I feel as though I am the guardian of these sites. It's a winter activity. I got very tired of people pooh-poohing them and also someone published many of my words and a few of my pictures without credit. Needless to say I grew up in Smithills and my ancestors built these monuments - later ancestors vandalised them.
They are a set - you can't take one or two of them out and say "these are not ancient". Instead appear at the sites when the stellar alignments occur, witness them and don't spread dissent. The County Archaeology Unit refuse to list or even visit them positing that 'they can't be there because someone would have found them already'. I've complained up the chain and the latest response is that "the GMCAU is under no duty to visit sites that are notified to them". It'll make a great story when the dust settles.
There are four stone rows in Smithills and they are aligned on the four extreme positions of the moon. This is unique. In the new year I will draw up a local almanac of the dates and times of setting and rising suns and moons. I hope this will ennervate the situation. Until then may I ask that you collect these sites together under a group named 'Smithills'. Thanks. There are bits and pieces belonging to each monument - outliers, barrows etc - that are difficult to collate otherwise.
 Reply | with quote | Posted by StoneLifter
2nd October 2004ce
14:15 |
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