This article from the 1888 Proceedings has a detailed plan of the stones, and marks where there are “two holes in the upright stones on either side of the chamber, which are very remarkable.”
Rhiannon
This article from the Club’s proceedings in 1896 has a lovely sepia photo of the stones.
Eugene Byrne and Simon Gurr tell a modern version of the landscape and legends of the area in graphic novel style.
There’s also a page that explains how Vincent – perhaps the name of the giant here at St Vincent’s Rock – dug out the Avon gorge.
There is a well immediately south of the figure, at the top of the graveyard. JM Harte’s article summarises the wide range of folklore connected with it. (yeah it’s not to do with the giant, but it’s very near, and fertility features again).
The page is part of Katy Jordan’s ‘Tales from the Black Cat’ set of websites, which are well worth a look.
Paul Nash painted the site more than once. This link is to a watercolour held by the Tate. There’s also an oil painting on this link which could be the one owned by the Whitworth Art Gallery in Manchester.
Gough (in ‘Britannia’, above) describes the horse as 100 feet long and 100 feet from eartip to toe – but this is nothing like he drew it (see the link for the strangely distorted animal) – you can tell that he drew it from above the horse because its body is much bigger than its legs... I think we can conclude that it’s bloody difficult to draw an upside down horse whilst allowing for massive foreshortening. I’m even inclined to think this could also account for the wavy tail and that it’s facing the opposite way to today’s reality. The HFH charitably suggests that a printer error might have reversed the image.
(I’ve seen quite a few versions of this Gough drawing – I’d like to know which is the Real One!)
A couple of years back a cursus was discovered and partially excavated very close by. You’d have been able to see it from up here on the hill. This webpage seems a bit confused and calls it an oval shape, but I’m sure that can’t be right? Apparently it runs for at least 750m (east from the sewage works!) pretty impressive.
It does make you wonder whether the cursus was positioned in relation to the Ivel river, and also this hill (this part of Bedfordshire otherwise being quite flat).
I wonder if all traces of it would have gone by the time the forts were built?
‘Archaeological notes made by Captain Francis Dubois Lukis, H. M. ‘s 64th Regiment, during a visit to Buxton, Derbyshire, in 1865.’ in ‘Reliquary and Illustrated Archaeologist.‘
This detailed article is illustrated, and also includes text from Mr Bateman, who did one of his lightning excavations years before. The ‘kind farmer’ who’d lived there for 24 years couldn’t remember the place being previously examined. I’m not really surprised.
An animation that gives an idea of what all the timber posts might have looked like.
Definitely do not watch this with a hangover. All the zooming in and out is bad enough if you’re sober.
Ralph found this enormous stone buried in his garden a couple of years ago (as you do) and once uncovered it was Officially Approved by some archaeologists and put on the SMR. You can click through to some more detailed photos. He’s happy for you to arrange to go and see it.
Looking at the map, it’s very close to the famous Arthur’s Stone – just down the hill in fact, between there and the river. You can’t help thinking this could hold a clue to its mysterious story? (well at least in the strange alternative world of Rhiannon’s mind).
A granite cup found amongst the hut circles of Culblean – it’s got such lovely proportions and you can imagine it would fit perfectly in your cupped hands. Wouldn’t granite take a huge amount of effort to make so smooth?
Stuart Needham, Andrew Lawson and Ann Woodward reevaluate the original records of the burial’s excavation and how the artefacts were positioned. “The burial context of the Bush Barrow now looks more complex than we had thought.” They also use the records to discuss the chronology of the barrow cemetery.
Liam Donoghue’s page of photos includes an aerial shot of Knockma Hill, and another of one of its cairns.
A nice photograph of the two stones in their lofty spot (plus other info).
Some tiny pins (less than half a millimetre wide) have been found in a desk at Cardiff University.. they’d been there since the 1960s, but were originally unearthed at the Bush Barrow 200 years ago (I suppose at least they were safe and can now be examined with Modern Technology). It’s thought there were originally a staggering 150,000 of these pins on the handle of a Bronze Age dagger. They’re to go on display at the museum in Devizes.
Video spotted by Nigel Swift!
The earliest drawing we have of Stonehenge is from 1340, and many famous artists have drawn and painted this landscape. Archaeologists have also meticulously drawn the sites here. This article is about 6 artists who were ‘in residence’ during the Stonehenge Riverside project, and how they responded to the archaeological discoveries and recording methods.
Unfortunately no pictures.
An image of Spencer Gore’s 1912 painting of the Icknield Way.
The NNP website now has quite a bit of information about the archaeology, history and folklore of Simonside.
Okay so it doesn’t show the barrows, but David Hockney’s painting of Garrowby Hill gives a flavour of the landscape where they were constructed.
“The Breiddin Hillfort: A later prehistoric settlement in the Welsh Marches” – a CBA Research Report by C R Musson with W J Britnell and A G Smith, from 1991.
The umpteen finds are meticulously recorded and illustrated – and there are some unusual wooden ones which were preserved in a marshy area in the centre of the fort.
Short video of reckless types throwing themselves down the hill at this year’s cheese chasing competition. Naturally, first prize is the cheese.
Map fans searching for monuments are sure to like this recently completed site – it’s been produced so you can look at tithe maps particularly, but you can also look at 1870ish / 1910ish maps side by side with the modern OS map. You can zoom in and pan about to your heart’s content.
An article about the 1964 excavation, by J J Wymer and others. You can see the links to figures, photos and so on here:
ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/library/berks_bas_2007/journal.cfm?volume=62
The article does contain a nice map which handily shows the position of the barrow in relation to the many others in the area.
The Transactions of the Berkshire Archaeological and Architectural Society (1879-80) describes musings on an afternoon excursion to the camp. Includes a plan of the excessively wiggly boundary.
[Thank you to GreenOak for the revised url. TMA Ed.]
From the Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, volume 9 (1870-72).
“Notice of the Gallow Hill, Auchterless, and of Circular Foundations and Tumuli, and various Relics discovered there.” by James Forrest.
Gallows Hill is just south of Pitglassie stone circle. This article describes the wealth of prehistoric traces that was once there – hut circles, worked flints etc.
The Gallow Hill long bore the character of a haunted place, especially on its southern side, where it slopes into the howe of the Auld Yoch. Many a time, it is said, has some belated wight had to encounter the ghosts of murdered men whose bones lay bleaching on the hillside; and often, too, has the passer-by heard the wailing of some infant crying “Nameless,” ” Nameless.” But these superstitious fears, and even the traditions themselves, are fast disappearing. So much has the encroachment of human habitations upon, and the cultivation of, the hill destroyed all the ancient regard for it, that it would soon have been covered with cultivated fields, and all its antiquities would have passed away unnoticed, had it not been for the casual remark of a farmer who rents a portion of it...
Apparently the wording on the sculpture at the barrow reads:
At badocks wood ghostly windmill sails turn and like a rewound film spin through history to remote times when this was burial place for bronze aged warrior in that landscape wolves prowled and nervy red deer grazed while hog rooted among trees
This website has plenty of information about the wood and its history; the site is now a Local Nature Reserve.
‘Notice of Stone Circles in the Parish of Old Deer’ by the Rev. James Peter, in PSAS v19 (1884-5).
Includes some super line drawings of the stones at Strichen and White Cow Wood.
‘Our British Ancestors: Who and what were they?’ by the Rev. Samuel Lysons.
MA, FSA, and Rector of Rodmarton he may have been, but he did write a considerable amount of guff which you will have to wade through. I suppose it’s not his fault, but for some reason he thinks the Ancient Britons spoke Hebrew (or something similar), so all his theories are peppered with it.
Anyway, overlooking this, he owned the land on which the long barrow stands. He had been ‘discouraged’ by his father and uncle in his youth, but in May 1863 (when no doubt they were dead and couldn’t complain) he thought he’d have it dug up a bit.
What is so interesting are the illustrations – it seems that the two stones at the East end are very big (8ft 6” – can this be true?) and they had a low wall between them, and another large stone resting on them at an angle. There are also diagrams of the N and S chambers, with their huge covering stones. On page 160 ther’s a great drawing of the ‘porthole’ style chamber entrance. He disturbs the 13 peaceful occupants and their ‘finely wrought’ flints yet has the nerve to talk about earlier barrow diggers as ransackers and riflers; having been there today it makes me feel a bit sad.
From the 2002 Proceedings – a 36 page essay on the axe ‘factory’ at Creag Na Cailleach. The stone is a hornfels – it was created where the schists were metamorphosised by a hot (very hot) igneous intrusion, and created this hard, fine-grained rock. Since the late 1980s various axes found in Scotland and the east side of England have begun to be (re)attributed to this location. The axes were probably ‘roughed out’ on site, and finished elsewhere; the article suggests the source was used over a few centuries, intermittently, and on a small scale – and that the economic and social significance of the mountain can only be guessed at as yet.
Cross-markings and Cup-Markings at Duncroisk, Glenlochay.
E A Cormack.
p169 in v84 (1949-50).
An aerial photo of the monument, showing it surrounded by a scatter of natural stones. (As Moss hints in her forum post, it’s reminiscent of the Mother’s Jam near Avebury).
A Middle Bronze Age spearhead found on the Fell of Barhullion.
This super (and much older) carved stone ball also came from the immediate area, namely Stellock, which is the site of cup and ring marked rocks.
This area is full of prehistoric finds and sites – you’d imagine the Fell of Barhullion itself to be of significance?
On a Cromlech-tumulus called Lugbury, near Littleton Drew. By John Thurnam, M.D., F.S.A.
You can now read Thurman’s article from 1857 at Google Books, where it is scanned in as part of the Wiltshire Archaeology and Natural History Magazine. It’s on p164. There’s also a drawing of the barrow from 1821, which appears to show two upright stones at the far end of the barrow. Maybe this is an elaboration of the engraver’s – 1821 was when Colt Hoare excavated the site. You can’t have five stones in ‘three stone field’ can you??
This page could be useful for figuring out local placenames.
Another part of Helena Kennedy’s website promotes local studies in schools (including using real historical Cheshire placenames to devise new folklore) – and to keep the old dialect alive. She also has links to her paintings of various prehistoric sites.
John Piper’s collage of the hill, from 1938.
An aerial photo of the site- an Iron Age enclosure and two Bronze Age barrows can be seen cutting into the bright chalk.
Another page shows some Iron Age coins found at the site. They’re from the first half of the first century BC:
canterburytrust.co.uk/schools/gallery/gall05a.htm
More details in this document:
canterburytrust.co.uk/annreps/pdfs/2001/003.pdf
I’m surprised a story like this hasn’t been made into a film. William Lowdes abandoned his young wife and child, remarried illegally, and went off on a crime spree round the country. He got so good at stealing the mail, he got the nickname ‘The Postmaster’. Eventually they caught up with him and in 1791 he was hanged at Gallows Hill in Boughton (now known as ‘Barrel Well Hill’). His body was taken to hang from a gibbet on Helsby Hill (no doubt because of the smell), but according to Joseph Hemingway’s ‘History of the City of Chester’ (1831) “the gibbet pole was in a short time after cut down by some people in the neighbourhood, and was not again erected.” Just something gruesome to think about when you visit the fort.
A Description of the Deverel Barrow, Opened A.D. 1825: by William Augustus Miles.
The beginning of this pamphet consists of a fantastic amount of waffle. But then it gets better when he actually gets started on describing the excavation – and at the end are some nice drawings of the urns.
It’s followed by a description of the “coal money” found at Kimmeridge – round carved pieces of the Kimmeridge shale, from the coast south of here.
‘The Primeval Antiquities of Denmark’ by J J A Worsaae, translated (and applied to English sites) by William J Thoms (1849). So it’s dated in its theories. But it’s got lots of illustrations.
Includes photos of the rock, which is a ‘Regionally Important Geological / Geomorphological Site’.
It’s interesting that it’s the same type of rock as the Fairy Stones not so far away.
‘Devoted Churchman Donald Maxwell RA’ was converted to Alfred Watkins’ ley theories. He wrote ‘topographical detective tales’ in the 1930s, and this article by Stephen Daniels includes one of his prints to illustrate one of the novels.
Here’s a direct link to the picture:
tate.org.uk/research/tateresearch/tatepapers/06autumn/images/daniels_fig9large.jpg
“From the wooded heights of Anstiebury Camp there ran invisible lines over hill and dale.”
‘Vestiges of the Antiquities of Derbyshire, and the Sepulchral Usages of Its Inhabitants..’ by Thomas Bateman and Stephen Glover (1848).
A couple of pictures of the henge in situ, from the infamous Time Team programme, and useful links to other relevant webpages.
Aerial photograph of the hillfort.
Now you can read all about ‘The Experimental Earthwork Project 1960-1992’ in the report online.
Edited by M.Bell, P.J.Fowler and S.W.Hillson
CBA Research Report No 100 (1996)
Here are some nineteenth century journal articles about the carvings (online at Archway). They include lots of lovely illustrations.
Notices of Rock-Sculpturings of Cups and Circles in Kirkcudbrightshire. George Hamilton. v21 (1886-7)
ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/PSAS_2002/pdf/vol_021/21_151_164.pdf
Notice of additional groups of carvings of cups and circles on rock surfaces at High Banks, Kirkcudbrightshire. George Hamilton. v23 (1888-9).
ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/PSAS_2002/pdf/vol_023/23_125_130.pdf
A little on p81/2
Coles, Fred R. A Record of the Cup-and Ring-Markings in the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright.
vol 29 1894-5.
ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/PSAS_2002/pdf/vol_029/29_067_091.pdf
And this is about some cairns that were excavated not far away, ‘Notice of the Excavation of two Cairns containing cists and Urns at Woodfield, on the Farm of Highbanks, Parish of Kirkcudbright. ’ Another by George Hamilton, in v25 (1890-91). ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/PSAS_2002/pdf/vol_025/25_024_028.pdf
Geraldine Monk is interested in the ‘emotional geography of place’. This is a poem about the Three Tremblers barrows.
(with apologies to Ms Monk for my inability to link without yellow highlights.)
Website based on the Historic Environment Record of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority.
Varied stuff including audio trails you can download, a bit for kids, and good lists and info for interesting places in each area of the park.
(ta to Paulus for pointing that one out.)
The Prehistoric Occupation of Churchdown Hill – H. Hurst.
This article from 1977 suggests that Churchdown Hill was a fortified site in the Iron Age. This hill has been quarried and reservoired and generally messed with a great deal.
The Woodland Trust now manages the woods around the hill:
wt-woods.org.uk/churchdownhill/description.asp