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St Weonard's Tump

Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork

St Weonard's Tump - no image available No image available
Also known as:
  • The Tump

Nearest Town:Monmouth (9km SSE)
OS Ref (GB):   SO497243 / Sheet: 162
Latitude:51° 54' 52.06" N
Longitude:   2° 43' 52.96" W

Added by Rhiannon


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Folklore

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Some additional folklore:

There was a standing stone near the barrow*, which disappeared in the 1990s, which had the following associated with it:

"'when hanging was meted out to sheepstealers, a man was found one morning dead, leaning up against the stone, with a sheep tilted over the upper edge, with its four legs tied together for carrying'. The man had rested and the sheep to which he had tied himself had somehow slipped or struggled and strangled him. This was told to explain the bronze age cup marks on the stone, looking like imprints of a pair of sheep's trotters.

The road is said to be haunted by the ghost of the man, with the sheep on his back; he crosses the road and disappears into a yew tree."

As told in "Stone Spotting in Herefordshire" - Jonathan Sant (2000 Moondial)

*The stone was listed in "Herefordshire Register of Countryside Treasures" - E.C. Davies/County Planning Department (1981) published by H&W County Council:

"Standing Stone, St Weonards

A pillar of red sandstone lying N-S. 1m high with base section 0.6 x 0.3m. Two cupmarks discernable on the E side.

At roadside near to crossroads S of St Weonard's on A466. (497235)."

I wonder if anyone has any pictures of this before it went missing?
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thesweetcheat Posted by thesweetcheat
7th January 2009ce
Edited 12th January 2009ce

St Weonard's Tump is a bronze age barrow reused as a Norman motte. Excavation in 1855 revealed two burnt human burials under a cover of stones. The village church was built less than 100m away.

It is a prominent landmark right at the centre of the village, and seems to have been used as a focus for the community for centuries: a Victorian writer (ok, maybe romantically) spoke of it being used 'since time immemorial' for fetes and dancing. It is planted with trees - most recently to celebrate the Queen's Silver Jubilee. Just try to ignore the disused water tank sunk into the summit.

The folklore is christianised - St Weonard is said to be buried inside in a golden coffin, or maybe on a golden coffer filled with gold, with the inscription "Where this stood is another twice as good; but where that is, no man knows".
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Rhiannon Posted by Rhiannon
3rd May 2002ce
Edited 5th January 2005ce
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