treehugger-uk

My first port of call on what turned out to be one heck of a walk, s I decided to take in too many sites on a cold winters day with four hours of daylight left and only my sausage dog pup for company.

I knew this site was here but never really bothered about it until I read daveyrays description. I’d always assumed this place was a single barrow.
There’s two cairn circles. One is slightly more raised than the other, with 2 large boulders in the centre. The other is lower with smaller stones in the centre. Both have kerbstones, and both have depressions in the centre, presumably due to excavation. These circles are very pleasing to the eye although my photos don’t seem to do them justice. there are a few standing stones scattered about and various other structures too. There was also a strange structure in the field below this hill to the north, which took me ages to get to. It looks rather like an old beacon but the positioning of it cast doubt on that assumption.

It seems to me that this landscape hasn’t changed dramatically since these monuments were built (bar the reservoir). It certaintly feels very ancient and there truly is a sense of tranquility here. Give this site a visit. It’s a beautiful peaceful place with 360 degree panoramic views and no major roads/buildings within sight (or hearing) distance. Bliss!

First visited this site in summer 2003. I wasn’t quite sure what it was; A few curved banks and ditches with seemingly erraticly placed stones on top at irregular intervals.

Coming back here in winter though does make a difference because the banks and ditches are much more prominent. We have some unusual sites here in Lancashire. I’m not quite sure what this is but it seems to have carried on into the next field (but has all been ploughed away on that side). I’ve also posted an old aerial photo of this site, which makes the site look rectangular. This is the same shape for the structure marked on the old O.S. maps as the Ringstones, subheaded as supposedly Roman. Then again the map marks Hambledon pasture barrows as supposed Roman beacons, when they’re clearly not. Confused? So am I.

Visited this site again on 2nd January a little more prepared and with a touch better local knowledge. There are two structures in the immediate area, one being Worsthorne Stone Circle (although it feels like a ring cairn to me). The second structure is the Ringstones in the next field on the same footpath. I also mentioned an enclosed circular area in my last field notes, which turned out to be modern. The landowner had made it to fly model aeroplanes in! Back to the circle itself though there are definately two clearly recognisable kerb shaped stones that have been toppled, but a little kicking back of the scrub revealed another three stones making five in all. Not much left to see really but this area is rich in history its well worth combining this site with a trip to Hameldon Pasture, the Ringstones or Delf Hill.

Finding and locating this tomb has become a personal quest for me bordering on obsession! I first read about a 2nd chambered barrow on the notice board at the pikestones which mentioned the pikestones was one of only two chambered tombs ever found in the Lancashire area. So where was the other one I asked myself? I started a forum posting here called the missing tomb and got help from some of the members here (special thanks to rivington pike and hob) and also got help from a chap at LCC who kindly pointed out two possible sites of interest (I’m still investigating the third and will post results of my finds there too).
Back to the main event though there’s lots of archaeology surrounding the chamber some old, some a little more modern. Too much to photograph but I never expected an intact chamber as id seen other structures close by which could have been it , so I resigned myself to the fact it was on of those structures, which made me feel mildly disappointed at not being able to pinpoint it.
I was running around in the background taking photos as usual whilst my lady was enjoying the view, I decided to go over to her and contemplate the view too, as I did I stumbled across the chamber. I was blown away and just froze for several seconds what a find! A completely intact chamber fantastic! we both were delighted a truly wonderful find, more than we expected after seeing the sad state the pikestones were left in.
The chamber is roughly orientated east with back of the mound roughly west (I had no compass at the time) so don’t quote me on that! A great sense of peace surrounds you inside it has a very womby effect indeed after the wind blowing you on the plateau.
Although I’m happy to share this find please ensure care and respect around these monuments id hate anything to happen to this place, id feel partly responsible for bringing the monument to other peoples attention, but I guess its lasted this long and I know your all good people on here so enjoy!

A very elusive circle this one. I did chat to one farmer who kindly pointed out Ringstone Hill and told me it was no longer there. He had met someone 4 years previous who was also looking for it, and told me where the chap had said he’d found it (but there was nothing there to see). His directions pointed me to another farm where in the yard was indeed the remains of the circle now reduced to a circular ditch and nothing more. This farmer also confirmed it had been cleared some time ago. Imagine having a stone circle in your front yard and then clearing it? Tragic.

A very easy place to find directly accross from the picnic site marked on the map the enclosure is also marked on the o.s. map there are the remains of possibly 2 structures here firstly theres a small hill in the field with some low banks and ditches on top of it which are clearly circular secondly at the bottom of the hill some 30 yards away there is the remains of another structure this consists of a low circular bank of stones mostly fallen there are some large kerbstones and also a smaller rubble bank but this is mostly hidden by the undergrowth.
i first came here in summer and returned in october where i was able too see more of the structure maybe as the winter months go on i will visit again and be able to make out some more of this feature, but it looks to me to be the remains of a kerbed cairn although there is no mound in the centre.

I’ve been wanting to visit the Pikestones for sometime now and so on a crisp october day I decided to do so. Suprisingly they were relativelyeasy to find. Follow the road round past the Manor House ‘til the road leads straight again and there is a gate at the top of the road just before the road takes a sharp right. Park your car by the gate as there’s loads of room behind. The gate is at the end of a track leading straight on the Pikestones. Although not signposted, it’s in a field to the left of the gate. You can’t miss it. It’s in the top left of the field by the trees.

Once here you are immediately struck by the utter destruction of the site, although there is still a lot to see. It’s just a shame to see this site in the state its in. It must have been a very grand place at one time, but the thing that really saddened me was the lack of respect it had been given by somebody who had actually stuffed crisp wrappers, a Pot Noodle carton and baby wipes in the burial chamber itself along with other rubbish. Do people not know this place contained burials? It’s a grave, a final resting place of once great people, and they deserve the dignity they were placed here with. Anyway I cleared the site of rubbish and that was an end to that I hope.

I did not find the stone circle nearby which was mentioned although there are lots of earthworks here (too many too photograph). One thing does intrigue me though. The info board mentions this is one of only two chambered tombs found in Lancashire. Does anyone know which the other was? All in all a beautiful place and fantastic views. You sometimes forget how beautiful Lancashire is, and this place indeed reminds you.

On one of my many trawls around the moors behind Nelson looking for those elusive monuments (and there are quite a few round here) I chanced across this place – Wow what a suprise!

There’s banks and ditches everywhere which are quite confusing to work out where one starts and the other ends! On a warmer day I will come back here and map this thing out. So if you are in this area don’t miss this one out.

DIRECTIONS
From jctn 12 I drove through Nelson towards the town centre just follow the through traffic, ‘til you come to traffic lights where you can only turn left or right. Turn right and follow the road through, bearing right. Keep following the road, turning right again at a mini roundabout. Follow this road for quite a while ‘til you see a sign for the activity centre on your right (almost leaving Nelson). Take the right there and at the top of that road which turns into a country lane take a left signposted to the activity centre. Follow this road to the end and if you look left at the end of the road it’s right there. However if you turn right about a 100yards down on the left hand side of the road, there’s a huge gravel verge for you to park on

I first visited this site in February of this year, but heard about more circles within a few hundred yards of this so decided to come back but the grass was so much longer this time.

There are apparently three circles in this area and all of them very hard to find. I did find one though and I believe this to be the remains of Worsthorne Hill Stone Circle. There is another stone circle on the O.S. map (apparently next to it) that I could not find, although there was a fenced off area circular in shape and mowed in the first field to the left of the footpath (any ideas guys?).

Crossing into the 2nd field looked more promising a series of banks and ditches appeared although on further inspection this turned out to be the remains of an old rubbish tip, complete with two ruined tractors (lovely!). Worsthorne Stone Circle is in this field, but it’s hard to see when the grass is long because the stones are very low.

Anyway I’ve posted photos of the circular enclosure and the remains of Worsthorne take a look and see what you think.

DIRECTIONS
Taking the road east through the village of Worsthome (TIP: if you go to the first pub on your right don’t make a comment to the barmaid about how quiet the pub is!). The church is on your left hand side of the road. Take the left turn just before the church and follow the road down (it turns into a track). Go down the track a little, brown edge farm is on your right here. Park just after the farm. There is a gate with a stile next to it on your left – this is the first field with the circular ring in it. As I mentioned, this could be nothing, but it’s a good indication that your in the right field. Follow the path into the next field and there’s a blue ruined tractor/roller by the side of the path and also a ruined beige coloured one. Make a line from the blue to the beige tractor and keep going. In the field and you will see the remains of Worsthorne Stone Circle. Happy hunting!