The Modern Antiquarian. Stone Circles, Ancient Sites, Neolithic Monuments, Ancient Monuments, Prehistoric Sites, Megalithic MysteriesThe Modern Antiquarian

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paul1970

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Castle-an-Dinas (St. Columb) (Hillfort) — Images (click to view fullsize)

<b>Castle-an-Dinas (St. Columb)</b>Posted by paul1970

Gurnard's Head (Cliff Fort) — Images

<b>Gurnard's Head</b>Posted by paul1970

Assycombe Hill (Stone Row / Alignment) — Images

<b>Assycombe Hill</b>Posted by paul1970<b>Assycombe Hill</b>Posted by paul1970<b>Assycombe Hill</b>Posted by paul1970

Camp Hill (Kirklington) (Hillfort) — Fieldnotes

I live close by so i thought i might take a walk and have a look.The easiest an safest way to get here without running foul of the landowner is to walk down to the lakes off southwell road and take the footpath from the lakes to the A617.The path runs parallel to where you want to be..it means a quick dash from the path across the field to the site...if its been raining the clay soil will devour you!!..
The site is really overgrown and is a struggle to walk through..Wear boots!.
Couldnt really make out anything nor spot any visual evidence of a settlement.(Evidence of gamekeeping in the past is littered about, old cages, traps and LOTS of used cartridges!!).

The undergrowth hides the ground heavily though...

Zennor Quoit (Dolmen / Quoit / Cromlech) — Fieldnotes

I love this place! Came here with the wind blowing and heavy rain soaking me through. I sheltered in the old mine buildings on my way up from the 'Eagles Nest'... with night falling I sat with my back against the huge upright and sank into nothingness. Inside was where the ancients were laid to rest and in my thoughts I allowed myself to fall through that big piece of granite and sit with the old ones... with them I spoke and with them I knew all would be well...

Treen Entrance Graves — Images

<b>Treen Entrance Graves</b>Posted by paul1970

Creeg Tol (Natural Rock Feature) — Images

<b>Creeg Tol</b>Posted by paul1970

Carn Galva (Tor enclosure) — Images

<b>Carn Galva</b>Posted by paul1970

Treen Entrance Graves — Images

<b>Treen Entrance Graves</b>Posted by paul1970

Oldox Camp (Hillfort) — Fieldnotes

I can see this site from where I currently work and live, strange though how for months this hillside has taken my attentions so much!. I've stood and watched the sunrise over this place from where I work now many times.
This place is easy to find, turn left of the A6097 onto Greaves Lane, youll see the footpath sign on the right hand side, several hundred yards up the lane, park on the side and you just follow the trackway turning righ as you come to the woods, its easy from there!
First impressions... you can see for miles from here! What a vantage point!! To the west(ish) you can see what is supposedly known as Robin Hoods Pot, and down over to the southeast(ish) you can make out embankments and a ditch system which I would have interpreted as once being a small community under the shadow of this hillfort. Spend time here and it all comes together.

Visions came to me as I stood here, I saw a curved trackway coming from the northwest side of the embankment making its way up to the mound called the 'Pot' and more in the surrounding landscape.

Didn't enjoy standing on Robins Pot though, supposedly a burial mound, the feelings I picked up there ushered me along quickly!
Wonderful enviroment though, somewhere to breathe deeply and lose yourself and find yourself!!.. ;)

Must get myself a compass.

Arbor Low (Circle henge) — Fieldnotes

I havent been close to anything 'neolithic', be it stone or earth since leaving Cornwall last june, today i found myself here after simply jumping in the car and heading into the hills.Its wonderful here, the wind blows terribly strong across the stones, must have been rather difficult and still is i guess by the rather obvious evidence of pagan rituals here for those who did and do so here with such winds howling.I had the place to myself, being late in the day i was allowed to 'wallow' in the landscape here, the stones holding many many memories, the earth trodden over many days and nights holding the past within.First impressions as you approach from the farm are decieving, "just another earthwork" you think...until you find yourself abreast of these beautiful stones, shame yes that they lay flat, comparable to Stonehenge??, yes i would say so..
Markings on the grass banks of pagan origin seem to reinforce local use of this sight for ritual, the energies here also too...
Gib hill over yonder, presumably a burial mound so i read again, a very powerful spot.

To link with these stones brought images of many to me, when you dance with the stones, your footprints last forever!!.

Chapel Carn Brea (Entrance Grave) — Fieldnotes

Sat here earlier this year before I left Cornwall (Boo Hoo!) sketching with pastels in the fog that suddenly dropped upon me! Wish I could've crawled into this place as I find myself doing so with other such places, Treen Entrance Grave being a fave of mine. Easily located and worth the walk up the hill, it's a shame that the car park seems to be a meeting place for local swingers. I returned to my car to find several cars parked up, the couple in the knackered MkIII Escort really going for it (they didn't give a damn either!).

Gurnard's Head (Cliff Fort) — Fieldnotes

Wait for low tide and walk round the headland itself for an adventure. Sit at the sea's edge and lose yourself to the mermaids... wonderful place to meditate.

Also any dowsers would love the 'hotspot' that occurs alongside the pathway towards the headland. Take the right hand path at the fork... very over powering! Get yer copper rods out! Not that youll need them mind ;)

Bodrifty Iron Age Settlement (Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork) — Fieldnotes

Came across this wandering across the moors, wet and windy I had an idea it was in the vicinity. An iron Age settlement thats been left to the cows (mind the shit its everywhere), the remains of the roundhouse's walls are easily spotted, as is the 'pound wall' that surrounds the settlement. Very interesting place which stirrs one to ponder on the life of the ancient celts. Follow the yellow marked posts to find the 'Roundhouse', several fields away built on the site of a former iron age roundhouse is a complete full size one!, thatched roof and all the 'mod cons' inside!!, open fire and wooden beds!!..luxury accomodation eh!. An amazing reconstruction if ever!, used regulary by individuals/groups it seems id say, they ask for donations instead of an entrance charge.
I took a walk back to the ruinous remains of the old village, found a wind-free spot and closed my eyes...the village came to me in its former glory, beautiful.

Worthy of another visit definitely!!

Carbis Bay Longstone (Standing Stone / Menhir) — Fieldnotes

Sited at a crossroads aptley named 'Longstone cross', i pass this diminutive bugger most days whilst working, surrounded by tarmac and having a bustop for a companion, i once noticed someone leaning over it in a drunken state, im sure you can guess what happened next...years of exhaust fumes has taken its toll.

Madron Holy Well (Sacred Well) — Fieldnotes

A very very popular site with tourists, and locals, yet many actually miss the original well which lies half a mile from the baptistry, lying in very boggy ground, until recently imposible to reach.The local 'Earth Mysteries' group have now though made it more accessible if taken with care!!!.A stone surround now marks the location of the well, also uncovered recently at the site is a green mound, marking the location of 'St Madderns' bed, on which pilgrims used to sleep on as part of the 'healing' cure.

Drift Stones (Standing Stones) — Fieldnotes

Called in at these wonderful stones after a 'cleaning up ' trip to boscawen un(messy bastards left allsorts of crap, torn t-shirt, masses of paper, uprooted bluebells!!) THERE IS NO NEED FOR ANY OF THIS!!!..anyway back to the stones.It was dark as i jumped over the gate, the wind blowing through the almost 'knee high' grass, alike a gateway these stones stand proud, the sparks coming off the stones as i touched them were warm to touch, as were the stones as a whole, i would of savoured the moment a while longer, yet the thought of cold lager overtook my thoughts!, ill come back here and really lose myself to these beauties...

Boscawen-Un (Stone Circle) — Fieldnotes

The smaller circle by the rocky outcrop is used for 'occult' purposes ie witchcraft. Eight quartz stones with a cist at the north point, under one of the stones is a bag with drugs in, looking at it closely it looks like speed, its been there a while,its gotten wet and probably of no use, I intend to remove it on my next visit at the end of this week. Maybe somebody thought leaving it there would give it extra power!???, odd people indeed. The rocky outcrop and the circle sit on the path of a wonderful energy line which runs from 'boscawen un up to bartiney castle. There was at one point some jewellery left in the cist, and more recently lots of colored stones left on top of the cist, these have been removed along with all the crap that is left at 'Boscawen'. Also close by is a triangular shaped rock which could be what is known as a 'propped stone'. I've yet to confirm with locals.

Rosewall Hill (Cairn(s)) — Fieldnotes

A beautiful place, shame about the barbed wire fencing that criss crosses across the hill...covered with the remains of neolithic minings and 19ct mining evidence. Follow the sheep trails (I always use animal tracks) for the best walk. Many interesting *natural* features make this hill worthy of your time!

Carn Galva (Tor enclosure) — Fieldnotes

Carn Galva-where the giant 'choone' once lived!!, in my opinion a very evocative and powerful place!!...remains of ancient walls on the western peak suggest a settlement was here many moons ago!!..excavations from a 'barrow' that lies somewhere about the peaks revealed artifacts.Stand on the eastern peak and you can see for miles!!.'Men an Tol' and the 'Nine stones of Boskednan', oh and 'Men Scryfa' stone are all but 10 mins walk!!...Truly amazing landscape!.

Treen Entrance Graves — Fieldnotes

The northern chamber I've recently carried out *subtle* restoration work to!. A gap had appeared between two of the three roof slabs. I feel prior to me discovering this wonderful place it may have been in this state for some time. The hole in the roof I re-constructed with what was used originally, and looking at the exterior of the mound you would never know it had ever fallen in at all!. Old tea light candles suggest 'ritual' has taken place of some form in the past by persons unknown, these have been cleared out.
The chamber itself is a wonderful example, I havent yet located the others in the area, the land is thick with gorse (my pet hate!!), damn stuff resembles 'barbed wire'!!. Respect is due when visiting, you are 'not' alone as you sit there...guardians are appointed to such places for a purpose.
Five minutes walk up the road heading to 'Penzance' you'll find the 'Porthmear' stone circle (treen common) in a rather dilapidated yet inviting condition!. 'Carn Galva' dominates the area, the giant lives on up there!!!...

Sancreed Holy Well (Sacred Well) — Fieldnotes

Originally heading to Boscawen un circle, the weather changed to heavy rain so I opted to come to the well, wonderful place, very powerful and evocative, less the garbage which is strewn across the poor hawthorn tree!, still though I sat within the well, trance comes easy here..

The well itself flooded due to the recent heavy rains, and the surrounding area rather muddy, but neverless a beautiful place..I stayed for a couple of hours...it got dark and the well came alive!, as does the rest of Penwith!!..

I gave healing to the poor tree..after I had removed "all" the rubbish from its branches!...again it could breathe easy!..

Porthmeor (Treen Common) (Stone Circle) — Fieldnotes

In a ruinous state it may be, but this circle caught my eye as I drove past. Situated in wet moorland, there are signs that a fire destroyed all the surrounding grassland a while back, exposing this beauty! I've lost count of the stones, but there's a good few!! There's a strong energy here, not as much as others, but the power of the land is obvious. Very close to the road, but far enough away to sit and drift....
Enjoy it... I do, regulary.

Nine Maidens of Boskednan (Stone Circle) — Fieldnotes

It's wet here...always is! Wear good boots if you plan to visit. The stones may be scattered about, the circle incomplete but it holds a lovely feeling here, desolate yes, windswept and rain beaten, but I love the place. The stones are alive though, the walk from Men-an-Tol doesn't take long. I suggest a walk to Carn Galva if you have the time, a very powerful and evocative site. You can see both sides of Cornwall from the peaks of the carn.

Chûn Quoit (Dolmen / Quoit / Cromlech) — Fieldnotes

I was guided to the quoit by the "drums"... the beating of the ancients... I'd been out looking for Tregeseal circle, without any luck, it was raining hard, muddy and bloody windy! Coming to an intersection of trackways i heard the drums... calling me, to follow the track to the hilltop, I did so and came across an old friend, Chun Quoit. I'd been here several months earlier, walking from Men-an-Tol though that time, this time it was different, the area had a wonderful energy to it, it was truly alive... the sun was losing height but I didn't care as I felt at home here... I filled with emotion, tears came from my eyes... I could feel the "old ones " around me... my feelings were of that I'd come home at last! I'm sure you know that feeling. I didnt climb inside, last time I did and got wedged in the gap... standing outside was enough... such a wonderful vibrant energy... I stayed there for a good half hour... deep in thought, visions of the ancients flooding through and into me.

A visit by night seems a worthy cause.

Men-An-Tol (Holed Stone) — Fieldnotes

Well, on my travels across the moors by night, I prefer the night!, the moors really do come to life!, I heartily recommend it! (if youve got the bottle!), called in at Men an Tol about 11.30pm, been here many times in the day, never really felt anything positive there!, probably due to the huge amount of tourists!, well different story this time, such a lovely welcoming energy there!, I sat a while, it was hot!, I'd just marched up the side of Carn Galva!!!...hehe!. Absolute silence all around really made it special. No wind, nothing!!, perfect calm!!, the night is truly the time to appreciate these sites, they do come alive!, sit a while and absorb your surroundings, be as one with everything!, not trying to sound too hippy-ish!!, but I'm sure you understand what I'm saying!, stayed a while but then strange animal like grunting sounds close by ruined the silence so I opted to carry on with my trekking!

Boleigh (Fogou) — Fieldnotes

Well I arrived on a hot sunny morning, shorts, sandals etc., oh what a mistake! The fogou was no trouble to find, most of the surrounding trees and foliage has been cut down and removed (this can only have been done to allow more sunlight onto the ground to dry up the soilwork surrounding the fogou to prevent any further collapse), well in I stomped, straight to the back of the main tunnel and straight into a watery swamp! Not as big as Halligey Fogou I must say but such a nice feeling in here! More natural daylight manages to penetrate inside too. Well into the creep I crawled, over the large rock on the floor and left into the small chamber, sat myself down and opted for a quick meditation. Well, that led me into a state of semi trance... I'm not sure of what the knocking sounds were that echoed from the walls that surrounded me, nor was I sure of the presence I felt within the chamber, it was nice though! Not at any point did I feel like grabbing my sandals and making a run for it, I stayed put and carried on......Spriggans?? Piskies?? Who knows, eh?

Well dont just turn up and expect to be allowed to visit this litttle gem. It's by appointment only and only if its convenient to the land owner. worth the wait though, I'd say... set in typical wild "Cornish jungle".

Boscawen-Un (Stone Circle) — Fieldnotes

well after visiting boscawen un regularly now for several weeks(i live local , so its easy), i thought a visit at night seemed a good idea!, actually it was the night before the summer solstice sunrise!, well being a little apprehensive about possibly disturbing a working group of witches i headed for the circle, taking the easier route via the lay-by off the A30.What i can i say??, ive had some tremendous experiences at the circle in the daytime, but this ill never forget!!, walking down towards the circle in the dark(10pm ish), the whole of the circle was covered in a white dome!, obviously the energies were flowing!, i was suprised to see no-body there at all.... as i entered the circle, it was obvious there was huge enegies present, over the previous few days i'd noticed it building, even to the point of recieving electric shocks off the centre stone!.walking round i did my usual energy sensing using my hands, picking out the energy lines easilier than usual, it was a cloudy nite, very dark but the circle glowed!!, to be honest id say it was alive!, ever stuck a 9 volt batterie on your tongue as a child??, well that was the feeling i was experiecing throughout my body, the centre stone truly was vibrant!, to touch the stone was not needed , simply placing your hand near to the stone resulted in a strong "tingle".standing there in front of it it seemed to grow and tower over myself, showing its true might ...the quartz stone always exudes strong energy in my opinion!, to sit against it usually results in an almost guaranteed altered state of conciousness for myself!, tonight was no exeption!, the whole circle being of absolute silence, i sat there for a while unerved by the fact i was in the middle of nowhere basically!!, i was then joined by another person, made me jump to be honest!, just appeared out of the dark!, seems he 's a regular to the many sites in the area and we shared discussion on various theories of the circle, i really would know how this circle is worked by the group(s) that use it, which i know it is used, so if you visit please be very respectful to everything!, thankyou!.. Anyway i carried on with my own little workings as did the other gentleman, whilst sat between the two stones at the entrance on the other side sensing the energy flow through the stones with my hands it suddenly appeared!, a white circle of light flowing as a ring through the stones themselves(obviously the one i was sensing at the time!, this really was when the whole circle came to life, with such vibrancy and strength, i really couldnt move at that moment in time, it was a nice energy though, eventually the gent left and i stayed till the early hours...meditating with the stones produces very interesting results i find, moreso if u actually meditate on the idea of actually bieng one of them sitting between them!!.well dawn broke, the sunrise was poor due to the very cloudy sky, but the overall feeling in the circle was one of absolute peace, the energy levels had resided considerably but i witnessed swirling cones of energy visibly around the centre stone and on the top of the stone by the far entrance!, this is truly beautiful to watch as it rises and twists about the stones!.i sat nearby to the centre stone for a while longer, this site truly fascinates me, more than any of the others, i think mainly due to the fact that its the most powerful!, i visit the others regular, but i never experience anything like i do here whilst there.well the rain came, and looking at my watch it was 6am!, a night i wont forget in a hurry!. people may dismiss such experiences, putting it down to drugs , alcohol etc.......but i partake in neither!, what i experience really does happen, im sure many will agree!, the energies at boscawen are strong and can get alot stronger!, its nice to sit and wallow in them at times, but theres a limit....sit and enjoy, secrets will be revealed to those who seek them, if you visit the site, please please be respectfull to everything about you!, boscawen is lucky in the respect that it can be a real bugger to find and it ensures it wont go the same way as the merry maidens!!, trampled into the ground almost!!. unlike the merry maidens, it is possible to spend time here without seeing anybody for hours!!, this is the way id like to see it kept!, im sure i have many in agreement too!.well visit i say!, the long route is nice too!, just remember to turn right at the farm ok....good shoes advisable!, if its raining your jeans will get a good soaking too!, and the brambles on either path will tear you to shreds if you wear shorts!!, ive the scars to prove ok!!.
i dont use maps..i enjoy getting lost, and wet...

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