I just had no idea it was so big, and that's so much better than finding it's smaller than you thought. It was a shame it had been so brutally treated.
And our new mate Ralph was the topping on the cake.
Nice one Chris. I couldn't quite believe what I was looking at at first. It's like some kind of huge cairn eating monster has turned up and taken a bite out if it. But it still retains its poise somehow, a great site.
It was a great day all round. And not a peep from the knee! ;)
Went to Dr.Sherlock's lecture in Whitby on the 'Saxon Princess' last saturday, on the Street House excavations, 109 saxon burials lying in a square inside an Iron Age enclosure, and of course the Neolithic burial cairn not far away. Saxons are getting more interesting in their burial rites, seem to bury there people very near to much older burial sites...
Post-apocalyptic is just my thing. It must add to the unusual atmosphere!
The barrow moot thing is interesting. I wonder if it was about having a respect for the ancestors, or believing in them and wanting to get them on your side. Or whether it was more cynical and political than that, more of a stunt to associate yourselves with long standing symbolic things in your landscape. Kind of how certain political parties like to show how British they are in an attempt to legitimise their policies in the minds of lazy thinking people.
Anyway, have fun at the museum and I look forward to if you report back.
Hi Ian,
That's a great photo set of Belas Knap. In fact, you've done quite a comprehensive job there, so you have, Sir. I love it when someone posts photos from all angles, as it gives a real impression of what to expect. The green helps. Been a long time coming has green this year. Just about got it in my garden now. Looks better on Belas Knap though.
The Cotswold chambered tombs are on my must do list for this year. It's fast slipping away, so I'd best get moving. Hopefully I can visit Belas Knap in August on my way home from Cornwall via Wiltshire.
It seems to be completely off anyone's radar. They're in the process of knocking down a ginormous warehouse next to the site, so it all looks a bit post-apocalyptic.
I think you're right about the swampy feel because just a bit further up the river there are water meadows (opposite David Beckham's place). I wonder if it originally linked in with the barrow at Gilden Way? I didn't know about the Saxon link, but they used the Gilden Way barrow as their moot.
Anyway, I'm going to have a look in Harlow Museum and see what they've got from the site. If I see any Saxon fast food artefacts I'll let you know!
Not that we saw, but looking at aerial photos on Coflein they may be up towards the top of the ridge if there are any. We didn't climb up, which I feel a bit irritated by now - I think it warrants a proper trip all of its own.
Tell you what though, it sounds like a brilliant site, before most of it disappeared (perhaps the cairn and other stones followed the horse and rider).
Feels like we missed an opportunity really, we didn't make it across to Outer Head over Devil's Bridge, on account of fatigue/leg-ache. Poor show, must go back.
/ Circles, monuments, crashes, and floods. by postman
It must have been very taxing, numbering all those monuments, OK, so that's monument 181, what shall we call this one ?
Ive only ever heard of two Audrey's, Hepburn and Hollander, do not search for the latter.
/ Circles, monuments, crashes, and floods. by postman
No, none whatsoever, other than continuing your theme. Just thought 'Audrey', in particular, a much better name for an ancient monument than Monument 234.