please help archaeology student

Nine Ladies of Stanton Moor 26

Image by Hob

HollyBriers Dec 11, 2008 10:59:08

Hi, my name is Holly Briers, I’m a 3rd year archaeology student at the University of Manchester. i was just wondering if those who have visited Moel Ty Uchaf stone circle could please fill out this short questionnaire for me. It would help an awful lot! i am doing a phenomenological investigation into Moel Ty Uchaf.

Questionnaire

• Age:

• Sex:

• Class:

• Ethnic background:

• Was the walk up to the stone circle…
• hard,
• fairly hard,
• moderate,
• easy.

• What was your immediate reaction upon reaching the stone circle?

• Was there anything you feel your couldn’t see as it was blocked?

• Did the monument make you feel emotionally different in a particular way? E.g. scared, small, insignificant, made you want to alter the volume of your voice?

• Is there anything else you wish to add?

Moth Dec 11, 2008 11:07:55

Replying to HollyBriers

HollyBriers wrote:

Erm, did you mean to change that to the Nine Ladies?

Assuming you did....

Questionnaire

• Age: Still 46

• Sex: Male

• Class: Middle

• Ethnic background:

• Was the walk up to the stone circle…
I found it easy.

• What was your immediate reaction upon reaching the stone circle?
"Ah, pretty!"

• Was there anything you feel your couldn’t see as it was blocked?
Nope - but again, places don't usually 'affect' me that way.

• Did the monument make you feel emotionally different in a particular way? E.g. scared, small, insignificant, made you want to alter the volume of your voice?
No.

love

Moth

nigelswift Dec 11, 2008 12:01:54

Replying to HollyBriers

Questionnaire re Nine Ladies

• Age:
Postwar (just)

• Sex:
Male

• Class:
Middle class socialist

• Ethnic background:
White British

• Was the walk up to the stone circle…
• hard,
• fairly hard,
• moderate,
• easy.
Hard (for me). Probably moderate for most people. (There are a number of different routes though).

• What was your immediate reaction upon reaching the stone circle?
Wow, beautiful (the whole thing, the circle in its setting)

• Was there anything you feel your couldn’t see as it was blocked?
No. (Load of schoolkids all over it to start with though)

• Did the monument make you feel emotionally different in a particular way? E.g. scared, small, insignificant, made you want to alter the volume of your voice?
Maybe the voice, a bit. But generally just happy to be there and appreciate it.

• Is there anything else you wish to add?
Gawd bless the much maligned hippies who lived there so long and were central in keeping the quarrying at bay. The place is all about it's setting, and they saved it.

ocifant Dec 11, 2008 13:28:10

Replying to HollyBriers

Questionnaire

• Age:
50's

• Sex:
When I can, though I don't see the relevance

• Ethnic background:
English (ie a general mix of most European races)

• Was the walk up to the stone circle…
• hard,
Bloody hard! But then this was in 2002, with thick fog, and I'd taken the route up from the demonstrator's camp after a very heavy downpour, without a map. Possibly the most difficult approach given the route and conditions that it's possible to make, ever!

• What was your immediate reaction upon reaching the stone circle?
Thank gawd!
Also pretty pissed off at the time as some demonstrators were not exactly 'respecting' the circle at that time - much evidence of partying remained, lots of litter.

• Was there anything you feel your couldn’t see as it was blocked?
I had no sense of 'setting', as the mist enveloped everything around.

• Did the monument make you feel emotionally different in a particular way? E.g. scared, small, insignificant, made you want to alter the volume of your voice?
The ambience at that time was 'unusual'. I just wanted to get back to the dry car.

Cheers!
A.

Vicster Dec 11, 2008 13:47:20

Replying to HollyBriers

HollyBriers wrote:

Hi Holly

As with others, I have approached the circle from different routes, on different occasions.

Questionnaire

• Age: 40

• Sex: Female

• Class: erm....middle class from working class background????

• Ethnic background: White British

• Was the walk up to the stone circle…
• hard,
• fairly hard,
• moderate,
• easy.

I am not overly fit but I didn't find the walk too difficult. One route involved a bit of a climb, nothing too strenuous though.

• What was your immediate reaction upon reaching the stone circle?

The first time I visited I was enchanted by the whole setting, as we approached through a wooded area and it was beuatiful spring day. At the time, I had only visited big Cumbrian circles, so was intrigued by the fact this seemed so small and inobtrusive in the landscape.

• Was there anything you feel your couldn’t see as it was blocked?
Well, hte first time I visited, there was a group of school children using the whole area as a playground, so it was impossible to see everything and get a good look at the site. The next time I visited, some people were camping at the site and again, it made it impossible to see get a real sense of the site.

• Did the monument make you feel emotionally different in a particular way? E.g. scared, small, insignificant, made you want to alter the volume of your voice?

Well, I was a bit pissed off at other folks commandeering the site without considering how this impact on other visitors! (see answers above)

• Is there anything else you wish to add?

sam Dec 11, 2008 14:35:22

Replying to HollyBriers

As before!

• easy, and there is so much more in the landscape than the circle.

• What was your immediate reaction upon reaching the stone circle?

First time - thought it in a very "pretty" setting. Beautiful Sunday afternoon, plenty of people sitting round having quiet picnics, very calm.

Subsequent visits - more and more angry about the number of tents, beer bottles, campfires, plastic bags, dumped clothes and general rubbish. You want to protect the landscape, fine - but lighting fires 3 foot away from the circle is not my idea of protection.

• Was there anything you feel your couldn’t see as it was blocked?

Yes, because of the number of people there. But if you want a circle to yourself, this aint it - jump the wall and go to Doll Tor

• Did the monument make you feel emotionally different in a particular way? E.g. scared, small, insignificant, made you want to alter the volume of your voice?

generally, angry about the idiots who are messing up the moor - be they quarriers or hippies.

Sam