Comments for The Northern Antiquarian

Comment on Nine Stones Cup-Mark, Harthill, Derbyshire by megadread

megadread — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 01:36:05 +0000

“Though what, we first wondered, was it doing in the walling here?”

That was you mate, i wouldn’t have given the cup stone / cairn relationship a thought, novice that i am, wouldn’t have even been there if it wasn’t for you as i mentioned, i’d have been off Congleton way for my first visit to see the Bridestones remains.
Geoff.

Comment on Maiden or Tailor’s Cross, Foulridge, Lancashire by lowergate

lowergate — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 11:13:26 +0000

Paul is right in stating that the cross could have a pre-Christian origin. The area that the cross was originally sites is called ‘Burwains’(burial site/sacred grove? a house C17 nearby is called ‘Hobstones’) and stands below Noyna Hill (Noon Hill).

We need to look at this site more fully.

At the moment I am listing the positions of ’round-headed’ crosses in the search for a context to place them in historically.

Comment on Maiden or Tailor’s Cross, Foulridge, Lancashire by lowergate

lowergate — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 11:03:11 +0000

Originally refered to as THE SALTERS CROSS now stands at the top of Lowther Lane. It was removed from its former site to facilitate house building in the 1920’s, then being sited in what is now the garden of Lakeside House (SD 890 416), its pedestal still lies buried in that spot.

The head is carved out on both faces, and incised below the head are a pair of pincers. The later not only recalls the Passion of Christ but also the ‘pinch of salt’. Originally the shaft would have been of greater length, but like many others was damaged during the Civil Wars period. Local names for the Salters Cross, Taylor’s Cross & Maiden’s Cross, originate from that time, along with the requisite legends attached to the names.

The roadway by which the cross formerly stood is an ols saltway, part of a mid-Pennine network of roads that were established in pre-Conquest times reaching their greatest use in the 16th & 17th centuries. The Foulridge Salt Road was part of a route that ran from the salterns at Northwich, via Manchester, Colne & Skipton, to Knaresborough. The hamlet of Salterforth, two miles to the north, recalls this ancient trackway.

The Salt Roads radiated from Cheshire, and modern investigation has revealed the existence of a mediaeval industry and its extraordinary transport network of tracks, bridges, resting places and selling locations. The Foulridge Cross could have marked one of the larrer (a salt-pie).

Comment on Ash Cabin Flat, Hallam Moor, South Yorkshire by megadread

megadread — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:22:23 +0000

Btw mate, have a perfect place to pitch filling all your requirements very close to all the sites i’ve added today. ; )

Comment on Ash Cabin Flat, Hallam Moor, South Yorkshire by megadread

megadread — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:20:26 +0000

They are rather similar aren’t they, we should do a home swap for a week so we can see each others sites. ; )
As for adding the sites it’s my pleasure, the more people visit these places the more comfortable i feel about their well being, we stone nuts are the guardians of the sites aren’t we saddo’s that we are, eye’s and ears and all that sh*t should preserve them for the next generation hopefully.

Comment on Ash Cabin Flat, Hallam Moor, South Yorkshire by megalithix

megalithix — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:08:26 +0000

Hi Mega!

Cheers for adding this. I really like the look of the place. The photo you’ve added really reminds me of the Roms Law, or Grubstones Circle, up on the tops near Ilkley Moor, here:

http://megalithix.wordpress.com/2009/01/03/roms-law/ (soz the picture aint as clear – it’s a bugger to photograph at the best of times!)

Comment on Minning Low, Ballidon, Derbyshire by megadread

megadread — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:13:27 +0000

A very prominent site you can see this from quite a few other sites, on a good day you can see it from Carl Walk and Higgor Tor about 15 miles away. !

Comment on Minning Low, Ballidon, Derbyshire by megadread

megadread — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:08:16 +0000

Which ever way you access the site don’t climb the barbed wire fence, just walk around and there’s a bloody big gate. !

Comment on Holy Well, Eccleshill, Bradford, West Yorkshire by lowergate

lowergate — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:18:07 +0000

The place-name Eccleshill means the ‘church hill’. This Celtic word is derived from the British form of Latin – Ecclesia -and implies the existance of some sort of ‘British/Celtic’ population centre with organised worship in Romano-British & pre-Roman times.

Comment on Devil’s Den Cups, Clatford, Wiltshire by rockrich

rockrich — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:19:59 +0000

Interesting Paul, and good to see proper stuff being found south of Peak District:) On the right image is there a horseshoe shape, or is it a natural curving fissure? If artificial, ain’t too different from Goatscrag A nr Roughtin Linn