Andy Burnham's Blog

Maenclochog Church

In St Mary's Church, Maenclochog near Fishguard are two Ogham/Latin inscribed stones. One of the stones recalls COIMAGUUS, while the other ANDAGELLUS, the son of CAVETUS. It seems plausable that they were brothers - Romano-Britons of the 6th century CE. There are also Ogham markings on both stones.

The Queen Stone

A squatter version of the Devil's Arrows, near Ross-on-Wye. Very grooved, probably due to the action of rainwater. It doesn't look it but it is 7ft (2.1m) tall. On private land quite a way from the road, in a field in the bend of the River Wye, at Symonds Yat.

Vielsted Runddysse 1

One of Denmark's most impressive and well-preserved dolmens with 19 large kerbstones visible. The chamber has 4 orthostats (uprights) and a large capstone as you can see. Lots more photos on our page.

Broadsands Chambered Tomb

A Neolithic chambered tomb or passage grave located on the southern slope overlooking the Torbay coast at Broadsands. This megalithic chamber has a single parallel-sided entrance passage 3.8 metres long and 1.2 metres wide lined with alternating orthostats and dry stone walling set within a near circular cairn 12 metres in diameter at construction but later reduced to 7 metres north east by 9 metres east west.

Skjelin-Østre

This rock art site is one of the largest and most interesting in Østfold discovered the last 10 years. When I visited I could find at least 5 ship figures of the typical bronze age type with high front and back ends and vertical lines thought to resemble crew. I could also find at least 6 "sun circles" and spiral figures, at least 50 cup marks and pairs of soles. A pair of footsole carvings on top of the panel is unusually deeply carved.

Chavín de Huantar

Recently excavated deposits sealed in an underground gallery at Chavín contained twenty-three bone tubes that are associated with consumption of psychoactive plants elsewhere in the region. Direct evidence of this psychoactive plant use has recently been published in the Proceedings of the US National Academy of Sciences, details below. An archaeological site in Peru with ruins including a pyramid type structure constructed beginning about 850 BCE and occupied until about 300 BCE by the Chavín, a major pre-Inca culture.

Trowlesworthy Tor north settlement

On the north eastern slopes of Trowlesworthy Tor, on the southern banks of the River Plym below Spanish Lake, Dartmoor are the much ruined remains of a settlement. They show up very will on the LiDAR here. Unlike the substantial settlement opposite (see Nearby Sites list on our page), there are no large enclosures, and only the remains of a dozen or so single huts or enclosures are to be found, none in very good condition.

Bø-Elveterrassen

This very pretty and well-preserved barrow cemetery is located about 100km SW of Oslo on a flat natural terrace overlooking the Lågen river to the east. The terrace and most of the barrows have pine trees growing in and around them however the barrows are easily visible and well marked in the terrain. To the west of the cemetery is a flat grain field. The cemetery is close to the edge where the terrain slopes down to the river.

Castell Bryn-Gwyn

The hillfort is defended by a bank and ditch and accessed by a causeway. Excavations have revealed that it has a long history dating back to the Neolithic period when it was created as a henge.

Duddo Five Stones

Art by Bladup, lots more in our Art section #StandingStoneSunday. This circle in Northumberland. lies atop a hill surrounded by farmland. One of the stones was re-erected in the 1920s and Burl believes that it is probable that they have all been re-erected at some point. Burl wrote that the direction the stones face in the circle is wrong and that some of them rock under little pressure. They make a fine spectacle standing on the skyline of the hill and it is easy to see why the place was chosen.