Pristine pressed flower among 'jaw-dropping' bronze age finds
3,000-year-old complete pressed flower is among the “absolutely jaw-dropping” late bronze age finds unearthed in Lancashire.
The thistle flower appears to have been deliberately placed inside the hollow end of an axe handle and buried with other weapons, jewellery and ornaments, many in virtually pristine condition... continues...
Bronze Age burial site uncovered in Lancashire field
From the BBC...
"A Bronze Age burial site uncovered after two metal detector enthusiasts found artefacts is set to be excavated.
Matthew Hepworth and David Kierzek discovered a chisel and a dagger in a Lancashire field, 20 years after one of them first explored the site... continues...
Dig unearths ancient mine and Roman road
Last posted: Friday 10 October 2003 12:10
ARCHAEOLOGISTS have unearthed evidence of a Roman road and Bronze Age settlement at a multi-million pound business and leisure park development... continues...
Dr. Borlase, in his Antiquities of Cornwall, notices the existence of Druidical Rock Basins, which appear to have been scooped out of the granite rocks and boulders which lie on the tops of the hills in the county. Several such cavities in stones are found on Brimham Rocks, near Knaresborough, and they have also been found at Plumpton and Rigton, in Yorkshire, and on Stanton Moor, in Derbyshire.
The writer first drew attention to the fact of similar Druidical remains existing in Lancashire in a paper read before the Historical Society of Lancashire and Cheshire, in December, 1864. They are found in considerable numbers around Boulsworth, Gorple, Todmorden, and on the hills which separate Lancashire from Yorkshire between these places.
Commencing the enumeration of the groups of boulders, &c., containing rock basins, with the slopes of Boulsworth, about seven miles from Burnley, we have first the Standing Stones, mostly single blocks of millstone grit, at short distances from each other on the north-western side of the hill. one is locally termed the Buttock Stone, and near it is a block which has a circular cavity scooped out on its flat upper surface. Not far from these are the Joiner Stones, the Abbot Stone, the Weather Stones, and the Law Lad Stones (? from llad, British, sacrifices).
Next come the Great and Little Saucer Stones, so named from the cavities scooped out upon them. The Little Chair Stones, the Fox Stones, and the Broad Head Stones lie at no great distance, each group containing numerous like cavities. Several of these groups are locally named from resemblance to animals or other objects, as the Grey Stones and the Steeple Stones on Barn Hill, and one spur of Boulsworth is called Wycoller Ark, as resembling a farmer's chest or ark.
On Warcock Hill several groups of natural rocks and boulders are locally named Dave or Dew Stones. On the surface of one immense Dave Stone boulder is a perfect hemispherical cavity, ten inches in diameter. The surface of a nother contains an oblong basin of larger dimensions, with a long grooved channel leading from its curved contour towards the edge of the stone. On a third there are four circular cavities of varying dimensions, the largest in the centre, and three others surrounding it, but none of these is more than a few inches in diameter. At the Bride Stones, near Todmorden, thirteen cavities were counted on one block, and eleven on another. All the basins here and elsewhere are formed on the flat surfaces of the blocks; their upper surfaces always being parallel to the lamination of the stone.
Along Widdop Moor we find the Grey Stones, the Fold Hole Stones, the Clattering Stones, and the Rigging Stones; the last named from occupying the rig or ridge of the hills in the locality. Amongst the Bride Stones is an immense mass of rock which might almost be classed among the rocking stones. it is about twenty-five feet in height, at least twelve feet across its broadest part, and rests on a base only about two feet in diameter.
The Todmorden group contains the Hawk Stones, on Stansfield Moor, not far from Stiperden Cross, on the line of the Long Causeway (a Roman road); the Bride Stones, near Windy Harbour; the Chisley Stones, near Keelham; and Hoar Law, not far from Ashenhurst Royd and Todmorden. The rock basins on these boulders are very numerous, and of all sizes from a few inches in diameter and depth to upwards of two feet. The elliptical axes of some of these basins did not appear to the writer to have been caused by the action of wind or water, or to follow any regular law.
Lastly, taking for a centre, Gorple, about five miles south-east of Burnley is another extensive group of naked rocks and boulders. Close to the solitary farm-house there are the Gorple Stones; and at a short distance the Hanging Stones form conspicuous objects in the sombre landscape. On Thistleden Dean are the Upper, Middle, and Lower Whinberry Stones, so named from the "whinberry" shrubs, with which this moor abounds. The Higher and Lower Boggart Stones come next, and these are followed by the Wicken Clough, and other minor groups of stones. Above Gorple Bottom is another set of grey stones; and these are followed by the Upper, Middle, and Lower Hanging Stones, on Shuttleworth Moor. The rock basins here are very numerous, and mostly well defined. There are forty-three cavities in these Gorple, Gorple Gate, and Hanging Stones, ranging from four to forty inches in length, from four to twenty-five in breadth, and from two to thirteen inches in depth.
The County Council has done it again !. Unlike MARIO, this site gives access to a lagre collecton of maps covering the county.
From general Lancasire maps such as Speed 1610, Lancashire Town maps c. 1890 to O.S. 1st Edition 6" maps c. 1845. A useful research tool!
A great research tool provided by Lancashire County Council that enables you to overlay and compare the current edition of O.S. map for Lancashire with the 1st edition O.S. map. You can also drop on aerial photograph layer to give you a better feel of the lay of the land.
I never thought that '20 would turn out to be my 'annus horribilis' and that this, in December, would be my first TMA site add of the year.. I can only hope that the howling winds and sleet that accompanied the searching for and finding of this place will be as effective in blowing 2020 away for so many people as they were for curtailing further investigation at close quarters. The site is readily accessible via a field gate from the minor road that runs E-W on its southern side. What is apparent is that, although the nearest village is Delph, it is in fact invisible from that village, and is only a skyline feature from Dobcross to the southeast, so the settlement to which it probably relates would have been situated around there.
From distance, since we gave up on closer inspection due to the totally vile weather, it did appear that, although there might have been a visitation by a plough in time past, the surrounding ditch seemed to remain pretty well defined. It also looks to be a barrow of quite some size, probably well over 40' across.. however confirmation and better images will have to wait for a more clement day. Squelch, ouch from the stinging hail and brrrr! Date of visit 13/12/20.
[visited 20/8/20] In the spirit of stretching my walking legs again, I popped over to this tonight after work. Lovely evening, lovely walk, I was accompanied for the last mile by the incessant twittering of swallows, squadrons hurtling past in close formation attacking the enemy insects. Its a nice walk up from Hawkshaw and you dont see the giant mound until the last.
And it is a giant. Same vibe as Round Loaf, if it was in Dorset I'd have been nodding appreciatively at the magnificence of it. Round here its a veritable freak. I mention Round loaf and the HER talks about another similar mound; Priest's Crown, which has been "proved to be natural". Is this glacial? I just dont know, its a lovely round shape. But why put it in this valley, why not up on the hill to the west? But then I climbed it and it lifts you over the ridge to the South and you can see for MILES. I read that the south pennine folk were ancestral overspill from the eastern peaks moors, was that the view?
Access is ok for the semi fit, but poor for wheels, you've 3 or 4 stiles to cross.
On the lower declivity of Warton Crag, in the parish of Warton (which abuts on Morecambe Bay and the Westmorland border), commanding a beautiful and extended prospect of the bay, a seat called "The Bride's Chair" was resorted to on the day of marriage by the brides of the village; and in this seat they were enthroned with due solemnity by their friends; but the origin and the object of the custom, which has now fallen in disuse, are unknown.
Not far from Warton Crag are three rocking-stones placed in a line, about forty feet asunder, the largest stone lying in the middle.
A cave is also mentioned by Lucas, named "The Fairy Hole", where dwarf spirits called Elves or Fairies, were wont to resort.
Lancashire Folk-lore: Illustrative of the Superstitious Beliefs and Practices, local customs and usages of the people of the county Palatine. By John Harland and TT Wilkinson, 1867. Online at the Internet Archive.