Latest Links

Interesting look at how Blacksmiths are viewed as devilish in folklore and culture. Much text about the Vulcan!

some nice photos

official Icknield Way web site (encompasess the Rudge)

Text and images.

Get your paps out for the landscape!

Pusey Horn and Cherbury Camp Legend

‘Fighting to preserve the spirit of The Ridgeway‘

Searchable database of monuments and finds in the county.

Brief description and some aerial photographs from the 1930’s.

Aerial photo of Hackpen Hill.

Also see
ashmolean.org/ash/amps/oha/SitePages/childrey.html
‘Various objects, including flint implements, an urn and burnt bones have been found at this site.‘

Excerpt:

‘This is apparently the only archaeological site on Port Meadow recognised prior to 1933; it is marked on the map as Round Hill. It consists of a low irregular mound, 1? ft. high and 115 ft. in diameter, somewhat disturbed on the E. side. Round it is a circular ditch, which shows on the ground on the S. side only; the complete circle has been proved by probing. Placed on the W. edge of this mound, and overlapping the ditch, is a second, smaller mound, some 45 ft. in diameter, with steep sides rising to a height of 4 ft. above the surface of the Meadow. At the top is a small crater, traces of a previous opening about which nothing is known.‘

There are some diagrams as well.

A Neolithic Oval Barrow is mentioned in the text, as well as significant bronze age remains. Site was investigated in 1933.

This area is an MOD live range.
The pdf is produced by Defence Estates and contains details of access days in the danger areas plus a freephone access answer machine detailing the firing program 7 days in advance.
mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/0172A69E-2D99-4DA9-BB70-E25C86B441D8/0/Warcop301106.pdf
If you can’t download the pdf, the number is 0800 7835181

Courtesy of Oxford University, a book containing lots of earlyish discussion on the horse. It includes
‘A letter to Dr. Mead concerning some antiquities in Berkshire’ by Francis Wise (1738)
and A refutation of said letter, called ‘The Impertinence and Imposture of Modern Antiquaries Displayed’.

image of Christopher Castle’s painting of the circle

View on prehistoric metallurgy and Wayland

search down the web page and you will find:

Gallows Barrow – Figheldean, near Amesbury.
Early Bronze age oval barrow about 2400 BC.

and some information

Text by prof. David Hinton about another prof. who goes by the name of J R R Tolkein, and his travels to Wayland Smithy (and WHH and other places in the vicinity).

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Randal Graves: All right, look, there’s only one “Return,” okay, and it ain’t “of the King,” it’s “of the Jedi.”

Distant view from the road ramparts and lynchets looking across to the Iron Age Hillfort.

“Diary of a Dean. Being an account of the examination of Silbury Hill, and of Various Barrows and other earthworks on the downs of North Wilts, opened and investigated in the months of July and August 1849. With Illustrations.”

How excellent that John Merewether’s book should now be available to read online, and especially at this time when the new excavations are going ahead.

The latter part of the book contains loads of information, if you can pin down the locations he’s talking about. But it might upset people of a delicate constitution as it is basically ‘speed-barrowing’, as seemed to be the fashion of the time.