Showing 1-20 of 33 miscellaneous posts. Most recent first | Next 20 
Visited the gold mines a few years ago.
Just to say it is set in beautiful countryside and is well worth a visit.
You can even have a go at panning for gold!
They do guided tours of the Roman mines but there wasn't one available when we visited so it may be worth checking on tour times before visiting.
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‘Drive by’ 19.4.13
Directions:
From Leominster take the A44 east.
Shortly after passing through Docklow there is a turning on the left for Uphampton Farm.
The Hillfort is situated on the summit of the hill behind the farm.
There is a public footpath running from Docklow, past the farm, and up past the eastern side of the Hillfort.
I didn’t have time to walk up to the Hillfort but could see the trees crowning the site from the A44.
Although marked on the O/S map E.H. strangely have nothing to say on the matter?
One for another day perhaps?
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Saw this in an article in the April issue of the Caerleon Community Times magazine
Extract from an article published many years ago entitled ‘Old Tracks of Gwent – 4’
‘A ‘Lang Stone’ which would not be removed. By Mr F J Hando’.
‘The name Langstone is Saxon but where, you may ask, is the lang stone?
A path leaves Langstone Court eastwards and disappears in the field. Continue in the same direction and you will see in front of you an apparent line of bushes which is actually a remnant of a prehistoric track, deep in the heart of a modern field. Canopied by bushes, wide, deep, mysterious, it covers the length of a football field, and then disappears. But if you persist in its direction you will find, in a field topping the next ridge ‘stoney field’ a great stone, shaped roughly like a bishop’s mitre.
A few years ago it was decided to aid the ploughman by removing the stone. A farmhand who was present on that occasion tells me that every available horse and man was pressed into service. A chain was fastened to the stone. Horses and men engaged in a great ‘heave’, yet the old landmark won! To what depth is it sunk? Sufficient you will agree to justify my contention that this is the ‘Lang Stone’.
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‘Drive by’ 30.3.13
We were heading home after a fairly successful days ‘Barrow hunting’ and I was dozing in the front of the car trying to catch some well needed shut eye as I was still not feeling too good.
All of a sudden Dafydd shouts out ‘Barrow!’
I opened my eyes and asked ‘where?’
‘There’ says Dafydd pointing out of the window.
Sure enough, in the middle of a field to the left of the road was a large grass covered Barrow!
E.H. state:
‘A bowl barrow located on level ground 610m NW of Whitestown Farm. It is visible as a mound 30m in diameter and 3m high’
‘Well done!’ I congratulated Dafydd
I don’t suppose there are many 5 year olds who would even know what a Barrow was – never mind spot one when driving past!
He was duly rewarded when Sophie later spotted an ice cream van!
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‘Drive by’ 30.3.13
Directions:
A short distance west of the B3114 / B3139 junction, North West of Binegar.
South of Redhill Farm Barrow.
A public right of way runs past the Barrow.
I forgot to make any notes on this Barrow so we will have to rely on what EH has to say!
E.H. state:
‘A bell barrow situated on level ground south of Blackwell Tyning Plantation. The barrow is a steep sided mound, 32m in diameter and 2.5m high, surrounded by a berm or platform 4m wide. Surrounding the berm is a ditch 3m wide which has become infilled over the years and no longer visible at ground level’.
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‘Drive by’ 30.3.13
Although my O/S map showed 4 Barrows in the group, I could only spot 2 from the roadside. Both of the Barrows I could see are very prominent and easy to see.
There is no public access to the field and as I wasn’t feeling too good I contented myself for a view from the road.
Well worth keeping an eye out for when in the area.
E.H. state:
‘The monument includes two bowl barrows located on rising ground 350m NNE of Whitenell Corner. The northernmost barrow comprises of a mound 30m in diameter and 2.5m high. The southernmost barrow comprises of a mound 18m in diameter and 1m high at its highest point’.
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‘Drive by’ 30.3.13
Directions:
To the north of Radstock, next to the busy A367.
Easiest (safest) way of access is via the minor road to the east and past the impressive nearby Round Hill Tump Barrow. Both Barrows are in the same field.
Very little to see – no more than a very slight ‘bump’ in a grass covered field.
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6.3.13
Turned out to be a ‘non visit’.
The surprisingly busy B4058 which runs to the north of Woodleaze Farm has absolutely no parking places anywhere within a reasonable walking distance to the Farm
(Reasonable for me anyway!) We drove up and down to no avail.
I would say that the best bet would be to drive to the farm itself and ask permission to park / visit the Long Barrow
After reading the notes posted by TSC stating that all that is left to see is ‘a very low mound’ I decided not to bother and headed north to visit a couple of sites near Nailsworth instead before it got too dark.
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‘Drive by’ 11.2.13
I spotted these 4 Barrows on the O/S map and as they are close to the A272 I hoped to be able to spot them from the road. We were running late and I didn’t have time for a visit.
However this proved not to be the case due to the trees obscuring them.
The Barrows are in the grounds of Hinton Ampner House (N.T. site?) and they look as though they would be visible from the drive leading to the house.
There is also a public footpath which runs through the park
I will have a proper look when I am next in the area and report back.
E.H. has nothing to report on these Barrows.
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Directions:
Near the junction of the A272 and the A32
‘Drive by’ 11.2.13
My O/S map shows 3 Barrows in this area.
I could find no information from E.H. on these Barrows.
I could see no trace of the Barrow furthest to the east.
The Barrow opposite the pub appeared to be approximately 0.5m high x 5m across.
The third Barrow, south west of the pub, was about 0.3m high x 5m across.
Not much else to say really.
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‘Drive by’ 9.2.13
Directions:
Come off the M27 at junction 7, then the A334, then the A27 south.
The Barrow is in woodland on the right.
There was nowhere to safely park on the very busy A27 so I had to settle for a ‘drive by’.
Although the O/S map shows the Barrow to be right next to the road I couldn’t spot it whilst driving past.
I proper search is required. One day perhaps?
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2.2.13
Directions:
From the centre of Crickhowell heading south, take the first left and follow the minor road uphill until a wood appears on your left. The ‘earthwork’ is hidden amongst the trees.
The road is very narrow and parking difficult. There is no public right of way to the site and access would be over a barbed wire fence and a battle through the trees.
As I had the children and granddaughter in the car (who was restless) I decided not to leave them in the car whilst I attempted a visit.
One for another day perhaps?
COFLEIN states:
‘Llangenny Camp is a sub-rectangular enclosure 70m x 52m defined by a bank, possible stone walled, and ditch, resting on the steep natural slopes to the south’.
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I have visited Kenfig Sands a couple of times over the years. The first time was when I was looking for the scant remains of the castle in the pouring rain.
It is surprisingly easy to lose your bearings in the dunes (well it is for me anyway!) and by the time I found the castle I was 'soaked to the bone'.
There was a Time Team episode filmed at the dunes a couple of years ago.
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‘Drive By’ 25.11.12
I had a good view of this Hillfort whilst driving along the B3084 which runs to the south of the site – there doesn’t appear to be any ‘official’ access to the Hillfort.
The rampart was easy to spot as was the southern entrance.
The northern section of the Hillfort has trees running alongside it.
Well worth a look when driving past although no doubt a proper visit would be even more beneficial?
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‘Drive by’ 23.11.12
My old O/S map 1:50 000 First Series shows a Barrow just to the north of the A30 east out of Stockbridge. A further 3 Barrows are shown a bit further north and appear to be part of the same group?
Unfortunately there is nothing to see – ploughed out?
E.H. have nothing to say on the matter.
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‘Drive by’ 23.11.12
My old O/S map 1:50 000 First Series shows a Barrow right next to the A342 at Weyhill.
I kept an eye out for the Barrow on the way down to Winchester.
Unfortunately I could see no trace of it – ploughed out?
E.H. have nothing to say on the matter.
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‘Drive by’ 14.10.12
Driving west along the B3157 I spotted 3 Barrows – 1 on the left and 2 on the right.
Each grass covered Barrow was approximately 1 metre high x 10 metres across.
There sure are a lot of prehistoric sites in this area!
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‘Drive by’ 14.10.12
The Barrow is easily seen from the B3157 near the village of Burton Bradstock.
Although it is a N.T. site there is nowhere to park on the B3157.
The O/S map shows a parking area near Burton Beach and a permissive footpath leading to the south of the Barrow.
Due to time constraints I had to settle for a ‘drive by’.
The Barrow looks to be well mangled and is approximately 10 metres across x 1 metre high.
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14.10.12
People who know me often wonder why I travel the length and breadth of this great country of ours looking at ‘old stones’ – in all their forms. More to the point they often ask Karen how on earth she puts up with me and the travelling. To be fair, she usually defends our exploits on the grounds that we often go to very nice places and see wonderful scenery – Abbotsbury is a point in case.
Had it not been for the fact that I am trying to visit every E.H. site (Abbotsbury has two!) in all probability I would have never come here. But it does – and I did. And what a delightful place Abbotsbury is – very picturesque and charming. In addition to the cottages with thatched roofs, traditional country pub, village church etc it also has a Tithe Barn – something I have a ‘thing’ for. Not only that but also a swannery.
The view from the top of St Catherine’s hill is fabulous.
(Particularly on a gloriously sunny day like today with blue skies and white fluffy clouds)
You get to look over the village / church / Tithe Barn and great coastal views.
In short, if any of those who doubted why we do what we do were able to see what I was looking at while stood on the hill, perhaps they would then understand.
Abbotsbury is a great place to visit. The fact it has so many ‘old stones’ to look at in the area is a bonus. It is at times like this that you get a reminder of what a great hobby of ours this is and how fortunate we are to be ‘in the know’.
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‘Drive by’ 13.10.12
If heading east after passing the Broad Stone along the busy A35 you will easily spot one of the Barrows in a field to your right.
I suspect this is the Pond Barrow?
It is approximately 1 metre high x 5 metres across.
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Showing 1-20 of 33 miscellaneous posts. Most recent first | Next 20 |
I have visited both historic and prehistoric sites for a number of years but since 'discovering' this website my visits have spiralled out of control!
I am now out 'exploring' as often as possible and have been to many wonderful places I didn't even know existed before using this website.
Having visited all the CADW sites I am now trying to visit all the E.H. sites and as many H.S. sites as possible.
In trying to achieve these goals I get to travel all around the country and with it the chance to visit as many sites as possible mentioned on this fine website. I hope some of you find my contributions a little helpful?
I have certainly found the contributions made by others to be both very informative and often quite amusing!
I must also mention the lovely Karen whom without her help, encouragement and understanding I would not be able to visit half of the places I do.
I am forever grateful.
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