daveyravey

I find tombs most bizarre, they look almost alien without their outer layers and this is no exception.

Intriguing circle, though overgrown by hedges and a fence dissects the site. It is in private land with no access so seeking permission is advisable. The bank and setting of the stones is very similar to Grange but there is a circle within the circle as well. There is an outer bank which is retained by the outer stones. There is a mini circle just outside the circle in a similar fashion to that at grange. It is possible this is a burial mound, however.

After a closer inspection of the monuments record I have found some of these mounds. All are concentrated in a relatively small area and one has narrowly escaped being quarried away (photos to come later, I don’t seem to be able to post them at the minute). At least one is visible on the sky line looking into the direction of the sun.

I had a closer shufty around here today and found what could be an inscribed stone. It is broken but has a definite cross with a border around it. I have a picture and it will appear here shortly.
I found four large stones today, one at least five foot tall but laying prostrate. The other three were between 2 and a half and three foot tall, again, laying prostrate.

This site is on a very pleasant walk with great view across one of Yorkshire’s finest valleys. From its position Castle Hill (an Iron Age Hill Fort) is very imposing, across this valley is an ancient burial area. The stone is an outcrop on Netherton Edge. I identified the site having been informed about its existence by Paulus, and looking at rock climbing websites! The rock has stunning views but I have as yet to find the legendary footprint. Paulus... it’s over to you.

A substantial cairnfield with quite impressive embankment made of rubble about half a metre high. Most of the cairns have been robbed for stone but some have survived. There are wonderful pasturelands one side and wooded escarpment to the other. Not really worth going to see especially but you can have some nice walks around here

A cairn field with some substantial mounds upto half a metre high and an intrigueing double ditch most of which has been cut through by modern roads. The site is in a well maintained wooded modern enclosure. Two fields down there is a possibility that this double ditch continues, but I am not sure yet.

Yet to be convinced about this one although the photos look convincing. There are a lot of stones lying around both inside and outside this circle and it fails to occupy a particulary flat plateau (that is to say it is on a hill). There is an outlier which is directly south of the stone in the photograph.
A few more trips there are needed me thinks
Dave

The stones by the entrance do not appear to be contemporary. One appears to be concrete, like a foundation for a gatepost, and the rest are tooled.

When you think of neolithic enclosures, you often think about hardly evident earthworks in a long cultivated field. This one, however is massive in terms of its embankments of large boulders. Most of the southern end of the birch wood is enclosed and the enclosure extends accross the next two southerly fields. In the northern of these fields, the embankments have been cleared out of the field.

Dave 26th March 2004

A small ring cairn with south east and north west entrances. The south east one aligns directly with the pass that the A619 goes through. There is a rubble embakment and shallow inner ditch. This place has a great ambience.
Dave 26th March 2004

Royds Edge has the big embankments that you would expect, but the lower end seems to square off more than you might expect for a henge. The site is in a fantastic landscape setting with a steep cliff to the south, a great view across the Holme valley towards Castle Hill Fort, and the impressive Meltham Cop.. In a museum in Huddersfield there are the exhibits of an excavation of these earthworks, two stone discs of about 2 inches in diameter, a stone mould and a small while bead.

Oldfield Hill is visable from the road up to Wessenden Head and looks like a settlement of about 2 acres in a sheltered valley.

8th March 2004

An obvious barrow feature, with three boulders at the centre. It is about five metres in diametre and doen’t have the yellowy grass of the surrounding area. A great view across to Round Loaf. To locate, stand with your back to the woodland alongside Pike Stones and walk north up to the next bit of level ground, the barrow is on the east side of that.

3rd March 2004

This is a tough area to walk as there are few footpaths, certainly between the sites mentioned here. So wear some stout boots. Wherever you look there are possibilities of past human settlement, my imagination ran riot. Top place though

Dave 3rd March 2004

100yards west of the quarry and the scattered rocks is a chambred cairn, aligned south-west north-east. It is quite large and lozenge shaped, made of rubbled banks with a large cap-stone collapsed inside and a standard cairn at the sourthern end. Nearby and closer to the cliff are further similar structures. I found this quite an amazing site.

Dave 3rd March 2004

There are lots of candidate for this title when you go up here first of all, I counted 4 similar structures, but when I found this one it was excellent. There is no evidence of carving, but this is very similar to the Pike Stones. I have mentioned that this forms an equillateral triangle with Roundloaf and Pike Stones and could be connected with Stronstrey Bank Stone.

Dave 3rd March 2004

Easy to find in winter, it lies the otherside of the fence that runs along the bank. A very big stone with a wide base, and it is very weathered on top. It would have taken a great effort to place it there. It would be a great setting for a stone circle with the valley and Grey Heights beyond, if any evidence of other stones could be found.
A quick note about the incised triangle, if you look on the map the Pike Stones, Round Loaf, and Black Coppice are equal distances away from each other creating an equalateral triangle, of which the Bank Stone could parody.
Take a look on yer Explorer map
One for a dryer day.

Dave 3rd March 2004

A very large glacial erratic that stones have been piled up to to form a cairn like structure. This stone dominates the landscape and is of the same stone type as the central stones at Miller’s Grave. It is certain to be part of the ritual landscape of this moorland.

A 4 foot standing stone it is heavily weathered. It is supported at the base by smaller stones and appears to have been re-erected. It is very close to Miller’s grave and to the south of another standing stone dated from the 18th century called the Greenwood Stone, a boundary stone bearing the date 1775.

A prominent burial mound which, it is suspected once had a chamber. There are two massive slabs at the centre. This site has been heavily plundered over the years but it is quite nice. Its 4o foot diametre shape may have been recreated recently as the stones around it are built in a wall-like fashion.

A near seven foot high monolith at the junction of several footpaths.

A small, intriguingly named moor to the west of Halifax with some interesting features (a robbed tumulus, a stone circle, the site of burial mounds and an Iron age embankment). You can walk around them in a few hours and see lots of wildlife.

Nothing immediately visible on a highly cultivated hill top, but some slightly raised areas could be mounds. There is however a scheduled ancient monument here somewhere, according to Magic.

1st February 2004

An enclosure defended to the north by banks and to the south by a steep incline. It spreads across two fields and is quite large. The afore mentioned farmer (see other entries in this trip) had used some of the stone that formed the banks to help rebuild his stone walls!
20th January 2004

On the very summit is a robbed tumulus made up of small stones. No view on this occaision but it was in an imposing position.
Dave 20th January 2004

I found a cluster of very large stones in an irregular pattern between the path and the southerly wall. I will go back when there is less fog around. By the way the land has been tended, I would not trust that any of the piles of large weathered were not it, or indeed those of Ell Clough.
Dave 20th January 2004

At the bend of, and above the path, this circle stands. It is 14 yards in diameter and has a bank and interior ditch. It is well pronounced and has a dramatic position. There are several stones in a pile at one side of the feature, next to what looks like an entrance.
Dave 20th January 2004

This one is off the beaten track, it certainly was in the thick fog that I went in today. A very small stone circle. Access is via a very muddy footpath, but there is loads to see.
A circle of 6 stones, 2 of which are upright, but it still looks like a good circle. There is a central mound and an embankment.
The immediate land surface has been obliterated by the farmer in his/her tractor. There are deep ruts and flotsam and jetsom everywhere. I am deeply concerned about the future of this site.
20th January 2004

This looks much like a henge to me. A large rubble bank and internal ditch, it is 45 yards in width. In the lush green grass, it looked quite obvious.

A large enclosure with south-eastern entrance (ish, sorry, no compass). Approximately 30 yards across. There is a very evident rubble bank, but no inner ditch, all around and a central robbed mound. There is however a large stone in the mound. There is a large robbed mound next to the entrance.
There is a short steep climb up to this one from the road, and it is situated at the northern end of a small quarry.
It was far to foggy on this ocaision to explore further.
Dave 20th January 2004

Small desolate moor to the West of Halifax, above Mytholmroyd. Much evidence of ancient habitation, but little charted on OS map. There are three bronze age enclosures to the south of Crow Hill which I have yet to confidently find.
You can park on the roadside in Midgely or walk up from Mytholmroyd Station

Found it this time, a bit easier in winter, though the river is more boggy. Very small, but it is well worth finding.

Absolutely cracking. In the dark, late afternoon gloom it was difficult to find but when I did...... 22 stones of possibly 24 still there. Try counting yourself but get there before spring. There are 3 paces between each stone and most are above grass level but for one or two you have to scrape beck the grass.

A very nice embanked circle, looking very dramatic in today’s grey weather. The most prominent stone appears to be to the south-west. Flowers were laid on it today. The cairn next to the circle is very bizarre, some one had mutilated two onions in a variety of mystical ways
Dave 5th January 2004

A large Iron Age embanked enclosure with Norman Motte and Bailey. Impressive banks and views all around. There is a small car park and plaque and the site is well sign-posted.

A celtic enclosed settlement visible from the roadside. Still an imposing set of earthworks. Judging by the weather, the banks may be for protection from the wind rather than defensive, as they only defend from two sides. There is a quarry at the back so other banks may now be ruined.
Dave 28th December 2003

Using footpath directions noted upto Ringstone Edge Cairn Circle, follow footpath and wall from it’s right-hand corner down to a gate, climb over the wall hear and continue down until just before a small quarry is a robbed out barrow. It is right up against the wall.
Dave 28th December 2003

Walk up a concrete bridleway and past a dilapidated farm building. When you reach the gate climb over and follow the wall on the right. Be careful as this field is used for radio controlled aeroplanes. Upon reaching the right-hand corner of the wall, the ring-cairn is off to the left over a brow of the hill. The run way is just before you get to it.
The cairn itself is in the middle of a cultivated grass field but the interior is unblemished. It has a low rubble bank, around 27 yards in diametre enclosing a large 4 foot prostrate stone near the centre and there are other big stones.
Other sources suggest that this is the remains of a stone circle that was desturbed by the building of a reservoir very nearby.
The cairn is visible fom a long way off and can be seen from the road at the south end of the reservoir.

Dave 28th December 2003

It is very difficult to imagine that something like this could survive, in an area that has very few visible remains. This site could easily look like several piles of agricultural waste. It’s nice to think that there could be perfectly preserved burials in them thar hills.

Surrounded by trees (the saviour of the barrow in Lincolnshire), this long barrow is right in the middle of a farmed field with no footpath. It is probably best to go at harvest time. It is however visible from the road.

As you drive between Binbrook and the A18 and pass Hoe Hill Farm (which is currently up for sale!), this barrow is immediately adjacent to the left. It is completely enveloped in trees, thus probably protecting it from the itensive agriculture of these parts.

Very close to the site of Mosley Height. On the roadside embankment right next to the wall is a standing stone about 3 feet in height

Dave 25th November 2003

A roughly circular area of stoney embankments, with a curved “avenue” heading up the hill, probably well trashed by wall builders but it is very recognisable.
Walk north 500yds from Worsthorne Hill Stone Circle over stile and it is on the right.

Dave 25th November 2003

From Worsthorne head east along a straight lane and park up as this becomes a bridleway. Take the second public footpath to the north and walk to the summit of the hill. Here you will find two boulders on a raised circular area marking out a barrow, tumulus, cairn, circle. There area at least 4 large stones a few feet below the banks as outliers or kerbs.
10 yards to the north of this is a raised circular embankment made of stones covered with turf, cunningly marked by a belfast sink at the moment.

Dave 25th November 2003

In the field so aptly described by Treehugger there are two areas that attracted my interest before finding what was actually the circle. Firstly a raised circular area, about 25 foot across right at the apex of two streams. This is not anything significant as it is on top of a area of landfill. But further to the north in the same field, next to the path is a circular banked area which looks quite interesting.
I found the actual circle after reurning from the other sites in the area. There are three low stones (9 inches), two clearly visible whilst close and one covered in moss. According to another site there remains two other stones hidden and the stumps of a stone row. I will take another look. Fantastic views.

Dave 25th November 2003

Walshaw dean was submerged under a lot of water at the beginning of the last century. Upon hearing that there was low levels of water in many reservoirs at the moment I decided that I would take a chance and see if I could see it. The water wasn’t as low as I thought it might be. I didn’t see the circle but I did get the opportunity to see the setting in which it would have been. Beautiful views and in a fantastic bowl-like arena. Next time there is a hose-pipe ban get up there

Burl could have seen this place, it may just have been pulled down very recently. Although I didn’t actually see the site (it was getting late and I had spent too much time at Walshaw Dean) there is a standing stone on a high bit of banking on the roadside adjacent to where the circle once was, coming from Mere Clough at the top of the hill the banking on the left comes to about 10 feet above the road, the standing stone is on a left hand bend shortly after a lay-by on the right.
I will find the site next time

If the excavations by Bateman were anything near like the drawing it is difficult to believe that the stones or anything else are in situ. A nice landscape to catch the sunset, I recommend that this is your last visit of the day

A fine place, no strange farmers giving us the eyeball and for 10 minutes we had the place to ourselves. Perfect. I found myself wondering if we could just put the stones upright again, would it shed more light on how the place fitted in with it’s surroundings. There is a curving avenue-like earthwork from the border mound heading off in the general direction of Gibb Hill (probably only a mediaeval field boundary).
I believe that it is the Stonehenge of the North. It has most of the defining features- big stones, central stones, pronounced ditch and mound, and the burial mounds of it’s contemporaries.

If you park right down on the road, don’t forget your 50ps otherwise you’ll have along walk back to the car (as someone did while we were there).

The biggest stones we saw all day, and they are big. We were concerned however about whether we we on private land and unwelcome visitors, ah well, I’ve got fast legs! Check out the stone in the wall towards Robin Hoods. Burl says the major moon rises between the ears of Pink Panther (Robin Hoods Stride)