Nothing to do with the “Norsemen” but called originally “Naesan Byrg” i.e. “Fort at the ness” later nose, later norse. Placed on the W. end of the ridge between the valleys of the Dever and the Cranbourne. (Coates 1989)
Latest Folklore
August 4, 2003
From The Old Stones of Rollright and District by Paul Bennett & Tom Wilson (and gratuitously recopied from ‘Megalithic Mysteries’)
“It is said that the Goose stones are petrified Geese turned into stone for grazing Chastleton Common illicitly. Their owner or guardian, an old lady, used to drive them down Grey Goose Lane to graze. Despite being warned about this she continued the practice and the stones are all that are left of her geese. What happened to her is unknown; the stones however have been dragged away to adorn a local landowners garden.
All that remains are a few loose oolites scattered across the common, and a possible monolith. The location commands a good view of the valley to the north west of the site and is located close to Adlestrop hill site of several now overgrown and abused long barrows. ”
The name of the cairn, Uaigh an t-Seanalair – the General’s Grave – is supposed to refer either to Pontius Pilate or his father. There is a legend in Fortingall that Pontius Pilate was born here to a local mother and a Roman father.
August 2, 2003
This stone is reputed to have once been a robber who stole a herd of pigs from Saint Illtyd. His companion was turned into the nearby Mountain Centre 2 standing stone.
This stone is reputed to have once been a robber who stole a herd of pigs from Saint Illtyd. His companion was turned into the nearby Mountain Centre 1 standing stone.
August 1, 2003
Carn na Marbh, or the Mound of the Dead, was used in 14th century for burying victims of the plague away from the church graveyard. But it may actually be a re-used barrow, as legend has it that it was the focal point of the Samhain festival. A great fire was lit on top of it each year, and the locals would dance around the mound. The Samhain celebrations here apparently came to an end in 1924, because the local gamekeeper was unhappy with people collecting wood from the surrounding hills for the fire!
July 30, 2003
There are information boards spaced out around the loch, and one is opposite the crannog on the S shore. I forget the name of the clan it talks about, but presumably it was the Robertsons of Struan. Apparently, if they were being chased by their enemies, they would head for the shore of Loch Rannoch, and run out to Eilean nam Faoileag on the submerged sand bank. Anyone trying to follow them, not knowing where the curved causeway was, would inevitably perish.
July 25, 2003
During the English Civil War, on the 19th of October, 1642AD, King Charles I stood on this round barrow to address his local recruits, hence The King`s Standing.
July 24, 2003
I’m sure that the last successful Highland Charge took place at the Battle of Falkirk in 1746 and not at Killiecrankie.
July 22, 2003
It’s said that when the horse hears the church clock in Bratton strike midnight, it goes down to the nearby Bridewell (’Briddle’) springs to have a nice long drink (these are at ST 892518, according to Katherine M Jordan in her ‘Haunted Landscape’ book).
But maybe Bratton’s church doesn’t have a clock.
The Samhain festival was celebrated at Fortingall right up until 1924, when it was apparently stopped by the local keeper – the building of the bonfire each year was taking away the cover in the surrounding area for the game!
July 11, 2003
The devouring Bisterne Dragon is said to have had a lair on Burley Beacon (which is a few hundred metres to the east of the barrow)
July 1, 2003
Kate McNieven is supposedly the witch who gave her name to the stone, although there are some doubts about her existence. Tradition has it that the Craig is where she was burned (for turning herself into a bee and buzzing around the head of Graham, laird of Inchbrakie). She is supposed to have been one of the last witches burned in Scotland, but one account has her being burned as early as 1563, while another says that she was burned in St Andrews.
Whilst reading ‘The Holy Wells of Somerset’ (D E Horne 1923), I spotted one called ‘St Sativola’s Well’ or St Sidwell, close to the barrow.
The field in which the barrow lies is Barrow Sidwells – a never failing spring is to be found within a stone’s throw westward of the tumulus. ‘Within living memory Stoke Courcy women used to bring their children to this well to be washed, if suffering fom any ailment of skin or eyes, and this healing reputation is still well known, even if the water is less sought after.‘
Saint Sidwell was martyred near Exeter in the 6th century. Apparently she’d come into some inherited land, and her evil stepmother wanted it. The latter bribed two harvesters to bump the poor girl off. As Ms-soon-to-be-St Sidwell knelt in prayer in the field, they sneaked up and decapitated her with a scythe. Where her head fell, a spring instantly sprung up. You can see her in Exeter Cathedral’s east window. (story in Reader’s Digest ‘Folklore Myths and Legends of Britain).
June 28, 2003
Rev. George Fraser, writing in the First Statistical Account (1791-1799):
“There are many circles of stones, supposed to be Druidical temples.”
In the Second Statistical Account (1845), the Rev. J W Thomson wrote:
“In the department of antiquities, few parishes, it is believed, are more barren than Moneydie....One or two circles of stones also may still be seen, which are not unlikely to have been places of Druidical worship.”
June 22, 2003
The Knights Templar no longer own the Chapel at Dull, and the (one of many) replica Stone of Destiny has, I believe, been removed to the Aberdeen area. A dig has been taking place there this past week, and as well as many human remains, two cross slabs have been found. One is probably a monk’s grave marker, being inscribed with a simple cross. The other has been dated to the 8th century, and is reasonably intricately carved, showing an Irish influence. A mediaval arrowhead, and a silver groat from the reign of Robert III (1390-1406) and minted at Dumbarton, were also found.
Documentary sources indicate that there was an early monastic settlement here, possibly founded by St Adamnan (Columba’s biographer) who lived 624 to 704 c.e. John of Fordun (1320-1384) suggests that the monks of Dull founded a college, later transferred to St Andrews, and the forerunner of the University there.
The cross mentioned in a previous post was one of four sanctuary crosses. Two others are in the old church at Weem, just down the road. The fourth is now lost.
June 17, 2003
A variation on Rhiannon’s tale taken from Janet & Colin Bord’s “The Mysterious Country”
“A man who used oxen to move the stone to get at it’s treasure was unsuccessful: the chains snapped, the oxen collapsed and the ‘guardian-spirit of the treasure’ in the form of a drake flew from under the stone, which fell back into place. This happened in 1832, according to one account. The stone was eventually buried in a hole dug beside it, because it interfered with ploughing; and in 1913 it was relocated, hauled up (in two pieces, because it had broken), and redeposited near the churchyard gate. Two drakes regularly seen sheltering beneath the stone gave it it’s name.”
June 12, 2003
My post-visit research at the NMRW came up with the following about this site’s demise in 1844:
The Rev. T.G. Mortimore remonstrated with the destroyer [of the stone], and with the view of inducing him to desist reminded him of the old saying that ill-luck befell those who destroyed the Druid’s altars. Some years afterwards the vandal admitted that the house he had built of the stones had not brought him good luck!
At least we got some good folklore out of this site.
June 10, 2003
The Kings stone at Denmarkfield is said to mark the burial of a Danish king. The story goes that a Viking raiding party were marching to attack Dunkeld, in the dark one of them shouted out as he stepped on a thistle and gave away their presence to the local Picts who gathered together and defeated them.
This, it is claimed is how the thistle became the national emblem of Scotland.
Steve du Cane
Dull is an important early christian site, in the church yard are three very early graves, there is also a stone cross in the village.
The old church houses a stone claimed by the nights templars to be the true stone of destiny!. The templars actually own the church.
Update, I was at an archaeological dig in the church summer 04 and discovered that The templars had sold the place, the new owner said She was renovating the place for a wedding !!!.
Dull is said to have been a early base of christian learning, it was founded by monks who were taking the body of one of Columba’s deciples back to Iona, the body fell to the ground at what is now Dull, this was considered God’s will and that was the foundation of Dull.
Steve du Cane
Dundurn also has a holy well dedicated to St Fillan and a rock called Fillan’s seat. In days gone bye, people would slide down Dundurn on their back- sides in the hope of getting cured of their ailments.
Very near to Dundurn is an ancient church surrounded by a circular wall, in the grave yard an ancient stone contains coin offerings. There is also a cross marked slab.
Steve du Cane
June 9, 2003
According to an extract I found in the RCAHMW records, the stone is named after a local robber:
It is known as ‘Bedd Morris’, which Morris, or Morus, was a notorious robber, who lived among the rocks on the summit of the hill commanding this pass; and which is the old, and once the only, road to Newport.
This record was written in 1875, and the bad punctuation is all original. Incidentally, the spelling ‘Morus’ is the Welsh way of spelling ‘Morris’ and both words are pronounced in exactly the same way. Apparently back in the nineteenth century the records were taken by members of the clergy, who dabbled in antiquarianism as a gentleman’s pastime, and their efforts were only sometimes checked by the professionals. I’m afraid I don’t know the author of the above.
June 4, 2003
One story about the Wrekin and its smaller neighbour the Ercall is pretty much identical to that told about Cley Hill and little Cley Hill.
And the story involving giants also has its details: the Needle’s Eye is said to be where one of them split the rock with his spade during an argument with his friend. The eye has a story connected with it – if you pass through it you’ll see your true love.
The other giant’s pet raven leapt up and pecked at the first giant’s eyes – the tears formed Raven’s Bowl, a pool that is always full of water. The giant was imprisoned inside the Ercall – if you go up there at night you can hear him groaning.
(I have heard the Needle’s Eye story firsthand locally, and the latter tales are mentioned in the Bords’s Atlas of Magical Britain).
June 2, 2003
It was once believed that the Watchstone would come alive at midnight every New Year’s Eve and drink from the loch next to which it stands.
This tale of course stems from the time when folk believed that standing stones were petrified giants. I’m not sure how widely believed it is nowadays lol!
May 27, 2003
Someone’s pan-icky experiences at Danebury recounted at the Fortean Times website: