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The National Trust says it has saved the site of one of the first battles known about on British soil which was under threat because of rabbits.

The site of the battle of Crickley Hill, near Gloucester, which took place more than 5,000 years ago between rival tribes, was in danger of being destroyed through erosion caused, largely, by rabbits.

The National Trust put up fences to stop erosion and back filled rabbit warrens to preserve the iron age hillfort.

Archaeologists said a major battle took place there in around 3,600BC, and the site was placed on the Heritage At Risk register until this year.

westerndailypress.co.uk/Britain-s-oldest-battle-site-saved-destruction/story-23668110-detail/story.html

avalonmarshes.org/news?slug=launch-that-canoe-

In the past the reed swamp, bogs and mires of the Avalon Marshes were difficult to cross! Neolithic man overcame this by constructing trackways. However, in the Iron Age the marshes became far wetter and dugout canoes replaced these trackways.

Working under the guidance of Richard Brunning of the South West Heritage Trusts’ Hands on Heritage volunteers have recently completed two sections of replica trackway.

Today saw the literal launch of their next project having completed the construction of a dugout canoe. The canoe was launched at Natural England’s Shapwick Heath National Nature Reserve and the volunteers paddled it through the open water between tall reeds as people would have done all those years ago.

The canoe was carved out of a single Beech tree donated by the Forestry Commission. The tree came from the Blackdown Hills near Castle Neroche. Whilst it was not moved across Somerset by manual labour it was hard manual work that carved the canoe from the tree! Replica Iron Age tools and the sheer hard graft of the volunteers were the key to success.

The volunteers are based at the Avalon Marshes Centre and meet up each Wednesday, come rain or shine, grafting away to replicate the techniques used in past times. The Hands on Heritage project is run by the South West Heritage Trust and is part of the Heritage Lottery funded Avalon Marshes Landscape Partnership.

THE DUGOUT CANOES

During the three years of the Avalon Marshes Partnership, we aim to construct a different dugout canoe each year, based on archaeological examples from different periods in prehistory.

The first one is an oak example based on later prehistoric vessels. This will be similar to the Shapwick canoe now on display at the Museum of Somerset.
somerset.gov.uk/museumofsomerset

It is currently under-construction by our Hands on Heritage volunteers, who are using tools familiar and fitting to those used in the Iron Age.

Keep an eye on our blog to stay up to date with our progress:

IN SEARCH OF TIMBER…
avalonarchaeology.wordpress.com/2013/05/09/in-search-of-timber/
PADDLING THROUGH PREHISTORY PT. 1…
avalonarchaeology.wordpress.com/2013/06/07/paddling-through-prehistory-pt-1/
PADDLING THROUGH PREHISTORY P. 2…
avalonarchaeology.wordpress.com/2014/03/04/paddling-through-prehistory-pt-2/

ttp://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/latestheadlines/11557066.Fears_over_Westbury_waste_centre___s_chimney/?ref=rss

First published Friday 24 October 2014 in Latest News by Katie Smith

Questions have been raised over a multi-million pound renewable energy centre which could be built in Westbury.

Councillors attending the highways, planning and development committee meeting on Monday raised factors that will be considered in a consultation requested by Hills Group Ltd, which is behind the project.

The meeting was chaired by Russell Hawker, Wiltshire councillor for Westbury West, who said councillors were still absorbing details of the plans released last week.

Northacre Renewable Energy Limited, part of the Hills Group, wants to build the centre on a 6.6-acre plot between Hills Waste Solutions’ Northacre Resource Recovery Centre and Arla Foods Westbury Dairies.

It will be sited in three buildings up to 20 metres high, but Hills is yet to release figures on the height of the chimney.

Cllr Hawker said: “The height of the chimney needs to cater for the possibility that we could get plume grounding towards the top of the hill running up by Newtown and Studland Park.

“It is something that definitely needs to be examined.

“We would expect the height to be at least higher than the top of the houses [on the hill by Newtown and Studland Park] which means higher than Lafarge.

“This is potentially an enormous chimney.”

The centre will use a process called gasification, which heats converted waste, processed at the existing Northacre Resource Recovery Centre, up to 1,400 degrees centigrade and converts it to gas to drive a turbine.

The second point raised at the meeting was what the exact chemical composition of the emissions would be.

“Technology is much better now,” said Cllr Hawker. “It’s bound to be more filtered than before but we still want to know what is coming out.”

The final key point raised was lorry movement and which routes the lorries would be taking to the proposed centre.

Cllr Hawker added: “I am in no doubt there will be a number of objections to this in due course.”

Cherhill is a village in North Wiltshire and lies nestled beneath the Cherhill Down, well known for its White Horse and views of the Lansdowne Monument. This landscape is of national significance as recognised by its designation as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

Plans are afoot to build a village hall with large car park on the field at the end of Park Lane, Cherhill on the corner of the A4. This is a green field and lies directly opposite the Cherhill Down and White Horse (the photo shown is taken from this field). The field is outside of the village boundary and Park Lane is a Conservation area.

Please sign this petition to stop any development on this field, whether the use is for community or housing. To build here would change the landscape of this area, affecting the Conservation area within Cherhill, the scenery from the A4 and visual approach into the village, as well as being highly visible from the Cherhill Down. The additional noise, traffic, artificial lighting and disruption will detract from the natural beauty of this area and present road traffic safety issues.

change.org/p/wiltshire-council-stop-any-development-on-park-lane-field-in-cherhill

facebook.com/savecherhillfield

A remarkable new Stone Avenue has been located at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Avebury in Wiltshire.

the-stonehenge-enigma.info/2015/03/breaking-news-new-stone-avenue.html

Follow up to news story from October.

“A Stone age knife, a Bronze age arrow head and a Roman nail are just some of the surprises uncovered by a new archaeological dig in Devon.

The idyllic fields around Spriddlestone, near Plymstock, were first identified as a potential area of historical interest by amateur archaeologist Howard Jones.

But what began as an armchair project to find a prehistoric settlement – with Google Maps as his only tool – has now progressed into a two-week on-site exploratory dig.”

Read more: westernmorningnews.co.uk/Devon-archaeological-dig-reveals-exciting/story-26142640-detail/story.html#ixzz3U0yoxIcB

Archeologists are probing a Neolithic henge in the middle of Aghagallon which they believe dates back more than 4,500 years. It the reason why Aghagallon has its name and now the Standing Stone is to be given its proper place in history.

Aghagallon, translated from Gaelic means Field of the Standing Stone, and it was just a few years ago that its true significance was uncovered when they discovered the giant ringed site.

For many years it was unclear where this standing stone might be, however when the local community association made plans to extend its building on the Aghalee Road, it was discovered that they were right beside the standing stone.

The ringed site which is in the townland of Derrynaseer was designated as a scheduled historic monument in 2003.

It is formed by a large earthen bank which encloses a domed area some 180m in diameter and is clearly visible on Google Earth.
read on.....

lurganmail.co.uk/news/local-news/huge-ringed-fort-is-thought-to-date-back-4-500-years-to-neolithic-times-and-is-one-of-only-eight-left-in-northern-ireland-1-6601818

A rare sample of megalithic engraving or “rock-scribing” has been found on an ancient pilgrimage route to Croagh Patrick in Co Mayo.

The prehistoric ornamentation resembles that found in Lough Crew, Co Meath, and is one of just of two rock art samples of its type to be identified west of the Shannon, according to archaeologist Michael Gibbons.

The panel had been concealed behind the outcropping at the Boheh townland known as St Patrick’s chair, which has some 250 petroglyphs or carvings on its surface. The carvings are believed to have been inspired by the “rolling sun” phenomenon, where the setting sun appears to glide down the flank of Croagh Patrick during the months of April and August.

More: irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/megalithic-rock-scribing-found-near-croagh-patrick-1.2119328

The 5,000 yr old skeleton found on the Little Orme by quarrymen 123 yrs ago finally comes home to Llandudno and will be the centre of a major exhibition in April.

dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/blodwen-skeleton-returns-north-wales-8655319

bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-31447148

A spooky weather effect, which in the past was thought to be a supernatural creature, has been photographed in Glen Coe. But what is the story behind it?

The myth describes him as a Scottish Big Foot, said to loom large in shifting grey cloud on the UK’s second highest mountain.

The Big Grey Man of Ben Macdui first came to prominence in the 1920s during a dinner speech at an annual gathering of the Cairngorm Club in Aberdeen. etc .

Archaeologists have been excavating the site of a child’s grave on an Orkney island.

The grave – which it is believed could be up to 4,000 years old – was uncovered on Sanday’s shoreline by winter storms and high tides.

It is thought the skeleton could be that of a child aged between 10 and 12.

The find was made by Carrie Brown, of See Orkney tours, who called in local archaeologists.

Historic Scotland was alerted, and experts were sent to Sanday on Saturday.

The skeleton will be analysed by an osteoarchaeology team in more suitable climatic conditions.

The remains were found on 3 February.

bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-31313519

The Malvern Hills Conservators, the charity which owns and protects the Hills and Commons of Malvern, is meeting this week to discuss proposals for a cable car on the Malvern Hills.

The Shire Ditch, one of four Scheduled Ancient Monuments on the Malvern Hills, lies immediately under the site currently proposed for the terminal, gift shop, café and visitor centre close to the summit of the Worcestershire Beacon:

PRESS RELEASE: Conservators to meet to discuss cable car proposal

The Malvern Hills Conservators, the charity which owns and protects the Hills and Commons of Malvern, is meeting this week to discuss proposals for a cable car on the Hills.

The cable car has been put forward by a group calling itself Malvern for All. The group are currently proposing that the car would operate from land to the south of Rose Bank Gardens – to a point just below the summit of the Worcestershire Beacon. Their current plans include a building close to the top of the Beacon which would house a gift shop, visitor centre, café and toilets. The system would require a base terminal building with coach parking and at least three pylons on the Hills, along with overhead cables. All this building would be on land owned by the Malvern Hills Conservators and so cannot proceed without the consent of the Conservators.

Helen Stace, Chairman of the Board of Conservators, said ‘The Conservators were established by Parliament to preserve the natural beauty of the Hills and keep them free of buildings and encroachment. This development would clearly have a significant impact on this iconic landscape, which would appear to be entirely at odds to the core purpose of our Acts. However, the idea has attracted a lot of interest, in the press, within the local community and from regular visitors to the Hills, so we felt the time was right for the Board to debate and vote on this proposal.’

As well as being protected under the Malvern Hills Acts, the Hills have been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest due to their national importance for wildlife and geology. They form a major part of the Malvern Hills ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’ – a designation intended to give protection to landscapes ‘whose distinctive character and natural beauty are so outstanding that it is in the nation’s interest to protect them’.

A special meeting of the Board will take place at 7.00pm on Thursday 12th February at the Council Chamber, Avenue Road, Malvern. The public are welcome to attend. Public questions for the meeting must be received in writing by the Conservators by noon on Tuesday 10th February.

Special Board meeting February 2015 Agenda

Special Board meeting February 2015 Paper

Special Board meeting February 2015 Appendix 5 (Open Spaces Society Letter)

A bit more exciting than Nessie!

“DRUMNADROCHIT’S earliest-known resident, who lived around 4500 years ago, wore a stone guard on his wrist when using a bow and arrow and favoured geometric designs on his kitchenware.

Following the discovery last month of an early Bronze Age burial cist in the village, archaeologists have found shards of pottery and a wrist guard on the same site.”

Continues here:
inverness-courier.co.uk/News/Bone-bow-and-arrow-wrist-guard-and-pottery-found-with-Bronze-Age-body-in-Drumnadrochit-03022015.htm

A photographic exhibition of the standing stones of Anglesey at Llandudno museum which may be interesting and a good coffee stop when returning from said stones. On until 28 Feb 2015.

visitllandudno.org.uk/events/standing-stones-of-anglesey-at-llandudno-museum-p317641

RETIRED GARDA is likely to have “removed and disturbed human remains” when he damaged a Bronze Age burial mound in County Wicklow, a court has heard.
Tony (also known as Thomas) Hand, aged 69, had denied interfering with the national monument at Carrig, Blessington by taking stones from the protected site on the night of 4 May, 2011.
However following a week-long trial at Bray Circuit Court, he was convicted yesterday of criminal damage to the prehistoric stone circle.

Continued;
thejournal.ie/garda-monument-remains-1911185-Jan2015/?fb_ref=Default

There are two sites of this name, Desmene 1 and 2, so it could be either....

Jacky Nowakowski, the Lead Archaeologist with the Cornwall Archaeological Unit, on the amazing restoration of the Carwynnen Quoit megalith.

The chamber belongs to a class of portal dolmens
“When the three granite uprights and the massive capstone collapsed in the 1960s earth tremor, they created a heap of stones which protected the ground beneath.

During the ensuing 50 years of land clearance, more large stones were heaped up onto the pile. These continued to ensure that the original area of the monument chamber was protected from later damage by ploughing.

The floor of the monument, an intact stone pavement, is made up of a narrow strip of compacted small stones which formed a hard-standing surface arranged in a doughnut-like circuit.

This embraced the central part, made up of slightly larger stones pressed firmly into the soil beneath.

More than 2,000 finds were made in our 2012 test pits and Big Dig trench, covering a wide variety of objects dating to all ages.

The main discovery was the partial survival of a remarkable stone pavement on the footprint of the original Neolithic monument, made up of small stones mainly of granite with some quartz pieces covering an area of approximately 5.5m² under topsoil.......

And there is much more on this community spirited archaeological excavation.....

culture24.org.uk//history-and-heritage/archaeology/art512813-more-than-a-pile-of-stones-the-archaeological-quest%20at-a-burial-chamber-in-neolithic-cornwall

Article by Ben Miller.

Painstaking excavations of one of Tayside’s greatest Iron Age seats of power have been carried on Moncreiffe Hill.

thecourier.co.uk/news/local/perth-kinross/archaeologists-hoping-to-scrape-their-way-to-moncreiffe-hill-s-ancient-secrets-1.554790

An ancient relic that shines a light on Neolithic life has been discovered in a picturesque reserve in Highland Perthshire.

More info :

thecourier.co.uk/news/local/perth-kinross/neolithic-stone-puts-spotlight-on-perthshire-glen-s-ancient-history-1.134366

An early Angus settlement has been recreated after 2,000 years by a Dundee art student.

More info and video :

thecourier.co.uk/news/local/angus-the-mearns/video-student-takes-to-the-skies-to-recreate-ancient-past-of-angus-1.642732

A planning application to provide more parking spaces and resurface the overflow car park at Stonehenge is to go before the local authority.

English Heritage said the work would create about 25 additional coach parking spaces and ensure high volumes of visitors can park in wet weather.

People had complained of inadequate transport facilities at the site when a new £27m visitor centre opened in 2014.

A shuttle bus scheme had proven unable to cope with the influx of visitors.

English Heritage said that over the course of the year it had looked at areas of the visitor experience that “need to be improved” and is now “taking steps to address them”.........

More to be found here: bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-30708526

Roundhouse and settlement show shadows of late Bronze Age and Iron Age communities.

More info :

culture24.org.uk/history-and-heritage/archaeology/art509767-palisaded-settlement-and-iron-age-roundhouse-reveal-story-of-prehistoric-scottish-communities

“Archaeologists working on a site near Stonehenge say they have found an untouched 6,000-year-old encampment which “could rewrite British history”.

David Jacques, from the University of Buckingham, made the discovery at Blick Mead in October, and said the carbon dating results had just been confirmed.

But he also raised concerns about possible damage to the site over plans to build a road tunnel past Stonehenge.

The Department of Transport said it would “consult before any building”.

The Blick Mead site is about 1.5 miles (2.4km) from Stonehenge and archaeologists said “scientifically tested charcoal” dug up from the site had “revealed that it dated from around 4000 BC”. ”

More on the BBC website here...

bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-30540914

A 4,000-year-old skeleton found on farmland in West Sussex was probably a warrior chief who was killed in battle, scientists have revealed.

bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-30478544

An excellent analysis by Kate Fielden(CPRE) in the Ecologist on that fraught subject of the tunnel by Stonehenge.

The government’s plans to tunnel the A303 under the Stonehenge World Heritage Site has one grievous flaw, writes Kate Fielden. The tunnel is too short, so huge portals and graded junctions at both ends would lie entirely within the WHS causing huge damage to landscape and wipe out archaeological remains...

See the article at:

theecologist.org/News/news_analysis/2670978/stonehenge_world_heritage_site_at_risk_from_a303_tunnel_plans.html

Archaeologists in Jersey find solid gold torc hidden in Celtic coin hoard
By Richard Moss

A Celtic coin hoard discovered on Jersey has been offering up its secrets and astounding archaeologists with a series of golden treasure finds.

For the last two weeks, the Jersey Heritage hoard conservation team have been excavating in an area known to contain gold jewellery and late last week, one end of a solid gold torc was uncovered.

The find comes on the back of several finds within the hoard including two other solid gold torcs, one gold plated and one of an unknown alloy, along with a silver brooch and a crushed sheet gold tube. But the latest discovery is considerably larger than anything previously unearthed on the island.

A large, rigid neck ring, archaeologist say the torc has a massive decorative ‘terminal’, which is where it was probably locked closed around the owner’s neck. The terminal is formed from two solid gold wheels, each about 4cm across and 1cm wide.

So far, 10cm of the curved gold collar has been uncovered and it is not yet known how complete it is.

“It’s an incredible time here,” said Neil Mahrer, Jersey Museum Conservator. “Every hour or so we are finding a new gold object.

“We did see some gold jewellery on the surface of the hoard, but since we’ve started looking at this shoe-box sized area, we’ve uncovered a total of six torcs, five of which are gold and one which we believe to be gold-plated. This is the only one that we think is whole, though.”

The extent of the torc’s wholeness will be discovered in the next few weeks as the coins currently hiding it will be painstakingly recorded and removed.

Dr Andrew Fitzpatrick, an Iron Age jewellery expert who has been involved in studying jewellery found in other Jersey hoards has been assisting with the interpretation. He has already identified comparable features in examples found in 2nd century BC hoards at Bergien, Belgium and Niederzier, Germany.

A small stone has also been uncovered, possibly of local granite. Archaeologists say it may be no more than a pebble in the field that fell into the treasure pit during the burial, but, as it is an odd shape and size, its purpose will be investigated.

At the end of the clearing period the torc will be scanned in place to record its position to fractions of a millimetre before being removed, probably along with some of the other jewellery surrounding it.

culture24.org.uk/history-and-heritage/archaeology/art508530-archaeologists-in-jersey-find-solid-gold-torc-hidden-in-celtic-coin-hoard