As seen on 26 Oct 2020 CE
Images
As seen on 26 Oct 2020 CE
As seen on 26 Oct 2020 CE
From the Gentleman's Magazine, v94, pt1 (1824).
babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=osu.32435054261235&view=1up&seq=142
Image credit: Edward Rudge, 1824
Image credit: Chris Bickerton
Image credit: Chris Bickerton
Image credit: Chris Bickerton
Monkey boy strikes again.
Image credit: Chris Bickerton
From up on top of the what the map says is a reservoir.
Image credit: Chris Bickerton
Image credit: ruskus
Image credit: megadread
Image credit: Gingertrailertrash
Image credit: Gingertrailertrash
Image credit: Gingertrailertrash
Image credit: tjj
Image credit: tjj
Old Soldier, with a jacksprat for scale...
Image credit: Barry Lalanne
I don't drink mushroom tea so maybe it's my love of Brian Froud, too vivid an imagination, not enough sleep? Who knows. I can definitely make out faces though...
Image credit: Barry Lalanne
The Hoare Stone at Enstone (1/1/2005 CE).
Image credit: Tim Clark
Image credit: Tim Clark
Fallen stones in foreground
Image credit: Tim Clark
Fallen stones in foreground
Image credit: Tim Clark
Taken 11th May 2003: The chamber viewed from the north. In the bottom left hand corner of this shot you can see a bit of the recumbent stone.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 11th May 2003: The recumbent stone that lies, partially buried just to the north of the main chamber (not exactly yards away broen).
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 11th May 2003: The chamber viewed from the north east (on the other side of the lane).
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Image credit: Mike Murray
Image credit: Alan S>
9/3/03 – This big stone lies a couple of yards away from the remaining standing monument.
Image credit: Broen
9/3/03 – inside the chamber
Image credit: Broen
9/3/03 – what you could spot from the road – if your lucky!
Image credit: Broen
Taken August 1995: It looks like the area surrounding the Hoar Stone has been cleared up quite a bit since we visited.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Image credit: Jane Tomlinson
Though I say it myself, this is a quite a good pic! The main stone must rise 11feet high!
Image credit: Jane Tomlinson
Image credit: Jane Tomlinson
Articles
The Chipping Norton triangle, a triangle whose sides are 4,5,and 6 miles long, the north point is at the Rollright stones, the south west point is at the Churchill stones, and the south east point is at the Hoar stone burial chamber near Enstone. Along the south line of the triangle is Knollbury hill fort and the Hawk stone. All completely meaningless of course but it's broadly true.
Not been here for ages, I liked it then, and I like it now, you don't have to share this site with any long views, it's just you and the stones. A very private place, despite the crossroads, I even like the fact that it's at the crossroads, many strange things occur at crossroads, I imagine.
What is it with Hoar stones round here, there must be half a dozen, and that's not including the Thor stone and the Hawk stone both surely deriving from Hoar, and what is a Hoar, and do they moan?
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Stumbled across the Hoar Stone more easily than I’d planned after leaving the Rollrights, not that I was expecting too much difficulty.
On a dull day like today the stones struggled to make their presence felt from their wooded enclosure. Which was strange because it’s a hefty old set of stones which have a solid physical presence. Stuck behind their protecting wall I couldn’t visualize the context of their surroundings very clearly. I don’t know if it was due to the close proximity to the road, and the fact that I didn’t need to walk through the trees to find them, which might have given me some sense of great reveal about their discovery. My problem, really. On a different day I’d probably be enchanted. Next time; ‘must try harder’….
We parked on the Charlbury Road to visit this enchanting scheduled ancient monument – the remains of a what must have been a magnificent chambered tomb perhaps once on a par with Waylands Smithy. One very large stone and a few smaller ones, it stands within a Cotswold stone enclosure surrounded by holly trees. The overall impression was one of dark green coolness. A place of tranquillity in spite of the nearby busy road.
Visited 7.8.10.
WOW – what a cracker this is! The stones are much bigger than I was expecting and the site was a lot easier to find than I had imagined. The only thing I can add to the directions previously given is that the site is opposite Cox's Lane along the B4022.
This is a very atmospheric place with the stones surrounded by trees and a small dry stone wall with a plaque stating this is a protected prehistoric monument. I don't know what it is about sites hidden amongst trees but they always seem more atmospheric to me than those in open surroundings. Very easy to access and definitely worth a visit when in the area – easily the best site I visited today.
We drove past it, TWICE and still had to ask directions! The lady looked at us like we were crazy and then just pointed at it from where we were standing. Felt a bit like a fool...
Cloudhigh and I fixed the wussy Jane's flat tyre (honestly, you'd think an opinionated, stroppy, independent bird like her would know how to fix a flat tyre), picked up as we left the Whispering Knights. As I applied great force to the rigid wheel nuts, Jane was heard to say to the radiant Lissy "She's better to have around than a bloke", which I felt was a bit unfair to Cloudhigh, but nonetheless made me grin naughtily as I wielded the wrench with panache. But I digress.
After a fine Sunday lunch in the Chequers, we all bowled up at the Hoar Stone. It was Cloudhigh's and Lissy's first visit, and it certainly seemed to have an impact on them both, which was great. I for one couldn't stop taking photos of Lissy exploring the broken chamber – there was something compelling about her vibe and the site's vibe melding. Very cool.
After some time there, the delightful Jane left for the pictures, and Cloudhigh, Lissy and I all set off for the Hawk Stone.
It proved to be a challenging excursion to the megalithic sites of Oxfordshire (challenging because we couldn’t reach half of them, and the weather became increasingly pants); this time with the lovely Karen, and the bewitching Fiona, (who, it must be noted for the record, is something of a megalithic goddess). “Oh, take me away from Coventry for the day,” Fiona had implored, so we duly obliged.
Arriving at the Hoar Stone first, both Karen and Fiona were instantly enchanted by the huge, green stones as they stood hidden within their grove of holly trees. Thousands of sparkling water droplets dripped from the boughs after the rainstorm earlier in the morning. The brooding silence was amplified by the wet day, and the vibe was great.
We were able to linger, and spent much time communing with the stones, savouring the sense of calm stillness they generate within the soul. This is such a wonderful, secret place, it’s well worth a visit. Eventually, compelled by hunger and the thought of a pint, we reluctantly tore ourselves away to visit Lyneham Longbarrow, via Chipping Norton.
On an evening excursion out to the Hawk Stone, Jane and I stopped briefly at the Hoar Stone, a very lovely spot virtually hidden in a small copse on the A44 (the delightful Jane gives directions below). This is a broken up barrow, but still very impressive.
It was early summer when we popped by, and the massive, fabulously mossy stones brooded quietly under dense foliage – notably a large amount of holly trees, which was nice. Dog’s Mercury carpeted the woodland floor all around the stones, and despite being on a busy road, the place was very centering and peaceful.
I notice Jane reckons it’s impossible to photograph; well, we’ll just have to see about that, won’t we . . . and taking some atmospheric photos of this site is high on my agenda. Looking forward to the return visit.
25 July 2003
These stones really are very difficult to spot from the B4022 and it isn't until you take the turn off right beside the wrecked burial chamber that you can see them. Even then they don't exactly leap out at you with the trees wearing their summer foliage!
The stones retain a power and atmosphere of their own despite being so ruined that I found it difficult to picture the site as a burial chamber and without the trees. Can't honestly say I could even see the orientation myself without looking it up.
Visited 11th May 2003: On my way from a delightful weekend in Oxford, inevitably I popped into a few sites along the way. The Hoar stone was my first port of call.
I've visited the site before, but eight years on I had no recollection of where it was, and only some rubbish directions to go by. After driving up and down the road between Enstone and Taston, I realised that the site wasn't where I'd thought it was (the dot on the map I was looking at was a mile stone!). The memories eventually came flooding back, and I recalled doing exactly the same thing back in 1995.
Just for the record, you need to take the B4022 from Enstone towards Taston, then take the first left hand turn and park immediately on your left. Now turn your head 90 degrees to the right and you're looking at it. Sounds easier than it is, because the chamber is shielded from the road by trees.
Incredible stones! So peaceful, despite being so close to the road, an oasis of calm.
As is my wont, I laid hands on the stones, and it was only later that I noticed my hand had been dyed bright green by the lichen which was rampant on the main stone.
WOW! What a great place to find, tucked away just off the A44 at Enstone. (Coming up from Oxford, just turn left after the ugly garage as you hit Enstone, towards Spelsbury and it's on the corner of the next crossroads – about 100 ms off the main A44)
This is a HUGE monumental beastie – quite hard to photograph as it's tucked away amongst some trees and is very, very big.
A very masculine place but comforting, too, like being swept up into the arms of a strong man. Some real swirls of magic coming off it. Sit on the broken stones nearby and take in that mossy green vibe. It's dank, it's dark, it's brooding and big. You'll love it.
I thought I might acquaint you all with some of, what appear to be, the least popular sites so far, since no-one has written about them, in the order I visited them...so there's more to follow.
THE HOAR STONE – Visited 20/12/00
It took a great deal of effort, a little luck and Copey's description of it's location to find this one without an OS Map, on a cold December day , with frozen snow on the ground. Five minutes walking around in a circle amongst the trees and bushes, after parking our car in what we thought might be the spot, I (and my mate Rich) stumbled across this nine foot monster stone, just yards from where we set out (this was after we climbed what appeared to be a small water tank that we mistook for a barrow!!).
We duly congratulated ourselves and took our obligatory photograph – surely we can't be the only saddoes who try to recreate the actual shots from the book...or perhaps we are!!
Yet another rumour for the site:
At Enstone [...] is another Druidical remain, a ruined Cromlech, popularly called the "Hoarstone." [...] There is a tradition that a city once existed near this spot, and the remains of wells have been found in the neighbouring fields.* An ancient trackway, marked in some old maps as the "London Road" (communicating with the country about Worcester and Hereford), runs westward from the Hoarstone, passing near several Tumuli which will be mentioned hereafter.Page 8 in 'The History of Banbury' by Alfred Beesley [1841?] (online at the Internet Archive).
*Information from the Rev. E. Marshall of Enstone.
Near Enstone is a ruined cromlech known as the "Hoar Stone." The villagers say that "it was put up in memory of a certain general named Hoar, who was slain in the Civil War. It was put there, as that was a piece of land no one owned. A letter signed ZWn in the Oxford Times of March 29, 1902, mentions this story, and adds that "there was a battle over there, Lidstone way." Lidstone being a hamlet of Enstone, about one and a half miles to the north west. Mr W Harper in 'Observations on Hoar-Stones,' printed in Archaeologica (1832) xxv., 54, speaks of the "War Stone at Enstone. This conspicuous object is said by the country people to have been set up 'at a French wedding.'"From:Stray Notes on Oxfordshire Folklore, by Percy Manning, in Folklore, Vol. 13, No. 3. (Sep. 29, 1902), pp. 288-295.
The Danes came from Northamptonshire, and they are reputed to have been told that they should come to see the Hoarstone (seven miles SSE of Rollrich) they would be lords of England. Hook norton, the entrenched position of the Saxons, was stormed by the Danes.. The Saxon defeat was very severe, but the battle seems to have checked the Danish advance.p29 in 'Our Ancient Monuments and the Land Around Them' by Charles P Kains-Jackson, 1880.
Local oral tradition has it that the three big standing stones are the remains of an old man, his horse and dog, turned to stone for reasons now not remembered.
The petrification story is similiar to that of other folktales from around the Cotswold, including the Rollrights and the Goose stones.
There is also a local story of a ghost which can be seen walking from the tomb along the old road into the the village of Enstone.
Also said to be a named after a Civil War general called Hoar, but that sounds a bit pony to me.
Two 'classic' megalithic stories are attached to the Hoar Stone barrow: that if anyone tries to drag the stones away, they will return of their own accord when no-one's looking – and that the main stone ('the Old Soldier') goes down to the village stream to drink on Midsummer's Eve.
(mentioned in J Hawkes' Shell Guide of British Archaeology)
Details of long barrow on Pastscape
(3779 2375) Hoar Stone (NAT) Burial Chamber (NR). (1) A rectangular chamber consisting of three orthostats opening to the east, the southern orthostat is 9 ft high while the western and northern are 5 ft and 3 ft high respectively. To the east of the chamber are three prostrate megaliths which probably once formed part of the chamber. There is no trace of a barrow at present but Rudge describes the chamber as standing on a barrow 3 ft high (a). (2) Crawford quotes a full description from Dryden and includes his plan (see illustration) and notes that pottery, apparently Roman was found in a small excavation between the fallen stones. (3) In 1956, during excavations connected with a reservoir constructed near the Hoar Stone, a ditch more than 10 ft wide with sloping sides and about 3 ft deep was seen at G (see plan) running SW. This may conceivably have belonged to the monument and been part of a quarry-ditch of a small long barrow running NE to SW. The burial chamber would then lie on its SE flank toward its NE end. (4) The stones are disposed as described by Daniel and as he notes, the barrow has not survived. The site is hemmed in by a plantation and the reservoir is now grassed over. Published 1:2500 survey revised. See LS plan and photo. In care of DOE. (5)
Sites within 20km of The Hoar Stone
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Cleveley Marker Stone
photo 3 description 1 link 1 -
Ditchley Park Long Barrow
description 1 -
Lidstone Standing Stones
photo 2 description 1 -
Enstone Long Barrow
description 1 -
Thor Stone
photo 15 forum 1 description 10 -
Hawk Stone
photo 44 forum 4 description 14 -
Grim’s Ditch
link 1 -
Knollbury Camp
photo 14 description 4 -
Waterman’s Lodge Barrow
description 1 -
New Street Stone
photo 4 description 6 -
The Hoar Stone (Steeple Barton)
photo 2 description 6 -
Lyneham Camp
photo 3 description 2 -
Well Ground Long Barrow
description 1 -
Churchill Copse Long Barrow
photo 1 description 4 -
Besbury Lane
description 1 -
Lyneham Longbarrow
photo 29 forum 1 description 8 -
Churchill Standing Stone
photo 2 description 2 -
The Hoar Stone II
photo 2 description 3 -
Slatepits Copse Long Barrow
photo 7 description 4 -
Five Shilling Corner Stone
photo 2 description 2 -
Ilbury Camp
photo 4 description 3 -
Churchill Three Stones
photo 4 description 4 -
Churchill Village Stones
photo 15 forum 1 description 8 -
Ascott Under Wychwood Barrow
photo 1 description 5 -
Leafield Barrow
photo 2 description 3 -
Shipton-Under-Wychwood Long barrow
description 1 -
The Whispering Knights
photo 55 forum 3 description 10 link 1 -
The King Stone
photo 53 forum 3 description 21 link 1 -
King Stone cairn
photo 1 -
The Rollright Stones
photo 160 forum 40 description 69 link 10 -
Cornwell Stone
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Lowbarrow
description 2 -
Tadmarton Heath
description 2 -
Burnt Hill Dolmen
photo 1 description 3 -
Eynsham Park Camp
photo 2 forum 1 description 1 -
Goose Stones
photo 5 forum 2 description 7 -
Bladon Camp
photo 1 description 2 -
Chastleton Barrow (Fort)
photo 4 description 2 -
Ladihame Corner Long Barrow
description 1 -
Round Hill Long Barrow
description 1 -
Crawley
description 1 -
Adlestrop Hill
description 2 link 1 -
Madmarston Hill
photo 8 description 2 -
Cassington Big Ring
description 1 -
Idbury Camp
photo 3 description 2 -
Eynsham stone
photo 4 description 2 -
Eynsham Causewayed Enclosure
description 1 -
Deadman’s Burial
description 1 -
Fifield
description 2 -
Wyck Beacon
photo 6 description 2 -
Rainsborough Camp
photo 11 forum 1 description 4 -
Devil’s Quoits
photo 95 forum 15 description 19 link 4 -
Port Meadow Round Hill
photo 1 forum 1 description 2 link 1 -
Wytham Hill
description 1 -
Batsford Camp
description 1