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Scutchamer Knob

Artificial Mound

Folklore

with the original name of the site being 'Cuckhamsley' (deriving from Cwichelmshlaew), where does the 'Scutch' come from? To Scutch is to separate fibres (i.e. flax) and I assume the same is true of wool. The Berkshire Downs were reknowned for sheep and sheep fairs (east ilsley), and I have read (but can't find it among the library - argh!) a reference to Scutchamers Knob being used as a meeting place for a sheep fair.

Given the distance from 'the Knob' to East Ilsley sheep fair, maybe it was a place the shepherds and flocks stayed at, the night before arrival at the fair?

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A 'scotch' can be a tool for 'scutching', although the fact that the site is sometimes referred to as Scotsmans Knob (that's quite an unplesant thought if you're a sassenach) may also be because one of the tracks just before the knob goes north! (i.e. to Scotland).

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Thats quite enough about knobs, i'm off to look at knockers (...no you idiot, there's somebody at the door)
wysefool Posted by wysefool
7th May 2007ce
Edited 7th May 2007ce

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