A suspicious wee standing stone. Could either be the remains of a 17th/18th C boundary stone, or possibly a much older standing stone. Very near the point where many of the paths over this moor meet.
Image credit: Andy H
Kozmik_Ken
The other side of the re-used cup marked rock, bearing the boundary inscription D for Denton.
Image credit: Andy H
Apronfull of Stones from near Yordas Cave.
There are a number of cairns around Yorkshire with similar names such as the Great and Little Skirtfull of Stones on Ilkley Moor.
Image credit: Andy H
As juamei says, nothing much to be seen here. Slight traces of the ditches can still be just about made out, best viewed from the parking place a little way along the road, rather than the track.
A beautifully preserved Round Barrow can be seen from the road. It still retains much of it’s height and has a clearly defined ditch around it’s base.
More barrows exist is the woods, but as we were short of time, we didn’t bother to check on accesibilty.
West Rudham South TF810253
A second long barrow can be found nearby, just behind the woods alongside the road.
It is well overgrown with bracken and has a young oak tree growing on it’s southern end. Traces of ditches alongside the length of the barrow can still be found.
Description and pic of the 1829 coin hoard found at Castle Hill.
From huddersfield1.co.uk
CROSLAND MOOR.
The earthwork which the Ordnance Survey marks here is now almost obliterated. There remain only a slight depression and a mound of a half oval shape. In Watson’s day the remains were much more imposing. He describes “a couple of remains at a very small distance from each other on Crosland Moor, in the parish of Huddersfield; one of these is seventy-seven yards by sixty-four; but the greatest part of it, when I saw it, in 1759, was inclosed with a wall, and intended to be ploughed up. The other ninety-eight yards by eighty-seven. The vallum of this last was six yards and about one foot wide. The smaller has the appearance of a square angle, and the larger was rounded off a little at the corners. In the larger of them was found when it was ploughed up, three ancient mill-stones, each one foot in diameter, and eleven hollow places, two or three yards long apiece, and three quarters deep, or thereabouts.” He goes on to say that the people called them Stot-folds, but could not explain the meaning of the term, and Watson suggests that it is the same word exactly as the Saxon for stables. The depressions would then, he suggests, represent huts. He insists that this is not a military work, and is obviously right on this point; but it is guess-work, and bad guess-work too, when he connects this work with Castle Hill, Almondbury, seeing in it a farm belonging to the garrison. This suggestion is quite baseless. Castle Hill, if it was one of the usual type of hill forts, that it, only used as a place of refuge in times of stress, never had a “garrison” in the strict sense of the term until Norman days, and it is no argument that Castle Hill is to-day visible from Crosland Moor.
huddersfield1.co.uk/huddersfield/tolson/early_man/earthworks_ctor.htm
Vital clues into how ancient Britons lived thousands of years ago have been unearthed on a bypass site. Among the items uncovered along the A142 between Newmarket and Fordham (Cambridgeshire, England) include skeletons from the Bronze Age and Iron Age, along with a body from Roman times. Flints and pottery, buried since the Neolithic period around 4,500 years ago, have also been discovered, and will now be cleaned and carefully examined to help experts learn more about the history of East Anglia’s ancestors.
“It is very exciting. We have found an awful lot of archaeology in general at the Fordham bypass site,” said Richard Mortimer, project officer at Cambridgeshire County Council’s archaeology field unit. “We found skeletons from the Bronze Age and Iron Age, along with a Roman skeleton and some lovely other pieces, such as flints and pottery. We have also found large, pit-like shafts and a couple of Roman roads – all manner of things which are very rich and very prehistoric. Finding skeletons is not that unusual, but to find the amount of pieces we did, from difference periods but all in the same place, is very rare.”
One of the skeletons dates back around 6,000 years, and coincides with the birth of farming. “This is the first evidence of people settling down and becoming more sedentary, after we had stopped being hunter-gatherers,” added Mr Mortimer. The pieces will be sent away to specialists and cleaned, which will take up to a year.
The team were asked to move onto the site before work begins on the Fordham bypass scheme in July. They then spent around 12 weeks painstakingly clearing the area, using pick axes and shovels, before uncovering all the archaeological gems the site has to offer.
Source: Archeo News/East Anglian Daily Times (11 June 2004)
eadt.co.uk/homeStory.asp?Brand=EADONLINE&Category=NEWS&ItemId=IPED10+Jun+2004+20%3A15%3A34%3A240
The fylfot motif is very similar to the Iron Age ‘Camunian Rose’ design of Valcamonica, in Northern Italy. This is a design based around a cross of nine cups, with an interweaving groove. Not always in a ‘swastika’ pattern.
The Roman Fort at Ilkley (which may or may not have been named Olicana), was at one point the station of the Second Cohort of Lingones, who were originally recruited from among the Lingones tribe inhabiting the Adriatic coast of Northern Italy, the old province of Cisalpine Gaul. They were stationed at Ilkley during the 2nd century AD.
It seems very likely, that the swastika was carved by one of the Lingones Celts during the Romano-British period.
Known by the Romans as Rigodunum (possibly a corruption of Rig (Ri) Dun – King’s Fort), Ingleborough was fortified by Venutius during his civil war with Cartimandua, and rebellion against the Romans, from 55 – 71 BC.
Venutius was later defeated by the Romans at Stanwick Camp.
There is much history and folklore attached to this hill.
Queen Cartimandua of the Briganitines is said to have used the hill as her stronghold during the Brigantine Civil War against her ex-husband Venutius.
Cartimandua was a client ruler of the Romans. When she handed the fugitive Caratacus over to Rome, Venutius divorced her. She took his brothers and kinfolk captive, which led to civil war between 55 – 71 AD.
However, no archaeological evidence has been found of this and as the fort was abandoned around 400 BC, it seems unlikely.
The Norman castle built on the hill during the 12th century probably wiped away any archaeological traces, if Cartimandua’s camp had been there.
The Roman name for the hill was Camulodunum (not to be confused with Colchester), which has lead to suspicions that Castle Hill was Arthur’s Camelot. There certainly was a 5th century King of the Pennines called Arthius, but no proof that he inhabited Castle Hill has been found.
Other folklore is that tunnels lead from the hill, one to the Deadmanstone at Berry Brow, and another to Almondbury.
The Devil is said to have leaped to Castle Hill from Netherton Scar (where he left his footprint), some eight miles away. This may be a memory of the fire at the hillfort which lead to it’s abandonment.
The hill is also said to be the lair of a dragon which guards a golden cradle.
Australia has a Swastika Stone of its own
In light of the recent claims of author Terry Deary, a design similar to the Ilkley Moor Swastika Stone has surfaced on rocks near Brisbane, Australia.
The design is etched into the face of a small boulder and measures 1090mm in height and 970mm in width. It closely resembles the design of the ‘Camunian Rose’ motif (based on a cross of nine cups surrounded by an interweaving groove), found in Valcomonica, Northern Italy.
The Swastika, sometimes known as the Fylfot, is a widely used symbol found all over Europe and Asia. In Britain, it is thought to have been a solar symbol and a symbol of the Celtic Goddess Brigit (also known as Brig, Brid, Bride, Brigantia and the christianised St Bridgit), but was previously unknown in Australia.
It is not known how old the carving is, but was discovered by the finder two years ago.
Pics and diagram:
themodernantiquarian.com/post/28464
themodernantiquarian.com/post/28467
Source: Personal Correspondence
Traced diagram of Aussie Swastika Stone.
Image credit: Andy H
Located in a forest near Brisbane, Australia. The carving is hard to see in these photos, but closely resembles the Camunian Rose design of Valcomonica, Northern Italy and the Ilkley Moor Swastika Stone.
Image credit: David Bird
Located in a forest near Brisbane, Australia. The carving is hard to see in these photos, but closely resembles the Camunian Rose design of Valcomonica, Northern Italy and the Ilkley Moor Swastika Stone.
Image credit: David Bird
Located in a forest near Brisbane, Australia. The carving is hard to see in these photos, but closely resembles the Camunian Rose design of Valcomonica, Northern Italy and the Ilkley Moor Swastika Stone.
Image credit: David Bird
Peak Park bosses and quarry chiefs are locked in a legal battle over the rights to extract stone from a controversial quarry where eco-warriors have been camped for four years. Planners at the National Park Authority listed Endcliffe and Lees Cross Quarries at Stanton Moor (England) as dormant because there had been no significant working in them for many years. But quarry owners are making a legal challenge in the High Court against the listing.
Park bosses say they are determined to defend the challenge, even though it could leave them with a huge legal bill, in order to uphold their primary purpose of protecting the Peak District’s special qualities. Councillor John Bull, the authority’s planning committee chairman, said the course of action is essential to reduce the risk of environmental harm to an area that is of nationally-important archaeological and historical interest. “It is absolutely crucial to establish the legal status of the quarries, as this affects our ability to impose modern working conditions on the operations based on the existing planning permission which dates back to 1952,” he added. “If we do not defend the challenge, the quarries will be deemed to be ‘active’ making it more difficult to impose any conditions to limit the effects of quarrying. “Future working could then lead to significant environmental damage and disturbance to communities living nearby.
The High Court hearing is currently taking place in London. Protesters set up camp in the quarry four years ago amid fears that new workings could create a landslip and destroy nearby Bronze Age burial grounds, including the Nine Ladies stone circle.
Source: Archaeo News (22 May 2004)
Kilmartin House Museum is an independent charitable institution established in Scotland in 1994. The impetus for the museum was the rich archaeological and ecological heritage of the area, which includes nationally important monuments such as Dunadd, a great density of prehistoric rock carvings, cairns and standing stones as well as outstanding environmental habitats.
After the initial development phase, the institution has been funded through ticket sales and income generated in the shop and café. However, as with all museums, that will never be enough. If KHM are not able to persuade national and local government bodies and other agencies of our worth, and secure further funding, the Museum will have to close. They currently receive no core funding from local or national government.
If you think it’s important that Kilmartin House Museum doesn’t close, you can help. KHM needs to persaude local and national government that the Museum is worthy of support, so you can call into the museum, sign the online petition (kilmartin.org/) or write to the Chief Executive of Argyll and Bute Council: Mr James McLellan – Chief Executive Argyll and Bute Council, Kilmory, Lochgilphead Argyll PA31 8RT Scotland. So that KHM can monitor support, please also copy your letter to the Curator, Dr Sharon Webb, Kilmartin House Museum, Kilmartin, Argyll, PA31 8RQ, [email protected]. The petition will be sent to Argyll and Bute Council and copies will be sent to the Scottish Executive.
Source: Archaeo News (22 May 2004)
A small boulder bearing a cup and double ring near the Cow n’ Calf to the east and in sight of the Cow n’ Calf pub. You have to dive in n’ out of the bracken to find this one. SE1335 4645.
Image credit: Andy H
Plan of Arminghall Henge from Evan Hadingham’s ‘Circles and Standing Stones’. Illustration by Cowling 1940.
Image credit: Cowling 1940
Archaeologists will have a greater understanding of the lives of the people who built great ritual monuments following excavations at one of Scotland’s largest rural settlements. A dig at a new housing development in Dreghorn, Ayrshire, has revealed major medieval remains and Neolithic features including the site of a ceremonial pole, houses and a pottery kiln.
The site suggests a 5000-year-old village similar in scale to the group of stone houses at Skara Brae, Orkney. Large amounts of grooved ware pottery, a decorated ceramic that seems to have evolved in Scotland and is found across the UK at ceremonial monuments including henge earthworks and timber structures, were also found.
Tom Addyman, excavation director of Addyman Associates, who carried out the ongoing dig at the housing development, said: “This was part of a five-acre development where it was suspected from documents, including an aerial photograph taken in the 1940s, that there was evidence of prehistoric remains. Once we had gone in and tested the ground by cutting strips across the land, we found two or three corn-drying kilns. Very often these kilns caught alight and the grain turned to charcoal that could be dated to the thirteenth century. There had been a hint of prehistory but we excavated a two-acre trench and at the top of the slope there was a great deal more prehistoric activity behind the village street.”
Mr Addyman added: “We found 750-odd pieces of grooved ware, which is one of the largest collections in the south-west of Scotland. The area is now known as a type site for the Neolithic period, which means that all other sites will be compared to this one.”
Mike Pitts, editor of British Archaeology magazine, said: “Finding evidence at this date for settlement, in the form of building foundations and for pottery making, is extremely rare, and promises to help us understand the lives of the people who built the great ritual monuments like henges and early stone circles.”
Source: The Herald (19 April 2004) & Stone Pages
A view over the fields which once contained a henge and D shaped enclosure, near Arminghall Henge.
Image credit: Andy H
Not much at all to see on the ground, and access is poor as it’s used as a horse riding field now... but ariel photography has shown a henge and D shaped enclosure once stood in theses fields, just a spit away from Arminghall Henge at the southern tip of Norwich.
Looking over the very slight dip in the ground that was once Arminghall Henge.
Image credit: Andy H
A cup and ring stone re-used as a boundary stone. The other side of this stone bears the 18th C carving of a ‘D’ for Denton.
Image credit: Andy H
The track leading from Round Hill towards High Badger Gate on the boundary of Middleton and Denton. The standing stone is a mile stone (or stoop) for Ilkley and Ripon.
Image credit: Andy H
The high path running along the ridge from Round Hill to Ellacar Pike is an ancient trade route above Middleton and Denton Moors. This is supported by a number of boundary stones bearing 18th C ‘D’ and ‘M’ inscriptions when it was still regarded as a significant landmark. One fallen boundary stone is a reused cup marked rock and there are still a number of old milestones around these paths. Both Middleton and Denton Moors contain a number of cup and ring marked stones.
A number of paths meet at High Badger Gate, which is possibly the site of an old market.
Malham Cove and nearby field systems.
Image credit: Andy H
Take the footpath down to Malham Cove and look up on the hillsides around you, they still bear the prominent cultivation terraces and settlements of Bronze Age farmers, later reused by the Saxons.
Previously a Victorian Showcave in which evidence of early human habitation was found. A wonderful place to spend an afternoon exploring with a torch. The highlight being the underground waterfall chamber at the back of the cave.
You’ll find it just over the river from the Apronfull of Stones cairn.
To illustrate the appauling damage that has been done to this great stone.
Image credit: Andy H
A cluster of rocks just north of the main stone bear cup marks.
Image credit: Andy H
‘Entrance’ stone to Willy Hall’s Wood, with what are probably natural cups. None the less, I feel strongly that this stone had a significance in its position.
Image credit: Andy H
An easy route is to approach from the east over Ilkley Crags and past the Pepperpot Rock, this brings you to the back of Willy Hall’s Wood.
This is one of my favourite spots to while away time on these moors. The atmosphere is buzzing and it’s not hard to see why this would have been a sacred spot in prehistoric times... in fact, it still is now. Willy Hall’s Wood is a mound surrounded by two streams which drain off of Green Gates and join again at the bottom of the mound at Willy Hall’s Spout. The stream then flows down into Ilkley under Brooke Street and joins the Wharfe at the bridge near the Roman Fort of Olicana.
Near the crossing of the eastern stream is an upright boulder with a number of large bowls or cups on it’s eastern face. I’m uncertain whether they were fashioned or are natural (I have seen many similar features on a number of rocks around Ilkley Moor), but I am certain that it’s not there by accident and feels very much like an ‘entrance’ to the site. A few yards north of the main rock is a cluster of small boulders, one of which has a small cup on it’s top.
Unfortunately, Willy Hall’s Wood Stone still bears the marks of someone’s utter stupidity. As previously shown here, someone has followed the design in red paint and added runic nonsense to the north facing side of the stone. The paint seems to be an acrylic and has dried to a rock hard, matt finish which will take decades to weather away naturally. A curse on the backward thinking motherf*cker.
Still, even this vandalism can’t detract from the beauty and sacred intent of this spot.
Much of what is here is poorly accessible due to the thick forestry plantation, but as the woodland is up for sale, the trees may be harvested soon. A few rocks exist in the heather nearby and a large boulder (now a boundary stone) set into the wall bears dozens of cup marks on its upper surface.
Cup marks on upper surface of rock now used as a boundary stone in plantation wall.
Image credit: Andy H
The two bowls at the Hangingstones.
Image credit: Andy H
The Fairie’s Kirk (or Parlour). A recess under the Hangingstones outcrop.
Image credit: Andy H
A recent heather fire has revealed parts of the structure previously hidden.
Image credit: Andy H
A recent heather fire has revealed parts of the structure previously hidden.
Image credit: Andy H