Archaeologists unearth massive 5,000-year-old structure near Lincoln industrial estate
Archaeologists from Network Archaeology Ltd have teamed up with Lincolnshire Live to reveal more about the incredible artefacts from a dig along part of the route of Lincoln's Eastern Bypass
Hundreds of flint tools have been unearthed during excavation work prior to constructiom of Lincoln University's Isaac Newton Building. They include tiny cutting blades and are up to 11000 years old.
A boat dating back to the Iron Age has gone on show at a Lincoln museum. The log boat, which has undergone four years of conservation work, is now on display at the city's new archaeological museum - The Collection... continues...
A half size replica of a Bronze Age boat that was found at North Ferriby will be sailed on the Humber as part of SeaBritain 2005, a celebration of our maritime heritage.
The original 16-metre boat wasn't a dug out but used sophisticated techniques and carpentry skills that are difficult to match today... continues...
A Bronze Age axe head unearthed in a Lincolnshire field is baffling archaeologists - because they think it is too heavy to use.
Made of stone, the axe head weighs 4.4lb and was produced some time between 2000BC and 1600BC. It was found when a walker stumbled across it last summer in a farmer's field near Scotter, north of Gainsborough... continues...
The rich abundance of Bronze Age archaeology near one of the city's poorest housing estates is at risk from controversial plans to build 105 homes... continues...
Oval cropmark, diameter c.25 m of henge monument, class II, with opposed entrances known from JK St Joseph AP's BCG82-84. Ditch is encircled by series of pits. Neolithic flints from fieldwalking include cores and scrapers. (See also TF 27 SW/14). (1-2)
TF 254 716. Shearman's Wath henge. Scheduled no. LI/265. (3)
Small sub-circular enclosure, known from cropmarks, situated at c 36.5m above OD. Enclosure is defined by faint, irregular cropmarks of a ditch with an entrance to the NW; a less certain entrance to the SE and a possible break to the ESE. The enclosure is surrounded by a partial circuit of pits of which 19 are visible.Internal diameter 17-5-18.5m. Described by Harding and Lee as a probable henge. (4)
The Neolithic or Bronze Age henge referred to by the previous authorities was seen as cropmarks and mapped from good quality air photographs. The henge has an internal diameter of c20m and the diameter of the outer ring of pits is c26m. The henge is more accurately located at TF 2538 7168. (Morph No. LI.138.1.1)
This description is based on data from the RCHME MORPH2 database.
Directions:
North of the village of Kirton in Lindsey – along the B1400.
We parked near the public footpath sign and I walked up the muddy track which skirts around a small lake. There is no public right of way to the Barrow but it can be seen on the opposite side of the lake from the water’s edge – a grass mound in a field.
E.H. state:
‘The barrow is 1.5m high and 45m in diameter. The barrow has twice been investigated by antiquarians. The first investigation (1867) found a layer of partially cremated bones and two urns in the centre of the mound. The second excavation (1911) found a layer of burnt earth’.
Orgarth Hill Farm is on the opposite side of the road to these barrows.
The Ghost of Orgarth Hill. - This hill, a few miles south of Louth, some 40 years ago was haunted by a man riding on a shag or shaggy horse, which suddenly appeared without any warning, and kept up with persons until they were terrified, but usually it appeared to people riding or driving, who did not notice the horse and its rider, until they looked to see what had terrified their horses, which stood trembling with fear, until they bolted down the hill.
From Lincolnshire Notes and Queries volume 2, page 272. The implication seems to be that this apparition might be connected with the shagfoal or tatterfoal, a kind of furry horsey supernatural cousin of the more widely known big black dogs like Shuck.
The Stone used to lie in the field where the civil war Battle of Winceby took place. It's marked on a map of 1880 but then seems to disappear.
There was the large stone in Winceby field, where soldiers had sharpened their swords before the battle. This was a stone of fearful interest, for much treasure was supposed to have been buried under it. Numerous attempts have abeen made to get at this treasure, but they were always defeated by some accident or piece of bad luck. On the last occasion, by 'yokkin' several horses to chains fastened round the stone, they nearly succeeded in pulling it over, when, in his excitement, one of the men uttered an oath, and the devil instantly appeared, and stamped on it with his foot. 'Tha cheans all brok, tha osses fell, an' tha stoan went back t' its owd place solidder nur ivver; an' if ya doan't believe ya ma goa an' look fur yer sen, an' ya'll see tha divvill's fut mark like three kraws' claws, a-top o' tha stoan.' It was firmly believed that the lane was haunted, and that loud groans were often heard there. -- Notes and Queries, vol. ix., p. 466.
[The Big Stone at Slash Lane, near Winceby]This stone cannot be moved, at least all attempts have so far failed, especially on one occasion, when it was with much difficulty reared up by ropes pulled by men and dragged by horses, for on a man saying, 'Let God or devil come now, we have it,' the stone fell back, dragging over the men and horses who were hauling at the ropes, and something appeared standing on the stone, doubtless Samwell the Old Lad, that is the Devil, who had been so rashly defied. -- Lincolnshire Notes and Queries, vol. ii., p. 235.
Copied from 'County Folk-lore v.VII: Lincolnshire' collected by Mrs Gutch and Mabel Peacock (1908).
This article in 'Horncastle News' (10th April 2002) describes that the stone got buried for many years in the field, but that in 1970 Frank Scott and his colleagues on the farm finally moved it out of the way - it took heavy lifting gear though. "Me and my mate were in that hole as quick as we could and dug down as far and fast as possible but we never found any treasure, nor devils either. By the number of broken ploughshares all around, we thought it was quite likely the stone was cursed, by every farmer and farm hand involved no doubt."
The folklore is similar to many prehistoric stones in that it's connected to the battle, has treasure lurking under it, and is said to be immovable. It's even got supernatural marks on it from the devil. Pretty much a stoney folklore full house.