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

Fieldnotes by Stoneshifter

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Moortop Barrows (Round Barrow(s))

There is coal beneath this round barrow. It's shown on the 1932 Geological Survey as the 'Margery Band' and it's just a shallow seam. Trouble is that it's thirty metres below ground level and that's way beyond the depth of any bell pit. Other means of mining it would have left surface traces - which aren't there - such as a road, a shed, a mineshaft etc. The stone that's pictured on the barrow, with a carved 'M', is probably an ancient boundary stone - it was common to use tumuli as boundary markers - and the 'M' probably represents Margaret - Bolton's patron saint.
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