The team that looks after the landscape of the Mendip Hills has been given more than £200,000 to help with its conservation.
The Heritage Lottery Fund money will be spent on teaching people about the history and archaeology of the Black Down and Burrington Commons... continues...
Somerset was the site of the UK's oldest open-air cemetery, the county council says.
Recent radiocarbon dating of two skulls found at a sand quarry in Greylake nature reserve near Middlezoy in 1928 revealed them to be 10,000 years old... continues...
Bit of a belated post, from This Is Somerset website:
The Iron Age inhabitants of Somerset's Avalon Marshes might have thought prehistoric architects were at work if they could see designs for the striking thatched visitor centre proposed for their old homeland.
A TEAM of archaeologists will begin a four year hunt for hidden treasures on the Mendip Hills soon.
A dozen English Heritage specialists will use the latest aerial scanning technology as well as field surveys and other traditional archaeological techniques to look for new finds... continues...
Archaeologists are currently studying the hoard found at Silk Mills Bridge near Taunton in the summer, before the items go on public display.
"Steven Membery, archaeologist for Somerset County Council, said of the site: "It appears to be an island in a large river. It was used seasonally probably for hunting ducks and fish... continues...
A study has highlighted how rural development and drainage for agriculture in the Somerset levels has badly damaged nationally important archaeological sites.
When ground water levels drop in the summer, the waterlogged remains dry out: current farming methods don't leave enough water inthe peat to protect them... continues...
6.500yr old causeway and fish weir found nr Bridgewater, Somerset.
Workers digging a new rubbish tip at Walpole nr Bridgewater have found the remains of an ancient causeway and fish weir. Archaeologist Richard Brunning has provisionally dated them to 4.500 BCE.
A group of potholers stopped from exploring because of the foot-and-mouth epidemic, found a network of caves under the car park of their local pub... continues...
A 5,000-year-old flint axe head has been found in a garden in Somerset (England). Andrew Witts made the rare prehistoric discovery while landscaping his garden at Creech St Michael near Taunton. Mr Witts said: "I knew I had found something unusual when I noticed the object had a polished surface, but I never thought it would be that... continues...
The site of archaeological remains which are thought to date back thousands of years has been saved from development. An area occupied by a Scheduled Ancient Monument was at risk of being turned into a small housing estate on the edge of Highbridge and West Huntspill in Somerset... continues...
Lewis,J., 2009. The long barrows and long mounds of West Mendip. UBSS Proceedings, 24(3) , pp 187-206
Abstract: This article considers the evidence for Early Neolithic long barrow construction on the West Mendip plateau, Somerset. It highlights the difficulties in assigning long mounds a classification on surface evidence alone and discusses a range of earthworks which have been confused with long barrows. Eight possible long barrows are identified and their individual and group characteristics are explored and compared with national trends. Gaps in the local distribution of these monuments are assessed and it is suggested that areas of absence might have been occupied by woodland during the Neolithic. The relationship between long barrows and later round barrows is also considered.
Short video from the Museum of Somerset showing some of the gold objects found in the county. Steve Minnitt presents a torc found near Yeovil, an amazingly intricate and fine ring-shaped Thing, and the 17 gold objects untangled from the hoard buried at Priddy.
It is traditionally supposed that beneath the surface of this camp vast stores of gold and silver are hid in an iron castle, the door of which is guarded by spirits and can only be found at the full moon.
It is stated that many years ago some labourers dug there with the hope of finding the treasure, but were obliged to desist because of the mournful sounds they heard, caused no doubt, by the howling of the wind among the trees.
A story is also told of a Dr Farrer, who lived in the parish and was learned in books and who found out from them how to get into the castle. The day before the full moon he went over the field with a hazel rod, and when he came over the door, the stick stood upright in the ground. The doctor returned at night with his servant and tools for digging and also took his bible with him. He set his servant to work, giving him particular instruction that whatever he saw or heard he was not to utter a word for his life.
The man went on digging, and at last his spade struck on the iron door of the castle, when horrible groans and cries were heard, and spirits began to come out of the door. The man was so frightened that he forgot his master's instructions, and cried out "Lord, have mercy on my soul," when one of the spirits caught him by the leg and would have carried him off, but the doctor put the bible on his head and dragged him out with the other hand.
The pit was closed up, the door banged together, and its position was changed so that no one has been able to find it since.
ETNE.
In the Taunton Courier, 12th April 1958. It rather served him right, expecting his servant to do all the dangerous work. I have a vision a bit like 'Raiders of the Lost Ark'. Also, the castle being made of iron rather discounts the involvement of the fairies in this case.
There is a story told locally of two men, who, many years ago, lived on the Quantock Hills. One day, finding themselves in financial difficulty and not knowing where to obtain any money, they decided to go over to Ruborough Camp, Broomfield, to try to discover some of the money and treasure supposed to have been buried there. As soon as it was night-time they left their homes and with picks and shovels on their backs, proceeded on their way. As they entered the tree-covered lane leading to the camp, they walked with caution in case they disturbed the stags and foxes resting there, but all was well and at last they reached the Camp.
It was a clear moonlit night and no doubt they could see the old castle at Enmore and further away the town of Bridgwater. They found the mound of earth where money and treasure were supposed to have been buried and after removing their coats, started to dig. Suddenly the ground gave away from beneath them and they disappeared.
After some hours had elapsed their relatives at home became alarmed at their not returning and decided to go to look for them. On reaching the old Camp they discovered to their amazement two coats beside a very large hole, but there was no sign of the two men. Being superstitious people they hastily returned to their homes saying that the pixies had captured the two men, who were never seen again.
This story may not be true, but it was told to me by old people living in the district years ago.
A.H., BRIDGWATER.
In the Taunton Courier, 29th March 1958.
These stories seem pretty similar to the ones written down with even more elaboration by the Rev. J W Collins in 1857.
I visited one of the nuclear power stations yesterday, and was delighted that when I asked one of the guides "Where's the Pixie's Mound?" they did not look at me like I was mad, but explained exactly where it was (next to the roundabout) and that I'd have a good view.
At the moment, at least, there are no check points you need to go through to get to the roundabout (the second now along the road). Though I imagine you'd potentially cause a bit of a stir if you stopped to get out. Especially if you were wielding a camera. But if you gave them some spiel about prehistory and fairies, it'd probably be put down to eccentricity, who knows? Maybe it's not worth the risk. I imagine you're on CCTV simply everywhere. The England Coast Path does skirt the edge of the field though, so perhaps you could view it more leisurely from there.
I enjoyed the fact that there seemed to be two thorn bushes on the barrow. I was also pleased to see that the road into Hinkley 'B' was named after the Pixie.
I explained to my colleague that it would definitely be bad luck for anyone to disturb the mound. He thought it was probably best if the builders of the new nuclear power station kept the pixies on their side.
I don't have a good grid reference for this, but if you were climbing up Wellington Hill to the monument, then it wouldn't hurt to keep an eye out (especially if it's very early in the morning).
There is near the 'Cat and Fiddle' on the hill a large boulder stone known as Cock-Crow Stone, and it is said of the stone that every time it hears the cock crow it gets up and turns round.
An attempt was once made to move this stone, for it is believed that there is hidden beneath it a crock of gold. The stone, however, resisted all attempts of a team of horses to move it. When old houses are being pulled down it is a very common question to ask for 'the Crock.' Hoards of money have, indeed, been found which were hidden away in stormy times.
In 'The Materials for the History of the Town of Wellington, co. Somerset' (1889) by Arthur Humphreys.
The 'Cat and Fiddle' was a pub to the south of the road near Woodside (about ST13271680) - still marked in the 1960s, but I can't see any trace on maps or aerial photos now. On page 230 of the book, the pub is mentioned as being on the route of those 'Beating the Bounds' of the parish, and I can't help but wonder whether the stone, if it's that obvious, would be on the parish boundary as well, and so on the road's south (the boundary nearby is actually the county boundary too).
Many of the stones and most of the barrows are supposed to have treasure buried under them or near them, but it is dangerous to look for it and there are many stories of foiled attempts. The Caractacus Stone, for instance, standing on Winsford Hill, Exmoor, is said to be haunted by a ghostly team and their foolhardy driver who tried to uproot and drag the stone away to get at the treasure it conceals. The stone overturned the waggon and team and crushed the greedy waggoner. On foggy nights they are still to be heard and met.
From the 1965 book of 'Somerset Folklore' by Ruth Tongue (p12) - she heard the story from "A Bossington blacksmith, 1946, and a Hawkridge gardener, 1956."
Tis but a short walk from the B3135 to Ashen hill barrows, and about the same again to the Nine barrows. The first two we come to are separated from the other seven by a wall and over a hundred yards, one is quite low and the other has suffered at the hands of time two large scoops taken from it's interior.
Popping over the wall, the next barrow reached is a very low barrow compared to the others, barely a couple of feet high, the next one is taller. I move along the line this way and that, the barrows vary in height. The last two are the most interesting, the penultimate barrow has a ditch round it, possibly a bell barrow or something. The final barrow is right at the top of North Hill, it might even be the biggest barrow, and someone has built a not unattractive stone circle on it's summit, pilfering stones from the adjacent wall, as any welsh farmer will tell you, that is how it's done.
Off to one side away from the line of barrows is one more, so in all taking them all (Ashen Hill)into account there are eighteen barrows up here, it is an astonishing place, every bit as interesting as the line of henges and massively more visitable.
Come here!
I parked on the B3135 opposite Harptree lodge then walked back up to the gate opposite the southern henge. Hopping the gate and walking across the field the barrows cut a very impressive silhouette against the skyline. I head to the far right hand barrow first, back home i'd drive a hundred miles to see a barrow like this, there's eight of them here, well seventeen or eighteen actually but......
I stand atop the western barrow and look along the line of barrows, six are in a line but the far eastern two are off line and curving the line to the south. I make my way along the line going round this one up the next and round that one. It's worth noting about now the view to the south, almost paradoxically to North Hill and it's group of nine barrows, prosaically named Priddy Nine barrows, that one must have taken a while.
Ashen Hill barrows are every bit as cool and impressive as Priddy Nine barrows, I just wanted to say that, I don't know weather it means anything to anyone but I'd heard of Priddy nine barrows but not of Ashen hill barrows, and I should have.
Having said that I gird my loins and stride of to the nine barrows.