Andy Burnham's Blog, page 163
August 20, 2021
Bosiliack Barrow
A small neolithic Scillonian entrance grave consisting of a 5m diameter circular mound of stones. The kerb of larger slabs is pierced by a passageway which faces the rising of the midwinter sun after the shortest day of the year.
Published on August 20, 2021 04:54
August 19, 2021
Bedd Gelert
Angie Lake writes: This 'grave' of a legendary dog is worth a visit if you are in this area of Wales. Though I can't find proof that it is ancient, it certainly looks so. There is a modern statue of the dog Gelert who supposedly saved a prince's baby son - although the story is a tall tale dreamt up in the 19th century. There's a notch in the hills to the south, which would be handy to align the tall slender stone with, if Bedd Gelert was proved to be an ancient site.
Published on August 19, 2021 08:35
August 18, 2021
Froggymead Settlement
Six huts of various sizes and condition in a forest clearing. I am not sure of the exact name so have used Froggymead, the traditional name of the nearby stone circle and row. [See the nearby site list on our page for these - Ed] Top photo: Large stones make up the most northern of the huts
Published on August 18, 2021 11:32
Dolmen de Roc'h Toul
48,3765147, -3,2886209. A real 'fairy house' of a dolmen at the top of a hill on the edge of moorland, near to Mael Pestivien in Côtes-D'Armor. Just across the way is the stubby remains of a stele. (see our nearby sites list)
Published on August 18, 2021 09:38
August 17, 2021
Arthur's Stone
Current excavations by the Universities of Manchester and Cardiff have revealed that Arthur's Stone was once part of a much larger ceremonial landscape than previously thought, including a long mound thought to point towards Dorstone Hill, more in the comments on our page. The remains of a Neolithic chambered tomb. The name comes from the legend of King Arthur. Various legends recount tales of a king, or giant killed by King Arthur buried here. Another claims this to be the burial place of the man himself!
Published on August 17, 2021 09:16
Littledean Standing Stone
This appears to be a previously unrecorded standing stone in a field beyond Littledean Gaol, Gloucestershire. This stone is very regular in shape with a sloping top of 22 degrees and about 1.4m (4 feet 6 inches) tall. It looks to be made of a red sandstone.
Published on August 17, 2021 09:02
August 12, 2021
Hob on the Hill
Hobnobbing with the Hobs by Bob Fischer from Fortean Times, on the dwarf-like, mischievous, hairy-footed men from the folklore of the North York Moors, see the comment on our page for more.. A barrow with a boundary stone on top. Carved into the stone is the text 'Hob On The Hill' and on the other side the date 1798.
Published on August 12, 2021 02:20
August 11, 2021
Menhirs de Gatuzières
A Stone Row or Alignment of three stones in Languedoc:Lozère. The largest one is about 3 m tall and stands in the middle of the three besides the road.
Published on August 11, 2021 12:45
August 7, 2021
Abandoned Landscapes of North Wales by M.M Robinson - Contents
This article series is well worth a re-run.. An exclusive series on the North Wales uplands by archaeologist M M Robinson all linked from this page. The tide of human settlement has largely receded from the hills and mountains of North Wales, leaving us with one of the richest historic landscapes in Europe. This journal describes a series of walks through the valley and moorland environments of these uplands. Recurring themes include the search for ancient route ways, the importance of seasonal movements of stock (transhumance), abandoned territories of the Bronze Age, and more recent features which often go unnoticed such as sheepfolds, intake walls and abandoned homesteads. There is plenty here for readers whose starting point is an interest in megaliths.
Published on August 07, 2021 12:51
Nant Pasgan Mawr Standing Stone
This standing stone caught my eye during a recent walk along an ancient trackway leading from Bryn Cader Faner towards Cwm Moch (valley of the pigs). It attracted me because of its tetrahedron(ish) shape. It's situated in a field to the north of the trackway, visible across a dry stone wall. Its dimensions are: height 1.10m with its base dimensions W 1.5m, E 1m and S 0.70m.
Published on August 07, 2021 12:31


