pure joy

Mentioned by Craig Weatherhill, in “Cornovia: Ancient Sites of Cornwall & Scilly” (Cornwall Books – 1985, revised 1997 & 2000). “There is a sadly ruined tomb on the summit of Samson Hill, but this excellent tomb is situated on a flat ledge on the steep southern face of the hill, directly beneath a high outcrop whence one gains a superb aerial view of the site. 9m in diameter, the denuded mound is retained by a massive kerb still two courses high in places. The chamber (entered from the north east) is coffin-shaped: 0.8m wide at the entrance, 1.4m in the middle and 1.1m at the distal end. Six capstones, one of which is displaced, still cover much of the somewhat infilled chamber.”

Jeannette Ratcliffe in ‘Scilly’s Archaeological Heritage’ (Twelveheads Press, 1995) gives the following info. “At the eastern end [of Samson Hill] lies an oval cairn, enclosing a rock outcrop and surrounded by a kerb of 21 stones. A few metres north-east is an overgrown entrance grave; a mound, revetted by 10 nearly-set kerbstones and other natural rocks. The central hollow is probably the remains of a chamber”

Jeannette Ratcliffe in ‘Scilly’s Archaeological Heritage’ (Twelveheads Press, 1995) gives the following info. “At the west end of the hilltop, an irregular D-shaped kerbed cairn built against a natural rock has remains of a chamber running along the outcrop. Two metres north-east on a natural eminence of bare rock by the footpath is a simple cairn with a slight central disturbance”.

Jeannette Ratclifffe in ‘Scilly’s Archaeological Heritage’ (Twelveheads Press, 1995) gives the following info. “An oval shaped cairn built out from the slope incorporating at least three natural rocks, is revetted by an almost complete kern of large orthostats (21 visible) with a chamber extending for much of its length. The sides are of slabs set on edge, with some coursed walling. Five capstones remain, two still in place.”

Mentioned by Craig Weatherhill, in “Cornovia: Ancient Sites of Cornwall & Scilly” (Cornwall Books – 1985, revised 1997 & 2000). ”This Iron Age/Roman-British fort occupies a small hillside spur overlooking a deep valley to the east, rather than a hilltop position. Oval is plan, 167m by 150m, it has a single, well preserved earth rampart up to 3.7m high, surrounded by a ditch 1.5m deep. There are three entrances, facing west, north east and south east; it is not known whether all three are original. The site is forested, and no hut sites are known within the fort”

The only reference I can find to this site comes from a snippet in ‘The Earth Mysteries Guide to Mid Cornwall and The Lizard’ (Meyn Mamvro, 1994)….” ‘Three great stones’ are noted in the Lanhydrock Atlas, possibly a stone row at Pelgodu (SX04326207 – 04406199), close to Lesquite Quoit”

Mentioned by Craig Weatherhill, in “Cornovia: Ancient Sites of Cornwall & Scilly” (Cornwall Books – 1985, revised 1997 & 2000). “Like the Carland barrows these are sited beside the route of the main prehistoric trackway through Cornwall, which is closely followed by the A30. The prominent barrows lie in an arc on the highest ground in the neighbourhood. One, 3.0m high, is on the north of the road; the others, from 2.4m to 3.7m high, are on the south side. It is not known which of the mounds was ‘Burrow Belles’ which was opened during the reign of William III and found to contain a large burial chamber roofed by two capstones”.

Note – there is a typo in the grid ref in Cornovia – it should be the grid ref as given on this site (i.e. SW762483) or alternatively SW762482.

This is an inscribed stone and as such probably shouldn’t be on this site unless it is a re-used menhir? The stone is built into the south west corner of the church at Cuby.

‘Cornovia: Ancient Sites of Cornwall & Scilly’ (Cornwall Books – 1985, revised 1997 & 2000) gives the following info……”this inscribed stone, dating from the 6th Century, carries the words ‘Nonnita Ercilivi Ricati Tris Fili Ercilinci’ (Nonnita, Ercilius, Ricatus – the three children of Ercilings)”

‘The Earth Mysteries Guide to Mid Cornwall and The Lizard’ (Meyn Mamvro, 1994) gives no extra info.

Mentioned by Craig Weatherhill, in “Cornovia: Ancient Sites of Cornwall & Scilly” (Cornwall Books – 1985, revised 1997 & 2000). “This rectilinear earthwork, measuring 190m by 165m, was formerly believed to be a Roman camp. Excavation from 1968 to 1970 showed that the enclosure was of the pre-Roman Iron Age, but its most important period of use was between AD30 and AD130, when occupation outgrew the site and spilled into the outer ditch and surrounding area. Evidence was found of a road leading south-east to a mooring place on the then navigable River Fal; so was a great deal of pottery. This included amphorae and Samian ware, as well as Celtic Durotrigian ware originating from the region of Dorset. There was also evidence of iron smelting. Today only the northern rampart, 2.7m high, and its outer ditch are still impressive. Field walls overlie the west and south sides and the east ramparts appears only a low, irregular and spread bank within the field. An indistinct gap in the eastern bank represents the entrance which was found to have had a well metalled roadway. Large postholes probably held the supports of an overhead gatehouse. Excavation also revealed a small rectangular enclosure within the north-west corner of the site. The entrance of this was equipped with gate-towers. Nothing of this smaller enclosure is now visible”.

In addition. “There are a number of rectangular or rectilinear earthworks on Cornwall, for example Carvossa, Probus, and Merthen, Contrantine, which were formerly believed to have been Roman camps. It is now accepted that they were native-built enclosures of the later and Roman Iron Age, and not necessarily imitations of Roman design, for a number pre-date the Roman occupation”

Mentioned by Craig Weatherhill, in “Cornovia: Ancient Sites of Cornwall & Scilly” (Cornwall Books – 1985, revised 1997 & 2000) as “an almost circular enclosure, 90m in diameter, defended by a single rampart and outer ditch. Trebowland Round stands on a gentle north-east facing slope. The western half of the enclosure is the better preserved, with a 1.5m deep ditch fronting a rampart 2.3m high. The eastern half has been ploughed so that the rampart appears as a spread bank 1.0m high, with only vague traces of the ditch remaining. There is no visible evidence of internal structures.”

On National Trust open land.

Mentioned by Craig Weatherhill, in “Cornovia: Ancient Sites of Cornwall & Scilly” (Cornwall Books – 1985, revised 1997 & 2000) “This site is better described as a promontory fort. The Iron Age earthworks – two widely spaced banks and ditches, each with a central entrance – cross the neck of a thickly wooded promontory between Cowland and Lamouth Creeks. The inner rampart is the stronger of the two, reaching 3.0m in height and fronted by a ditch 1.5m deep. Within these defences, and on the highest part of the headland, is an oval bank up to 2.0m high, with parts of an external ditch. This enclosure is 115m from west to east, by 45m. The entrance faces west, directly in line with entrances through the outer banks. The fort is an unusual one and has not been excavated; however, this inner enclosure may be a secondary, perhaps post-Roman feature. The fort is cunningly sited in a semi-concealed position guarding the important confluence of the Fal and Truro Rivers.”

Mentioned by Craig Weatherhill, in “Cornovia: Ancient Sites of Cornwall & Scilly” (Cornwall Books – 1985, revised 1997 & 2000). “Past mining activity has damaged and buried the southern part of these Iron Age defences, but the headland still displays two impressive banks and ditches. Today these ramparts are 2.5m high and the outer ditch is 0.8m deep. A number of breaches occur in the defences, and it is not certain which was the original entrance. Recent surveys have discovered at least one hut site within the defences, and, at the time of writing, excavation of the site is projected”.

Note – the grid ref in Cornovia is wrong – it should be the grid ref as given on this site (i.e. SW758591)

On National Trust open land.

Mentioned by Craig Weatherhill, in “Cornovia: Ancient Sites of Cornwall & Scilly” (Cornwall Books – 1985, revised 1997 & 2000) “The headland is defended by a V-shaped Iron Age rampart and ditch 220m long, pierced by a single entrance 3.0m wide near the angle of the V. This entrance is somewhat indistinct and there is a scatter of loose masonry on its eastern side. The rampart, 1.5m high, incorporates natural rock outcrops and its ditch is 4.6m wide and 0.6m deep. The defended area totals 1.0ha; traces of iron Age dwelling sites have been found.”

‘The Archaeology of Hounslow’ by Gillian Clegg (1991 – ISBN 0951831901) says “William Stukeley…..made a drawing of one of the few prehistoric field monuments in West London – Caesar’s Camp at Heathrow….Since this site was damaged by ploughing in the 19th Century, Stukeley’s drawing was valuable evidence for the archaeologists who dug the site in 1944 prior to the construction of Heathrow’s Number One runway.”

“One of the most interesting settlement (sic) at Heathrow lies directly under Runway One. Here, excavations in 1944 unearthed an Iron Age village containing 11 hut circles and a rectangular building, thought by its excavator to be the remains of a shrine or a temple. Since Iron Age temples are uncommon in Britain this find has attracted a great deal of interest. It suggests perhaps that the site functioned as a religious centre for a larger community than actually lived within the settlement. The earliest phase of huts dates to the Bronze Age. The huts were subsequently re-sited and surrounded by a massive bank and ditch which was still visible in the 19th Century and from which the site derived its nickname of Caesar’s Camp.”

This earthwork is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, one the Albury Bottom part of the Common. Not had chance to visit yet. Seems like the big brother to the Bee Garden Earthwork (East) on the far south part of the common.

Unfortunately this is definitely a ‘site of’ and absolutely nothing can be seen on the ground except for the east end of the North Runway at Heathrow Airport.

From the limited amount of evidence I’ve gathered so far, TQ091766 should be the area where ‘Caesar’s Camp’ was, as surveyed by William Stukeley in 1723. The Heathrow Visitors’ Centre says that the site was just beyond the east end of the North Runway.

‘Prehistoric London’ by Nick Merriman (1990 – ISBN 0112904475) says that “the only definite prehistoric burial mound (or ‘barrow’) in the London area used to be in Teddington, and was excavated by a group of antiquarians in 1854. It was originally nearly 30m across and 4 m high, and contained at least one central burial (probably a cremation) which yielded a bronze dagger and flints, and various other burials inserted into the mound as later date. Unfortunately, only a few flints survive from this poorly-recorded excavation.”

The excellent ‘Hampshire Treasures’ resource gives the following information – “Bell Barrow – Angle Down. SU462528. Grass covered mound 25m. across by 2.6m. high. Surrounding ditch. Probable internal cairn of flints. Subject to ploughing”. This is a scheduled ancient monument, no.331.

Plus “Angle Down. SU462528. Flattened mound of flints 15m. in diameter. Probable bowl barrow with indications of a ditch. Under plough.”

The excellent ‘Hampshire Treasures’ resource gives the following information – “Long Barrow. South west of Upper Woodcott Farm. Grass-covered barrow situated on edge of arable field. Mutilated on west side by two chalk pits, now overgrown.” This is a scheduled ancient monument, no.102.

I thought I’d dig out what information the excellent ‘Hampshire Treasures’ resource gives on this site – “Ladle Hill. Unique example of an unfinished hillfort, showing features which would be concealed in a completed work. Ditch partly dug around the perimeter with top-soil still visible as irregular shaped mounds. scheduled ancient monument, no.43”.

And rather like Beacon Hill (over the road) the surrounding area is pretty much swamped with antiquity…

Disc Barrow Ladle Hill Camp – SU479569 – Well preserved barrow sited on hill slope north of the camp – part of scheduled ancient monument, no.43

Barrow – SU479568 – In area of Ladle Hill Camp. Disc or saucer barrow surrounded by ditch. part of scheduled ancient monument, no.43

Bowl Barrow (Site) – SU472562 – South west of Ladle Hill Camp. Low spread barrow, almost completely ploughed out. scheduled ancient monument, no.44

Bronze Age/Iron Age Ranch Boundaries – also SU479569 – Western edge of Great Litchfield Down to Ladle Hill. Partly destroyed by ploughing, but survives in certain areas as slight ditch with bank on west side.

Iron Age Pit Dwellings (Supposed) – SU477570 – Northwest of Ladle Hill Camp. Area of uneven ground, possibly settlement, preceding or contemporary with, the building of the camp.

Earthwork – SU477563 – South of Ladle Hill. Roughly square outline, now reduced to slight platform with faint traces of ditch. Part of scheduled ancient monument, no.153

Bronze Age Earthwork – SU475563 – South west of Ladle Hill Camp. Situated in arable field and covered in grass and weeds. Ploughing has obliterated all traces of bank and ditch on north side. Mediaeval sherd found. Part of scheduled ancient monument, no.153

The Earthwork to the West (at SU476569) is believed to be Roman. “Sited on steep west slope of hill and formed by erection of substantial bank on down- hill side of the slope. May have been ‘circus’ or pond.”

I thought I’d dig out what information the excellent ‘Hampshire Treasures’ resource gives on Beacon Hiull and the surrounds – “Beacon Hill. Well preserved contour fort covering 12 acres. Within this area are some fifteen contemporary hut sites comprising horseshoe shape scoops and circular enclosures. scheduled ancient monument, no.7”

And the surrounding area is pretty much swamped with antiquity…

Round Barrow – SU458569 – 150 yds. south of Beacon Hill Camp – scheduled ancient monument, no.318

Earthworks – SU455576 – Crossing northern spur of Beacon Hill. Cross ridge dyke or ‘covered way’. Visible in parts on air photographs.

Bowl Barrow – also at SU455576 – North of Beacon Hill Camp. Sited in fir plantation and covered with trees – scheduled ancient monument, no.290.

Iron Age Lynchets and Hollow-ways – SU456577 – Beacon Hill. Two lynchets halfway down north slope of hill with a number of later hollow-ways encroaching upon them.