The Modern Antiquarian. Stone Circles, Ancient Sites, Neolithic Monuments, Ancient Monuments, Prehistoric Sites, Megalithic MysteriesThe Modern Antiquarian

Miscellaneous Posts by Ravenfeather

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Unyatuak (Artificial Mound)

Supposedly, according to the 1880 Name Book, the mound was the site of an ancient 'Pictish Fort'.

Giant's Quoiting Stone (Standing Stone / Menhir)

It seems that the Giant's Quoiting Stone may once have been part of a pair of stones, Samuel Lewis writing in 1831 states,

'In this parish are the small villages of Port Erin and Port-le-Mary. Between these villages are the Giant’s Quoiting stones, two huge masses of unhewn clay-slate, about ten feet high, three feet wide and two feet thick. Within a mile of these is Fairy Hill, a barrow situated in a low morass from which two defiles lead to Port Erin bay and the creek of Fleswick: the hill is a truncated cone forty feet high, and one hundred and fifty yards in circumference, completely surrounded by a deep and wide ditch; on the summit is a circular excavation ten yards in diameter, with a regular parapet; the sides of the hill facing the defiles are almost perpendicular, and on the north-east side a a pathway to the summit is discernable'

From ‘ A Topographical Dictionary of England’ by Samuel Lewis 1831 vol 3, p230.

The Fairy Hill mentioned seems to be marked on the modern OS map as a 'Motte' just to the north east of Port Erin (SC205 696). The other Quoiting Stone is said to have stood on the slope of Cronk Skibbylt behind Cronk Road.
Megalithic wanderer and modern day pagan.

I've always loved anything historical, particularly megalithic sites (I've many a fond memory of visits to Stonehenge in the mid 1970's as we used to stop there every year on the way to the annual family holiday down in Bournemouth, which I think started it off), and the discovery of a certain book by Mr. Cope set off an obsession in the late 1990's to see as many of these wonderful places as I can.

Enjoys walking in the wildnerness and climbing mountains (currently on the worlds slowest round of Munroe bagging), travel, playing guitar, real ale and malt whisky, historical re-enactment, fencing and wargaming (although not all at the same time!) Also adores small furry critters (particularly cats)

Spends most of the year in the megalithic desert of the Midlands, although fortunate enough to live part of the time in Kirkwall in the megalithic oasis of Orkney, with my lovely (and very patient) wife Ellen, and the cute furball that is our cat Hecate.

Favourite sites would be Callanish and Ring of Brodgar (where I was handfasted) in Scotland, Les Pierres Platts in Brittany, Havangsdosen in Sweden, Glavendrup in Denmark, and Sunkenkirk in England.

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