Andy Burnham's Blog, page 139

Nostrup Megalitgrav

A dolmen in Holbæk with four uprights and one large capstone which has cup marks. Lots of other sites in the locality, see our nearby sites list and interactive map for more.

Merrivale Centre Row

Double Stone Row or Avenue, making up part of the Merrivale complex on the western slopes of Dartmoor in Devon. This impressive double row of stones is a member of a group of several prehistoric structures: two stone circles, an avenue, a double row, a single row, a large damaged cist, standing stones and hut-circles. 182m (596 feet) long and 1.1m (3 feet 6 inches) wide, it is aligned almost exactly East-West. A large triangular stone lies at the eastern terminus as a blocking stone, and paired pillars at the western terminus. In the middle of teh row is a cairn, with central cist and surrounding stone circle.

Gerrick Moor Hut Circles

There are or were at least four hut circles in the Gerrick Moor area, North Yorkshire, of either the Bronze or Iron Age period. Please refer to my sketch map for more details.

Works Carn, Bryher

An oval shaped cairn built out from the side of Samson Hill on Bryher, Isles of Scilly. Incorporating three natural rocks it is revetted with large orthostats. The chamber is made from slabs set on edge with additional walling.

Rarowhara Pa

Rarowhara Pa is the most important of a series of coastal hill forts located on the approaches to and around the Whangaparaoa Peninsula some 50 kilometres north of Auckland City. The waters of the Mahurangi to the north of the Whangaparaoa Peninsula were rich fishing grounds and this fact together with the peninsula's location on the north to south canoe route between Northland and the rest of the North Island made it of strategic importance. In pre European times inter-tribal rivalry led to fighting for fishing rights in this area, whilst utu (revenge) raids and land conquest invasions were common too.

Northern Earth Issue 168 Out Now

In this issue: • Propped Stones in the Outer Hebrides - Simple but distinctive: David Shepherd investigates Scottish examples of what may have been a precursor of the dolmen
• Where do you lay, Mr Watkins? - No one thought to seek Alfred Watkins’ own place in the landscape till Rob Stephenson came along
• Fancy flutter’d on her wildest wing - Fairies were a potent source of inspiration for 19th-century British artists. Mark Greener recommends an ongoing exhibition
• Sacred Bends - Bob Trubshaw considers the significance of enclosure within the loop of a river
• Season’s Gleanings - Giant Japanese tombs, mind after death, war among the ancients, and more
• Mike Haigh’s Archaeology Review - Wessex and Yorkshire attract Mike’s attention, with quirky but complex artefacts and new Bronze Age understandings
• The Alt-Antiquarian - When do we see and when should we look?
• Having Your Say - A variety of readers’ responses to recent issues
• All Things Considered: Reviews - Books and e-books for delectation, distraction and discovery

Elkstone Churchyard Stones

In the churchyard, in Elkstone, Gloucestershire, just beyond the entrance gate lie three, or possibly four, fragments of stone; one in particular, the 'holey stone' so often the material of ancient standing stones. These fragments lie in a line alongside the path with no apparent purpose. They may be fragments of a larger stone or stones which have been salvaged and given refuge in the churchyard. Perhaps they were on the site when the church was built. They may even be all that remains of the Elkstone after which the village was named.
Another stone, this one carved, and probably Saxon, stands secured to the inside wall of the church tower. It has been speculated that this may be the famed Elkstone.

Hannerup Snibhøj Jættestue

Snibhøj is a magnificent twin passage grave 6.5 metres high and 30 metres across located near the village of Hannerup to the west of Hobro in northern Jutland. The site is reached via a footpath through Østergård farm which is 1.5 km along the raod from Hannerup to Hvilsom. There is a small entrance fee (5 DKR in September 2009) which you place in an honesty box in the courtyard car parking area by the farm. You can take a brochure from here too.

Ormslev Runddysse

A megalitgrav (Burial Chamber) in Århus with six uprights, two capstones, one threshold stone and two entrance stones.

High Auchenlarie

Originally thought to be the remains of a Neolithic stone circle and cairn, this site in Dumfries & Galloway is now thought to be the remains of a long cairn, however there is no trace of a passage or chamber. Although the standing stones may have formed a facade this cannot be substantiated without excavation.