thesweetcheat

Bit of a “disputed antiquity” one this:

In “Prehistoric Sites of Herefordshire” (1994 Logaston Press), George Children and George Nash claim this as a Bronze Age standing stone, possibly associated with the nearby Canon Pyon round barrow.

However, Jonathan Sant (“Stone Spotting in Herefordshire” 2000 Moondial) believes it to be the remains of a wayside cross. The stone/cross was re-erected in its current position in 1933.

It could of course be a standing stone re-used as a christian cross. The OS 1:25000 shows it as “Stone” in gothic script.

From “Herefordshire Register of Countryside Treasures” (1981 H&WCC):

Walterstone Camp and Chapel Site

Circular hill fort of Iron-age. Occupies 17 ha. (4.25 acres) on NW side of Monnow Valley.

3 impressive ramparts covered with woodland and the interior is a neglected garden. Entrances at NE and SW cutting through the ramparts.

Location

1/2 mile E of St. Mary’s Parish Church at the end of spur: public footpath along north side.

Adjacent is the site of a chapel supposed to have been dedicated to St Ailsworth.

Poston Camp was excavated in 1958, and finds included flints indicating a Neolithic or early Bronze Age occupation of the site prior to the defensive earthwork being constructed. It stands on private land and is locally known as “The Rounds”. It is a promontory fort with an internal area of 1.6 ha and overlooks the Golden Valley.

From “Herefordshire Register of Countryside Treasures” (1981 H&WCC):

“Oldbury Camp, Much Marcle

Roughly oval-shaped Iron-age hill fort of approximately 17.5 acres (7 ha) whose defences have, unfortunately, been mostly ploughed out.

Location

On top of and at S end of Ridge Hill and about 1.5 miles W of Much Marcle Parish Church. Public footpath runs along ridge on W side with minor road skirting E boundary.”

The only known stone circle in Herefordshire, it is only just in the county – a few metres west and it would be in Wales. The monuments are on a summit of the Black Mountains, 560m above sea-level.

From “Prehistoric Sites of Herefordshire” – George Children and George Nash (1994 Logaston Press:

“From these two monuments are outstanding views across the whole of Herefordshire. The Malverns can be seen 50km to the east. Directly below lies the Olchon Valley where, in the 1930s, two Bronze Age burial cists were discovered. The cist burials and cairn and stone circle on the Black Mountains are, in our opinion, directly related.

The cairn and stone circle are approximately 30m from the Welsh border and Offa’s Dyke Path. The centre of the cairn has, in the past, been excavated and therefore is recognisable by its doughnut shape. Small stones and locally quarried rock are clearly visible around the sides of the cairn, The stone circle is at present covered by undergrowth, and lies approximately 10m from the cairn. Use of the track that separates both monuments has eroded away the topsoil to reveal an ancient (Bronze Age and earlier) surface. Very little information exists about either of these monuments.”

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Edit November 2011: Having walked along the ridge, it is apparent that the cairn is in fact Wiral cairn, and that the grid reference given in the book is therefore incorrect.

From “Prehistoric Sites of Herefordshire” – George Children and George Nash (1994 Logason Press):

“In association with the stone* are two Bronze Age round barrows. Both are within a few hundred metres either side of the stone. The best preserved of the two lies close to the River Lugg, about 100m west of the stone. The second, 300m to the south-east, has been ploughed up and is now part of a modern field boundary. Bronze Age monuments are often grouped this way throughout Herefordshire and there is a similar pattern at Comb, 2km west of Kinsham.”

*Kinsham Cupmarked Stone

From “Prehistoric Sites of Herefordshire” – George Children and George Nash (1994 Logaston Press):

“Permission is required at [New House Farm] to visit the standing stone and barrows. From the farm drive entrance, walk towards the village. Immediately on the right, past the first house (a ‘black and white’ cottage) is a small gate to a paddock. Walk south to the next gate and meadow beyond. Continue south, to the left of this large and often wet meadow. Kinsham Standing Stone can clearly be seen in the bottom corner of this meadow.

Probably transported during the last glacial period by the ice, the stone when standing measured over 2.7m high, and was one of the tallest standing stones in Herefordshire. Sadly in the recent past, the Devil Stone (as it is known locally) has been moved and ‘dumped’ in its present position. Its original position was probably equidistant between the two barrows. On the underside of the stone are believed to be seven cupmarks, but because the stone has remained in place for many years, the exact location and pattern is not known. Visible on the top side of the stone is a group of linear gouges which are probably recent additions.”

The stone was certainly lying down by 1934, when the Royal Commission (now EH) included it in their inventory.

*Kinsham round barrows

From “Herefordshire Register of Countryside Treasures” (1981 H&WCC):

“Camp, Haffield, Donnington

Defences of this hill fort, now discernable only as continuous scarp on the slope of hill, enclosure area of 1.9 ha. (4.75 acres). There was an entrance at NE corner and SW end had berm and secondary natural scarp.

Location

On top of hill, partly obscured by woodland, near A417 in NW angle of Haffield Park and about 1 mile E of St. Mary’s Parish Church, Donnington.”

From “Herefordshire Register of Countryside Treasures”(1981 H&WCC):

“Earthwork, Garway

Possible remains of a long barrow, or camp, with a rectangular enclosure surrounded by a bank. There is no other information available about this site. It is similar to the earthwork on Little Mountain, Radnorshire.”

The Herefordshire SMR record is similarly vague:

smr.herefordshire.gov.uk/hsmr/db.php?smr_no=6251

Typically speculative Victorian description and entymology in “On The Ancient British, Roman, and Saxon Antiquities and Folk-lore of Worcestershire” 2nd edn – Jabez Allies (1852):

“Eldersfield.

There is a remarkable elevation in this parish called Gadbury Banks, which I examined in company with Mr. Lees. It is situated in the centre of what may be called a fine amphitheatre, is about sixty feet high, and of an irregular oblong shape, slightly rounded at the corners. Judging from a measure we made by footsteps around the top of the hill, it is about 360 yards long on the south-east side, 230 on the south-west, 390 on the north-west, 130 on the north-west, and 112 across the centre. The top is a dead level, and was covered with standing corn at the time of our visit. The sides are very steep and thickly covered with wood, except on the south-west and part of the south-east sides. It is admirably situated as a place of refuge, ambush and strength, being in the centre of a basin, and quite detached from the surrounding elevations. Looking at it from a distance, no one would suppose there is any land free from wood at the top. The hills within a few miles of it are the Malvern Hills, May Hill, Conygree Hill, Hartpury Hill, Corse Grove, &c. It appears to have a tail lying eastward, which was cut away, except the extreme point, and that was probably left as an outwork. There is a trench entrance along the side of the tail into the platform on the north-east side, and another smaller one at the north-west corner. It is thought from its position, &c., to be the site of one of the ancient British towns.

.....

It is probable that Gadbury may be derived from the Saxon Geata, who is supposed to be no other than Woden, although he appears in the ‘West Saxon Genealogy’ as a progenitor of Woden.”

From “Herefordshire Register of Countryside Treasures” (1981 H&WCC):

“Eaton Camp, Eaton Bishop

Triangular promontory Iron-age hill fort occupying about 18 acres. Steep natural slope forms only defence on N and SE sides except for short lengths of scarp a S angle with slight mound at E point. Rampart on W side about 10 ft, high above interior.

Location

Between Ruckhall Common and junction of Cagebrook with River Wye – along footpath from Camp Inn.”

From “Herefordshire Register of Countryside Treasures” (1981 H&WCC):

“Iron-age hill fort with a single rampart and ditch well defined at the N end, but rest badly eroded.

Steep hillside used as defence along most of north and south sides. Area is about 24 acres (9.6ha) which represented large hill fort. Name of hill (in Welsh) is probably derived from name of this site, meaning great fort, or hill.”

Apart from the hillfort, Craig-yr-Aderyn (Bird Rock) is famous as a nesting place for cormorants, despite now being about 6 miles from the sea.

It also plays a prominent role in “The Grey King” by Susan Cooper.

From “Herefordshire Register of Countryside Treasures” (1981 H&WCC):

Two round barrows close together, one measures 9 x 12m and is 0.75m high and an early excavation has left a depression in centre.

Old Shire Ditch boundary has cut off segements of this barrow to E. Some stone can be seen in its construction.

Second barrow shows traces of excavation which reveals mainly stone construction. This barrow is 1m high and 11m in diameter.

Location

On top of Malvern Hills, above Gardner’s Common, Colwall reached by footpath along the top Hills.

A pair of “round barrows” to the NE of Buckton Park Farm. From “Herefordshire Register of Countryside Treasures” (1981 H&WCC):

“Called tumuli. One is oval (about 81 yds x 62 yds) and rises 9.5 ft. and is surrounded by a ditch. The other is of irregular shape, but smaller. It has been suggested that these could be natural mounds.”

There are a number of ring ditches in the immediate area (see L.V. Grinsell “Herefordshire Barrows” in the Transactions of the Woolhope Naturalists’ Field Club 1993), but these two barrows have now been de-scheduled by English Heritage. Unclear therefore if they are natural (although the ditch around the larger seems likely to be a man-made feature).

Originally there were about 20 barrows in the area between the Onny, Teme and Corve rivers. Now three remain as visible monuments:

Robin Hood’s Butt (not to be confused with another site of the same name in south Shropshire) at SO489778 stands on the edge of Ludlow golf course. It measures 28m in diameter and is still over 4m high. It was excavated in 1884 and the cremated remains of a boy and a bronze implement were found. A tree stands on the barrow.

To the SE along the B4365 is a second barrow at SO496773. It is in the middle of the golf course (and near the racecourse). It also has a tree on top of it. An oval stone lined cist was found at the base of the mound, with a secondary cremation urn near the top of the mound.

The third barrow is at SO497770. The largest of the three (about 70m diameter) it has been ploughed down but still stands over a metre high. It has not been excavated.

Until the late 19th century, the barrows were considered to be Roman. Thomas Wright in “A History of Ludlow and its Neighbourhood” (1852) conjectured:

“I am strongly inclined to believe that the present racecourse (adjacent to Bromfield), which bears the name of the Old-Field, and around which there are several tumuli, was the site of a Roman settlement of some kind; and if the tumuli were opened their contents would probably be found to be pure Roman.”

To be fair, Mr Wright was pretty close – a Roman camp was found a couple of hundred yards to the west (just north of Bromfield itself at SO483775).

Description of the stone from “On The Ancient British, Roman, and Saxon Antiquities and Folk-Lore of Worcestershire” 2nd ed – Jabez Allies (1852):

“It is situated a little within the entrance of an oblong basin or amphitheatre, near the western focus of the ellipse, and is about twenty yards in circumference, four yards high, and nearly flat at the top. The basin resembles a dry dock, with its entrance upon the verge of the precipice of the hill, and is about two hundred yards in circumference. The stone, at several miles distance, looks something like the hull of a ship coming out of dock. I have no doubt that this basin is artificial, and that the earth and stones excavated were applied towards forming the inner agger of the camp, which is high and wide, and would take more materials in the making than could be obtained out of the vallum or trench. The stone is a mass of inferior oolite, the same as the rest of the hill, and no doubt was denuded upon the basin being dug, and most probably was preserved for an altar stone*. At the distance of about six yards before it, westward, nearer the precipice, there is another stone about eleven yards in circumference, and two yards above the surface; and about sixteen yards further westward, at the precipice, is a third stone, about ten yards in circumference,and two yards high. The former of these two stones was probably disturbed at the time of the excavation, as the stratification is nearly vertical, and the other appears to have been moved to the very edge of the (down which it seems on the point of rolling into Worcestershire), or the earth has, in the course of ages, fallen away from it down the precipice, and left it upon the brink. There is also another stone, behind and to the east of the Bambury stone, which measures about eight yards in circumference. All these stones are nearly in line with each other, and stand in an easterly and westerly direction; the one on the brink, stands on or near the site of the ancient granary.**”

*Mr Allies is keen on Druids.

**See miscellaneous entry under Kemerton Camp.

Dr. Treadway Russell Nash – “Collections for the History of Worcestershire” (1781):

“On Conderton Hill is a small oval camp, one hundred and sixty-five yards long, and seventy-one yards wide: tradition, which is better than conjecture*, supposes it to be Danish. Some few Roman coins have been found in the fields.”

*Although presumably facts are better still than tradtion?

From “On The Ancient British, Roman, and Saxon Antiquities and Folk-Lore of Worcestershire” 2nd ed – Jabez Allies (1852):

“At a land-slip at the top of Bredon Hill, which happened at the beginning of the present century*, a considerable quantity of wheat, of a parched appearance, and which had been buried in the earth, was discovered. This is supposed to have been an ancient granary, but of what people is uncertain. A specimen of the wheat was presented to the Worcester Museum by Mrs. Davies, of Elmley Park. Wishing to know the particulars, I wrote to Mr. William Prior, of Kemerton, who, in reply, informed me that about thirty-five or forty years ago, after a very wet season, as the late Miss Martin, of Norton, was riding along the parapet on the top of Bredon Hill, in the field called Kemerton Camp, her horse began to sink in the ground suddenly and rapidly; that however she kept her seat, and the horse, which had gone down about four or five feet below the level of the firm ground, sprang up and regained his footing. That so soon as Miss Martin had recovered from her surprise, she saw that a land-slip had occurred, and that she had landed on the firm side of the chasm, which at that time opened about thirty feet wide at the surface and about forty feet deep**; but that it is since partially filled up by the crumbling down of the sides. That he was at the house of the late James Martin, Esq. of Overbury, some few weeks afterwards, when a portion of the parched wheat, found in the excavation, wa shown to him and some other gentlemen, and the general opinion was, that it was part of the stores left behind by the Romans, Saxons or Danes, at the time when they were there encamped.

*About the beginning of the last century, a hillock on the side of the hill, containing about an acre, with its trees and cattle, slipped nearly 100 yards down.
**Some say the chasm was about 200 yards long.”

Inevitably there is a lengthy discussion on when and how the wheat came to be there, with far too many commas and the names of various local gentry Mr Allies spoke to. He concludes:

“Perhaps the best answer to the above is, that the ancient Britons parched their corn before placing it in subterranean granaries for long keeping*.; but whether it was parched in the ear and then thrashed out, or parched after it was thrashed, may be a question.

.....

*Similar subterranean granaries are mentioned by Tacitus in his account of the customs of the Germans.”

Indeed. As a postscript, deposits of Iron Age wheat have been found on Bredon Hill during modern excavations, for example in association with infant burial in a post hole during a 1937 excavation (“The Excavation of the Iron Age Camp on Bredon Hill, Gloucestershire, 1935-1937” – T. Hencken).

From “On The Ancient British, Roman, and Saxon Antiquities and Folk-Lore of Worcestershire” 2nd ed – Jabez Allies (1852):

“The name of this hill is probably derived from the Saxon ‘Wude Byrig’, the dwelling in the wood, and refers to the camp there. It is vulgarly called Howbury or Oubury Hill. Dr. Nash*, in speaking of it, says: ‘In the parish of Great Witley, the river Teme passeth under Woodbury Hill, remarkable for an old entrenchment on the top, commonly called Owen Glyndwr’s camp, but which probably is of more remote antiquity.’ ‘The top of the bank on Woodbury hill contains twenty-six acres two roods and twenty-seven perches, and if the dimensions be extended to the centre of the ditch, it would measure at least two acres more. This hill is distant from Wassal Camp, in the parish of Kidderminster, about eight miles, and from Kenvaur Edge about eleven.’ A plan of this camp, which is of a rather triangular shape, is given by Doctor Nash. A way passes through it from north to south.”

*Dr Nash – . Dr. Treadway Russell Nash (1725 – 1811), author of “Collections for the History of Worcestershire” (1781).

From “On The Ancient British, Roman, and Saxon Antiquities and Folk-Lore of Worcestershire” 2nd ed – Jabez Allies (1852):

“Cruckbarrow Hill, In Whittington

This fine conical elevation is most probably an ancient British broad barrow. ... It was in all likelihood used by the Romans as a signal station, as it overlooks Worcester, and the Roman Camp at Kempsey, and is nearly opposite to Powick: a few Roman coins are said to have been found here. In shape it is elliptical, and measures 512 yards round, within the ring fence at the base, and about 180 yards round the crown. It is commonly said to contain about six acres of land; but, measured horizontally within the ring fence, it contains 4A. 0R. 18P. The elevation is considerable. I consider the
is was partly a natural hill, but it owes its extreme regularity of contour to artificial means. The sides, which are sloped as evenly as a sugar loaf, are covered with a fine green turf. The ends of the oval stand east and west. According to the measurements which I have made, Cruckbarrow Hill is rather larger than Silbury Hill, in Wiltshire. Silbury Hill is said to be perfectly artificial, but Cruckbarrow only partially so.”

Jabez Allies (what a name) then goes into a great amount of detail about his research into the name “Cruckbarrow”. One older version of the name he finds in some title deeds is “Crugbarrow”, of which he states:

“Now, as the word Crug in ancient British and Welsh, and Cruach in Irish signifies a hill or heap, the name Crugbarrow appears to prove that the elevation in question was an ancient British hill barrow.”

Hmmm.

From “On The Ancient British, Roman, and Saxon Antiquities and Folk-Lore of Worcestershire” 2nd ed – Jabez Allies (1852):

“In August 1844, I visited part of Tan Wood, and found that the common had been enclosed about forty years previously. The scene, from the fine artificial tumulus called Barrow Hill, is very extensive and beautiful. On the east and south-east appears Bromsgrove Lickey. Further to the south, the Cotswolds and Bredon Hill. On the south-west, the Malverns, the Berrow, Woodbury, and Abberley Hills; while, on the west, north-west and north, are Stagbury, the Clee, Hagley, and Clent Hills.

Barrow Hill appears to be about 115 yards long, and 90 yards wide at the broadest part. In shape it is something like a pear, with the narrow part towards the west. The top is bare, but its steep sides are covered with a plantation of oak, fir, and various other trees, planted perhaps when Tan Wood House was built. There is a round tump at the eastern end of the summit of the tumulus, as represented in the woodcut [see images]; and the whole hill is very perfect in its appearance, except at the northern side, which has undergone some excavation.”

Stonehenge was visited by H.V. Morton (of bull-nose Morris fame) in the 1920s. He wasn’t impressed, it seems:

“How impossible it is to feel any sympathy or understanding for the distant builders of Stonehenge. It is a gloomy temple. One feels that horrible rites were performed there, even more terrible, perhaps, than the burning of pretty Berkeley Square ladies in wicker-work cages as depicted by the Victorians. Stonehenge is like a symbol of all the dark beliefs at the root of ancient theology. Here is a fitting sanctuary for the Golden Bough.

Even so, it is lifeless. The ghost of the priest-king has been laid long ago. The wind whistles mournfully between the monoliths, and sheep crop the grass on the ancient barrows which lie in the shadow of the dead temple.”

“In Search of England” – H.V. Morton (1927 Methuen)

A visit to Hetty Pegler’s in the mid-20th century was accomodated by all the necessary equipment (and the feeling of other presence) on payment of threepence -From “Companion into Gloucestershire” – R.P. Beckinsale (1947 5th edition Methuen):

The road-side cottage at the top of the hill and close beside the entrance to the camp, has a notice informing us that the keys to Uley Bury and the requisite candle and matches are to be had within on payment of threepence. This great Long Barrow, prettily known as Hetty Pegler’s Tump, lies just off the main road a half-mile to the north. Here in the corner of a ploughed field is an oval mound some 40 yards long by 30 broad at its widest. The lower end has been encroached upon by the plough, but the higher end, which even now is 10 feet high, is securely railed off. Here fine ogee-curved walling leads to the entrance, where a massive flat stone quite 8 feet by 4 feet resting on two uprights forms a portal, once closed with a stone.

Unlike Belas Knap, the portal of the slightly older Uley Bury leads direct to the chambers into which we can crawl. A dank, sepulchral smell comes from the darkness as we open the door, and as the candle burns brighter we find ourselves in a stone gallery over 20 feet long. The height is sufficient to allow us to walk about stooping and we can discern the projecting stones which divide the passage into unequal portions. Two chambers, also formed of huge blocks of stone, may be entered on the left, but the two similar chambers that probably stood on the right hand have been lost. A weird feeling of trespass, of undescribable watchful resentment at our intrusion, enhances the musty, earthy smell of this burial vault of forty centuries ago.

From “Companion into Gloucestershire” – R.P. Beckinsale (1947 5th edition Methuen):

“Near Eyford Hall some rough, grassy islands in a ploughed field mark the sites of four round tumuli and two Long Barrows, one of which contained parts of the skeletons of twenty people and a dog – just as if they had succumbed when mowing a meadow.”

From “Companion into Gloucestershire” – R.P. Beckinsale (1947 5th edition Methuen):

“The churchyard [at Lower Swell] actually encloses a small tumulus, and about ninety years ago, when the soil was being levelled for the foundations of the new nave, evidences of frequent early cremations were discovered.

At the same time, a monolith, known locally as the Whitlestone or Whittlestone, which stood a few furlongs to the north of the church, was hauled down, and many bones were found at its base. The stone, which no doubt formed the only surviving fragment of a Long Barrow, has been preserved in the vicarage paddock. The Horestone, a similar monument, still stands in a ploughed field half a mile from Lower Swell on the right-hand side of the pretty road to Upper Slaughter.”

From “Companion into Gloucestershire” – R.P. Beckinsale (1947 5th edition Methuen):

“Upper Swell parish has many things of interest for the archaeologist, and for the person who likes rediscovering objects that are not easy to find. The name Swell is probably derived from the O.E. ‘Swelgan’ meaning a spring, and it was to the waters here that the Neolithic herdsmen drove their flocks and herds from the dry pastures near Condicote and Kineton Hill. Buckle Street along the heights is dry as a bone, and the Dickler and Ey afford the only running water on the wolds east of the Windrush. The valleys of these two streams are dotted with Long Barrows and entrenchments, or to be more precise there are thirty Round Barrows, ten Long Barrows, and three camps. Roman remains are equally plentiful, and, although in many cases the barrows are merely grass hummocks, there is much pleasure in coming across these ancient sites.”

An account of a visit to the barrow in 1931, post-excavation but pre-recovering:

“There is no mound now, or only the wreckage of one. Its stone chambers, left roofless and open to the sky, prove that it was once a great tomb, planned like a church, with nave and double transepts, placed on a site that belonged as much to the heavens as to the earth. But the stones were meant to remain unseen – we have uncovered them and let the wind swirl in their empty spaces. The tomb looks desolate in decay, yet it still holds something of the serene and simple impressiveness which must always have hung about it. There must be more than earth and stones in a form that, destroyed, can fill the mind with the peacefulness of the eternal and make it seem no greater and no less than the living quiescence which keeps the hills stable and puts the wind which sweeps over them into place as a ripple on the surface of time. ... perhaps they saw as well the symbols of permanence in the untroubled lines of the hills, and when they had set their stone chambers on high, covered them with a long mound contoured like a hill, hoping that the hills would take it into their keeping and preserve it. We have not yet discovered a more certain way to immortality. Their works speak of aspirations as high as ours; their works are also as permanent – if we would but handle them with nature’s restraint.”

Elsewhere in the chapter:

“[The barrows] hold these hills with time, not against it; they look across the valleys and see no enemy but the man who levels their crouching form, sunders their stones, and, in a few days, leaves them more marked by decay than the wear of four thousand years. The least we could do after opening them – for age does not diminish the sacredness of the tombs – would be to pile up the earth again and restore the forms that nature would soon reclothe with turf and the turf-loving upland flowers. This is not a sentimental plea – it is what we owe to the memory of people from whom we got our love for downland and wold, the people who, unknowingly, left their works to entice us back to the spaciousness of ridgeway and hilltop after too much living in stuffy cities.”

From “A Cotswold Book” – H.W. Timperley (1931 Jonathan Cape).

Clearly the atmosphere of the Rollrights is not to everyone’s taste:

“By right of proximity, Little Rollright claims the Rollright Stones, probably of the Bronze Age, older than Stone Henge but without its majesty. The stones stand on or about the windswept ridge which is the county boundary: the situation is impressive but the stones are small and weather-beaten, miserable relics, as indeed is Stonehenge, compared with the remains at Carnac. Shabby fir and stunted elder add to an atmosphere of shrivelled evil, malevolently impotent, utterly outmatched by the good and the simple that drifted into these quiet hills and found a home there from distant Galilee.”

Joanna Cannan, writing during the Second World War without the benefit of carbon dating in “The County Books – Oxfordshire” (no date, Robert Hale Limited).

See also Folklore:

“The most tantalizing feature of all is an apparent sacred well or ‘ritual shaft’. The latter, which are often found within rectilinear earthwork enclosures, have a European ancestry going back well into the Bronze Age. Wilsford Shaft, on Salisbury Plain, may be similar to the Wapley example. Here, a shaft was sunk during the late Bronze Age into chalk to a depth of 33m. Recovered from the bottom of the shaft was a wooden bowl, bucket fragments (dated between 1470 and 1290 BC), as well as animal bone and other evidence in the form of pollen, molluscs and contemporary soil deposits. Both shafts appear to be the openings to the realm of underworld deities*, and as such reflect concepts found in the Greek and Latin worlds. In addition, containing votive deposits of pottery vessels, animal and human bones, and wooden figurines (both male and female in form), such shafts link the cult of the underworld with that of springs and water generally, where Celtic votive deposits are also found.

.....

The precise nature of the feature at Wapley remains a mystery; but the discovery within the enclosure of at least four unexcavated pillow mounds** increases the likelihood that Wapley was at least in part an Iron Age sacred enclosure. Perhaps the elaborate system of ramparts was an attempt to emphasise symbolically the share of the land apportioned by local Celts to their gods.”

From “Prehistoric Sites of Herefordshire” – George Children and George Nash (1994 Logaston Press).

*As evidenced by what precisely? The big signpost saying “Welcome to Hades”?

**I always thought that these were medieval and to do with rabbits (like the ones at nearby Croft Ambrey).

Directions taken from “Herefordshire Register of Countryside Treasures” (1981 H&W County Council).

“NE along minor road to Kerry’s Gate from B.4347 and just through hamlet in field on left side of road.”

From “Herefordshire Register of Countryside Treasures” (1981 H&WCC):

“Pyon Wood Camp, Aymestrey

Iron-age Hill Fort with double ramparts. About 9 acres in area including defences with one definite entrance at NE corner. Roughly triangular in shape and thickly covered in trees and brambles.

Location

Knoll 3/4 mile N of Church and W of A.4110”

From “Herefordshire Register of Countryside Treasures” (1918 H&WCC):

“Brandon Camp, Adforton

Approximately 3/4 acre Hill Fort with roughly triangular enclosure, having rounded angles and slightly curved sides with three entrances.

Location

At N end of Lowhill and 3/4 mile N of Church above River Teme at Adforton.”

From “Herefordshire Register of Countryside Treasures” (1981 H&WCC):

“Cherryhill Iron-age Camp, Fownhope

The hill fort is about 5.5 acres (2.2 ha.) in area and covered by trees and brambles. A prominent N entrance with large ramparts. The E and N sides are defended by natural scarp. Defences on the other sides are defended by a double scarp with wideberm and traces of outer rampart.

Location

3/4 mile NW of Fownhope Parish Church up long footpath.”

From “Herefordshire Register of Countryside Treasures” (1981 H&WCC):

“Bach Camp, Kimbolton

About 6.5 acres of irregularly shaped enclosure with total area of 10.5 acres, double rampart and remaining three entrances. Some of the earthworks have been destroyed by ploughing over the years.

Location

On east border of Parish 1.5 miles SE of St. James Church on south end of small ridge.”

The site appears to have been known by the name “King Arthur’s Tablet” – From “The Beauties of England and Wales” Vol VI – Edward Wedlake Brayley and John Britton (1805):

“The view eastward from Dorstone is impeded by a range of bold eminences, extending about ten or twelve miles in a north-east direction, and known by the appellations of KING ARTHUR’S HILL, STOCKLEY HILL, and MAWBACH HILL. On the summit of the former is an interesting memorial of British customs, called KING ARTHUR’S TABLET, a large and peculiar kind of CROMLECH, the incumbent stone of which, now broken nearly in the middle, measures 18 feet in length, and from seven to ten feet broad; its thickness is about two feet; its form more closely resembles an ellipsis, than any other determinate figure. The number of upright stones that originally supported this slab, appears to have been eleven; but several of them are now fallen; and the top stone has a considerable depression at one end; a portion of it has also separated, and the fallen mass fills up some of the vacuity beneath. Other smaller stones are scattered near the Cromlech; and on one side is a small mound or embankment of earth and stones: on the other the ground seems to have been hollowed into a somewhat circular form.”

Pretty comprehensive description from a pair of 200 year ago antiquarians.

From “The Beauties of England and Wales” Vol VI – Edward Wedlake Brayley and John Britton (1805):

“On the summit of Aconbury Hill, a bold and extensive eminence, partly covered with young wood, and commanding a delightful view over the adjacent country, are the traces of a large CAMP, of a square form: the rampart on the east side is very conspicuous. This was probably a summer camp of the Romans.”

The believed Roman-ness ties in with Rhiannon’s post about the local name being Roman Camp.

From “Herefordshire Record of Countryside Treasures” (1981 H&WCC):

“Aconbury Iron-age Camp

Single rampart surrounded by outer ditch, encloses 7ha. (17.5 acres) on N slope and summit of fort. Fort was used during the Civil Wars and probably modified then. Small piece of late Roman pottery found embedded in rampart, but site not excavated to date. There are two original entrances at SE and SW corners, the others being probably modern.”

Riber Hill is the place where Riber Castle was built – I remember going there as a kid, it had a very poorly looked after “zoo” type thing. It wasn’t built until later than Rhiannon’s source, in 1862, so may have been built over the top of the Druid’s Altar (or even used the stone!).

Here’s a bit about the castle (scroll down the page to “Riber”):

andrewspages.dial.pipex.com/matlock/matlockintro.htm#d

From “Belerion” – Craig Weatherhill (1981 Alison Hodge):

“Wicca Round was also excavated by the West Cornwall Field Club, in 1956-7. Lying in a fairly extensive field system, it consists of a compact though mutilated group of three huts arranged in a tight triangular plan. There is more undergrowth here than on the top of the ridge, which makes Wicca Round more difficult to observe than Sperris Croft.”

From “Belerion” Craig Weatherhill (1981 Alison Hodge):

“Sperris Croft consists of seven hut circles strung out in a line along the ridge more than 700ft (214 m) above sea level, exposed and windswept. The huts measure between 20 and 46 ft (6.1 and 14m) in diameter and were excavated by the West Cornwall Field Club in 1956-7. The second and fourth huts from the east have a small chamber attached to their southern sides. Although very clearly seen, little more than foundations remain as stone from them was used in the building of two nearby mines, Wheal Sandwich and Wheal Sperris. It is ironic that very little remains of either of these mines.”

Round barrows standing on the summit of Carn Bean, next to the radio mast. The Carn is very well known as a landmark, visible from Tregeseal stone circle and Carn Kenidjack.

From “Prehistoric and Roman Sites of the Cheltenham area” – W.L. Cox (2nd edition 1981):

“A Long Barrow, 189ft long, 100ft wide and 20ft high*. From the end of the last century it was covered with trees but has now been cleared. It was opened 200 years ago but the skeleton and grave goods have now been lost. The burial chamber in the East end measured 7ft by 4ft. Belonging to the Neolithic or New Stone Age, it is roughly 4000 years old. A footpath runs within a few yards of it from Greenway Lane south towards ‘The Air Balloon’ and passes the remains of a small and almost ploughed out round barrow, SO93521711.”

*Compare with Belas Knap: 170ft long, 60ft wide and 12 ft high – this highlights the size and (presumably) importance of this long barrow at the time it was constructed.

A warning for TMA-ers!

From “Churches of West Cornwall with Notes on the Antiquities of the District” – J.T. Blight, from the preface to the second edition (published 1884 after Blight’s death):

“By Mr. Blight’s death Archaeology has lost not only an enthusiastic student, but a hard worker, and it is much to be feared that his too eager devotion to his favourite pursuit amidst his daily toil brought on the illness which had so sad a termination.”

Don’t say we haven’t been warned.

A 4ft standing stone in the hedge surrounding the churchyard at Stanford Bishop. Another circular churchyard, indicating the possible christianisation of a pagan site.

From “Hereforshire Register of Countryside Treasures” (1981) H&WCC:

“Occupying southern and higher portion of flat topped hill. This early Iron-age hillfort is oval-shaped. It covers about 22 acres (8.8 ha.), is surrounded by large 35-40ft single rampart with deep ditch and now has four entrances.”

A minor road runs along the eastern side of the fort, which is on private land.

From “Herefordshire Register of Countryside Treasures” (1981) H&W CC:

“Occupies an area of about 28 acres, the enclosures being about 8.5 acres. Defences, which follow the natural contours consist of of 3 lines on W. + 4 lines on E, with possibly two main entrances. The interior of the fort has been planted with fruit trees.”

The fort is on land owned by Risbury Court:

humberwoodland.co.uk/history

From “Hereforshire Register of Countryside Treasures” (1981) H&W CC:

“Area within mainly natural contour defences of this early Iron-Age fort is about 24 acres, and, with outworks, camp covers about 48 acres, but over the years has suffered from ploughing and quarrying. Original entrances are at SE and NE ends. Apart from double ramparts, a very substantial inner one rises about 20ft above the enclosure in one place. Unusual feature is berm forming walkway along much of its length.

This is one of the most impressive hillforts in the County.”

Access to the fort is via bridleways running from Ivington (to the NW) or Brierly (to the NE).

From “Herefordshire Register of Countryside Treasures” (1981) H&W CC:

“Single rampart rises 1m or so above Iron-Age hill fort whose interior covers 8.8. ha (22 acres). Area under cultivation. Poorly defined NE entrance still visible”

The fort occupies a prominent position on a steeply sloping hill to the south of Ross-on-Wye. Access is via the Wye Valley Walk footpath.

Some information that may be of use to TMA-ers looking at OS maps of England and Wales, from “Field Archaeology – Some Notes For Beginners Issued by the Ordnance Survey” (1963 – Fourth edition), chapter entitled “Tumuli”:

“Today the term tumulus is reserved for those earthen mounds either known or presumed to be covering burials. Formerly a class of larger mounds, now known to belong to early medieval castles also received this name in error ..., but now are given their correct technical description or are described as ‘Mound’ in the appropriate type. All piles of stones are called cairns whether their funerary character is known or not, but the use of an ‘antiquity’ type will mean that the Survey believes it to be sepulchral. In some very lofty situations it will be obvious that they are not graves. Where a mound has a local name which clearly indicates the belief that it is a burial place the descriptive name tumulus is not added.”

Extensive excavations were carried out at Gwithian/Godrevy during the 1950s. The excavations finds and records have recently been re-evaluated by Cornwall CC Historical and Environmental Service. Regarding Bronze Age occupation, here is an extract from the www.cornisharchaeology.org.uk website:

“For the Bronze Age sites (GMX, XI, XV etc) recent radiocarbon dates show that the earliest settlement dates to 1800 cal BC with cultivation taking place within terraced fields and enclosures. The true extent of these early fields is unknown but plough-marks were found scored into the earliest land surface revealing well-developed farming and horticulture practices. Barley was grown (Hordeum sp.). Land snails indicated a broadly open local landscape and fragments of marine shells found mixed into the earliest soils with other organic matter, shows active manuring and composting. The ground plan of a remarkable round wooden building – a probable single homestead – set within a stake-built enclosure was found. Another major phase of settlement (dating to c 1500 – 1200 cal BC) was marked by evidence for extensive cultivation, great areas of criss-cross furrows found in small fields, and animal husbandry. A number of human cremations were buried alongside field walls indicating ownership and a powerful bond with the land. The final phase of settlement, which dates c 1300 – 900 cal BC, is more complex in character. In areas where there had earlier been fields, a small nucleated village was established made up of circular post-built buildings. Some were dwelling houses but some were probably animal shelters and workshops. The land around was still divided into fields many of which had been laid out generations before. Evidence for a wide variety of industry and craft activities was found: pottery manufacture, leather and bone working, fishing and small-scale metalworking. The demise of this exceptionally long settlement history was marked by the abandonment of the village and its burial under tons of settlement rubbish. The Bronze Age story at Gwithian over perhaps up to 20 generations of farmers is very much a story of people and land.”