgrown and difficult to make out at first. Two stones are fairly prominent but again, the more northerly is virtually buried. CANMORE carries this group as 3 stones of a four-poster, about 4m in diameter, and states that an ‘urn’ was found buried here in the 19th century.

Three small stones forming a rough triangle. Two stand about 2 feet proud of the ground, the most northerly is almost buried. Forestry work has been going on around them, and they are partially covered by felled trees. They stand in a little clearing, and once the lumber has been cleared away they will be a bit more obvious.According to CANMORE they are three stones of a four-poster, about 3.5m in diameter.

I’m not sure if this may have been part of the original circle or not. It’s not too distant from the standing stone, and in the same alignment along the ridge. It’s pretty heavily scarred by ploughs, so may have been buried at some point. Hard to tell, I’ll leave others to make their minds up about this one!

This stone stands around 4’6” in height, with the broad faces aligned NW/SE. There are no significant markings to be seen on it.

This is an interesting little group of sites. There is a single standing stone at the top of a ridge, just beside a small wood and near a trig point – easiest way to find the group is to head up the side of the wood to the trig point. The stone is just a few metres away. Just to the SW of the standing stone is a large recumbent stone, heavily scored by ploughs. Whether this is part of the original circle I’m not sure, but have included it for completeness! Entering the wood to the north east, about 40 yards in is a small group of three stones. Another 40 yards on in the same direction is yet another group of three. Forestry work and natural growth obscure both of the small groups, but it was fairly peacefull there when I visited today, despite the fact that standing out on the ridge I was face-on to a 40+ knot northerly wind, which changed into a blizzard as I descended the ridge!