Looking to the foot of the cairn where there’s a small mound, like an afterthought. Maybe for a lesser relative or a dog?
Image credit: A R Cane
A R Cane
Reasonably large cairn just off the A837 South of Lairg. Seemed to be on private land, but I’m sure enquiries at the nearby houses might yield access.
Image credit: A R Cane
This summer, the University of Reading Archaeology Field School excavated one of the most extraordinary sites we have ever had the pleasure of investigating. The site is an Early Neolithic long barrow known as “Cat’s Brain” and is likely to date to around 3,800BC. It lies in the heart of the lush Vale of Pewsey in Wiltshire, UK, halfway between the iconic monuments of Stonehenge and Avebury.
What I took to be one of the many hut circles in the vicinity but, according to drewbhoy, they’re mostly sheepfolds and farm building ruins left as a grim reminder of ‘The Clearances’.
Image credit: A R Cane
‘Possible’ cup marks on the stone on which I was standing to try and spot the standing stones. They were supposed to be the other side of the river, but heavy rainfall had made it unfordable. Compensation of sorts.
Image credit: A R Cane
The two surviving standing stones of what may, or may not, have been a circle. The number of large recumbents scattered around certainly gives the feel of a ruined circle and the open situation with views all around on a flattish bit of upland adds to that. There were also numerous hut circles in the vicinity so it must have been a fairly well populated area once.
Image credit: A R Cane
Once part of a stone circle. I’d like to think so!
Image credit: A R Cane
Outer and inner arcs of the ruined concentric stone circle with just seven stones remaining and yet it still seems to exude some charm and dignity!
Image credit: A R Cane
Looking back across the Strath Shin Valley. The inner arc stones are really tiny.
Image credit: A R Cane
The charming Ord North viewed from the top of Ord South
Image credit: A R Cane
The blocked up entrance, with two remaining large lintels, to an ‘octagonal’ burial chamber, apparently.
Image credit: A R Cane
A ‘burnt mound’ on the way up to The Ord from Lairg, according to a handy nearby information board.
Image credit: A R Cane
The view back up Loch Shin and the badly sited telecoms mast. This shot makes it look like it’s a tiny five stoned circle but evidently there are a lot of other stones lying around covered by the long grass.
Image credit: A R Cane
Standing alongside the Strath Tirry about half a mile before it flows into Loch Shin. This is about as close as you can get to it without straddling high metal fencing.
Image credit: A R Cane
Close up of the top of the mound. Very little survives of the stone walls, no doubt incorporated into nearby farm buildings and houses over the centuries.
Image credit: A R Cane
Two days prior to the visit of Scorhill in the North East of the Dartmoor National Park we had tried to take friends to see Yellowmead concentric stone circles over on the Western side. We’d spent about an hour sloshing around an area of no more than a quarter of a square mile in driving rain and high winds and failed to locate it, even though we’d been there a couple of years before. So it was a relief to locate this circle so easily in profoundly better conditions. That’s what Dartmoor is like!
Having visited numerous stone circles and ancient sites on the moor over the years I have to say this is one of my favourites and also very easy to get to. You don’t really see it until the last moment as it’s in a slight valley and the stones themselves are not really very tall, the biggest being about two metres, but with the strong sunlight and brooding skyline they appeared to shine invitingly.
Apparently it’s never been tampered with in the sense of re-erecting some of the fallen stones, though it’s obvious that stone cutters have tried to split some of them in more recent times as they bare small drill holes, so it has an air or pure authenticity.
Well worth a visit!
Possibly one of the most beautiful and enigmatic circles we’ve ever visited, obviously helped by the weather conditions on the day, but I’m sure it would shine out in any circumstances.
Image credit: A R Cane
Highlighted by the gods! Seems to be something going on with groups of three, but that might just be where stones are missing or fallen.
Image credit: A R Cane
Couldn’t work out if these were cup marks or just natural holes. There seems to be a suggestion that some of the stones are marked.
Image credit: A R Cane
The circle, the whole circle and nothing but the circle, diminutive as it is.
Image credit: A R Cane
The lonesome standing stone outside the circle with a walk on part as an island.
Image credit: A R Cane
Yet more damned photos of the Plague Market! Eastern terminus of the Southern rows on a soggy September evening.
Image credit: A R Cane
As well as the leat that runs parallel and between the two sets of stone rows, on this particular damp and rain-filled evening there were streams running along the centres of each avenue. This may be to do with centuries of people trudging up and down and creating a depression, but given our ancestors relationship with water could this have been a reason for building this monument originally? A sacred stream or Bronze Age water feature?
Image credit: A R Cane
Curbed cist about midway along the Southern rows (strangely dry!).
Image credit: A R Cane
The barrow on the South side of the A4 next to The Sanctuary.
Image credit: A R Cane
Not as well known as it’s neighbour but certainly holding it’s own in magnificence!
Image credit: A R Cane
Viewed from the North as you head back down to East Kennett village.
Image credit: A R Cane
Sarsens built into the structure of the garden wall of a house in the village of East Kennett.
Image credit: A R Cane
The first barrow in the NW of the arc at Waltham Down.
Image credit: A R Cane
Hidden in it’s own little enclave on the South Downs.
Image credit: A R Cane
The biggest barrow in the group at the SE end of the arc. Mrs Cane in all her glory for scale purposes.
Image credit: A R Cane
The hollowed out core of the biggest barrow.
Image credit: A R Cane