Latest Fieldnotes

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.

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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.

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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).

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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.

[visited 24/12/02] This is a wonderfully located Cairn Circle on a hilltop not far from the sea. A really peaceful place to while away a couple of hours in quiet contemplation. It is apparently the remains of a chambered round barrow and is a jagged looking circle in a small bank. Wellies are advisable if its been raining as mud rules for most of the walk to the site.

On the way there you walk past a disused quarry with some very interesting looking large rocks lying in front of it. Quarry debris, field clearance or the remains of another monument? you decide :)

[visited 24/12/02] Originally a Logan stone, this is a large natural rock outcrop that is impossible to miss. I came here after a long day out and it really is a delight. I for one wouldn?t have rocked it, as when you stand underneath it now it towers up as if it might fall at any moment.

The Puckstone is visible as a mound to the North and the large mound very close by to the west is artificial.

[visited 24/12/02] Apparently there is a standing stone on top of the possibly natural mound. I located a couple of possibles amongst the bracken, but I may have missed the actual Puckstone due to the bracken. The Agglestone is very obvious to the South.

[Visited 24/12/02] Finally after hearing about 3 destroyed or re-arranged stone rows in Dorset, I got to visit one still in its original setting and (I presume) intact. Its situated in marsh land and surprisingly hard to find.

The stones are smaller than any of the stones used in the existing Dorset circles, the tallest being 2ft high and presumably the shortest being buried under the marsh. They are of a comparable size to some of Hampton Down circle’s stones, which is itself thought to be made from the remains of at least one stone row.

Using Peter Knight’s Ancient stones as a guide, I found 4 of the 6 stones in the arrangement; 1,2,3 & 6. Stone’s 2 & 6 have OS marks on them. Stone 2 is probably the easiest to find, at around SZ025853; head northwest away from the road along the path to Redhorn Quay (marked on OS map) and the stone is off to the right. Having found this stone (good luck), move about another 100 metres to the Northwest and locate The Fishing Barrow to the south east. Its a clump of trees near the center of the dip in the hills, visible against the sky. The main row goes in a line towards that barrow from Stone 2, unfortunately its no longer visible from Stone 2 itself so you’ll have to extrapolate.

Two other stones are stone 6 on the other side of the road on the edge of the high ground to the south east, the other end of the row pointing to the Fishing barrow from 2. Also stone 1 is to be found about 1 ft high further along the path to Redhorn Quay from stone 2, slightly further away from the path.

[visited 24/12/02] This is a weirdly shaped standing stone in the middle of a valley in the middle of purbeck. A word of caution, wear wellies to get to this site as in winter the path from the nearest carpark (just to the south), is very very muddy. To get to the stone, park in the car park, walk north along the road to the footpath and set off down the hill. Go through the exceedingly muddy, steep path to the field at the bottom and head east. The harpstone is on the other side of the field past the three trees.

I really enjoyed visiting this site and look back to coming here in summer with a picnic. The stone is unfortunately the other side of a barbed wire fence, which is bypassable but only with care. Its a very strange shape (hence the name) and has what seemed to be its broken off tip resting against its base.

This site is is one of Dorset’s finest Megalithic monuments and well worth a visit.

Visited 29th December 2002: We made the long slog up to West Kennet this afternoon, despite the muddy river that used to be a footpath. The National Trust have put a sign up at the car park warning people about the state of the path and suggesting that appropriate footwear should be worn. I’m guessing that high heeled boots aren’t recommended, but I saw someone struggle to the top despite wearing a chunky pair (all power to them).

When we entered the barrow, and moved down to the chamber at the end I was mightily pissed off to find a plastic tarpaulin on the floor, covered in mud and spent tea lights. The wall of the chamber was also littered with tea lights, and the accompanying soot and wax. There were a couple of biodegradable offerings in the chamber as well, but they both had poisonous berries on them, and I had to keep asking William not to pick them up (or to put them down, depending on how far he’d got). Unfortunately we couldn’t do much clearing up (with the prospect of getting the two boys back down the mud slide to the car). It made me sad to see the place looking like that.

What’s the story with this sort of behaviour? Are the people who do this really Pagans? If they are, how the hell do they justify causing so much damage to a place that is sacred and/or of unique archaeological importance? How stupid can you be? It gives a bad name to the majority of people who use the site for spiritual purposes without leaving it in a mess.

Despite all this, I’m glad we took the boys to see West Kennett. Next time, we take bin bags!

Originally heading to Boscawen un circle, the weather changed to heavy rain so I opted to come to the well, wonderful place, very powerful and evocative, less the garbage which is strewn across the poor hawthorn tree!, still though I sat within the well, trance comes easy here..

The well itself flooded due to the recent heavy rains, and the surrounding area rather muddy, but neverless a beautiful place..I stayed for a couple of hours...it got dark and the well came alive!, as does the rest of Penwith!!..

I gave healing to the poor tree..after I had removed “all” the rubbish from its branches!...again it could breathe easy!..