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September 17, 2025
Hillforts everywhere you look around these parts...
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Looking down upon the horrific National Trust Car Park that I had the misfortune to encounter last year. Motorist TMA-ers are strongly advised to park in town and approach via the golf course.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Looking approx west down into Carding Mill Valley
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Historic England (List Entry Number: 1007695) states the following:
“The monument includes the remains of a bowl barrow situated on the highest point of Bodbury Hill. The barrow is visible as a low, flat topped mound 12m in diameter, of earth and stone construction. The top of the mound is irregular and disturbed, probably as a result of exploration at some time in the past. Although no longer visible at ground level, a ditch, from which material was quarried during the construction of the monument, surrounds the mound. This has become infilled over the years but will survive as a buried feature some 2m wide.”
September 15, 2025
Just as some of the previous commentators have said, I’ve had varied reactions to this stone circle. One time before I didn;t really like it at all, possibly because the sight lines are blocked by trees. This time round visiting with two friends, I quite enjoyed myself. Do wish I’d stood in the middle of the cairn and will have to do that next time.
The split recumbent is a good conversation point, as is the alleged line of cupmarks on a stone, we could only find two. There are three different info boards now, the old one at the entrance saying 312 burials, the new one inside saying 31? I do like the burial cist board with the three ravers, hands in the air and feathers in the hair giving it their all for the DJ.
However, I remain slightly annoyed by the recent gravestone right at the northwest edge of the site, just inside the fallen fence. I’m also a bit annoyed that it irks me, but it’s not cool. There’s a small headstone and two flower pots. “E. Garland 1941-2014” – is it a former akela? I normally don’t like this form of argument but ... what if everyone did this? I wouldn’t mind a plaque on a tree outside the field or ashes being scattered, and yes it does seem to be a site which had a funerary function, but a gravestone right on the edge of the scheduled monument is just disrespectful for me. The lack of prior mention makes me think it hasn’t been there long, although I did see it last year already.
As a final point, there’s a pile of stones in the southern corner of the field which I felt drawn to. When you go stand on them, it might actually be bedrock. If the grass was stripped off and everywhere was bedrock this site would have a very different feel, it would be a lot more brutal.
Visited today, 150925.
September 12, 2025
Britain’s LOST Prehistoric Wonder of the World? – Shap Megalithic Avenue
There was once a monument so large, so incredible, it attracted travellers, archaeologists, and tourists from across the Isles to admire its fragments, several times described as “pyramids”. Paintings of this mysterious monument survive, but what exactly was it? And what can archaeology tell us about its origins? Destroyed in the 18th and 19th centuries – Shap Avenue – was once Britian’s largest megalithic monument, stretching several miles through the landscape. Bigger than Stonehenge and Avebury, should we instead be analysing the importance of SHAP AVENUE.
[note – despite the bombastical promo it’s pretty good]
September 10, 2025
The Oxenham Arms is a very interesting historic building in South Tawton (SX650936) not far from Okehampton. It is claimed the building started life as an early Christian monastery in the twelfth century. It was built around a large standing stone that is thought to be prehistoric. The prehistoric stone is embedded in the wall of the small snug room at the back of the pub. It is listed on the Devon & Dartmoor HER as a prehistoric standing stone. In the dining room across the corridor is another stone which is claimed to be early Christian and was probably imported into the building in the eighteenth or nineteenth century... dartmoorwalks.org.uk/site/oxenham.php
September 8, 2025
The fort is the last high part on the ridge. I tried to get up here, that green part is a hidden trap – very damp.
Image credit: drew/AMJ
Taken from the roadside to the north west, attempts to get to the top proved impossible. Forgot my hacking devices.
Image credit: drew/AMJ
An enclosure measuring 40m N-S by 15m E-W which crowns the lower summit of Cnoc a Bhatra is suggested as a possible fort. The walls which rise to a maximum height of about 1.5m above surrounding land utilises the extensive rock outcrops in the area whenever possible. Evidence for an entrance was extremely difficult to find partially due to cattle damage and partially due to the thickness of the undergrowth, notably blackthorn. In the main, the walls seem to follow a contour marked by rock outcrop.
F Hood [et al.] 1993; F Hood 1994, visited April 1993.
(They managed to get much closer than me)
September 7, 2025
Moel Eilio is the prominent peak in the centre. Nantlle ridge to the left, Elidir Fawr right of centre. The viewpoint is Y Grisiau, just below the summit of Moel Hebog.
Image credit: A. Brookes (17.9.2024)
Moel yr Ogof is the summit in the centre, with a forbidding facade of crags protecting its southeastern approaches. The cairn is just below the summit. The skyline boasts Yr Eifl (top left) and the Nantlle ridge, with various summit cairns.
Image credit: A. Brookes (17.9.2024)
Elevated landscape context, from Y Grisiau just below the summit of Moel Hebog. Dinas is indicated. Dinas Emrys is centre, just below the blue waters of Llyn Dinas. Beddgelert is the village at the bottom of the shot.
Image credit: A. Brookes (17.9.2024)
Dinas, centre, seen from the lower slopes of Moel Hebog. Carnedd Moel Siabod rises above it all, centre.
Image credit: A. Brookes (17.9.2024)
Mulfra Quoit, photo taken from the north-north-west on 12 April 2004.
Image credit: Chris Bond
Mulfra Quoit, photo taken from the north-east on 12 April 2004.
Image credit: Chris Bond