Comments for The Northern Antiquarian

Comment on Sweet Willy Well, Wrose, Shipley, West Yorkshire by nonnaihr7

nonnaihr7 — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 12:44:41 +0000

Hello Paul, being interested in plants, the name rang a bell. It’s possible it’s talking about bog myrtle, which unsurprisingly grows in boggy moory places – you’ll know how boggy and moory it might be there and so how persuasive this idea is or not. It smells lovely and they used to use it in beer. Supposed to be good against midges too. Doubtless you’ll know it?
http://archive.org/stream/onpopularnamesb00priogoog#page/n262/mode/2up
keep up the good work
Rhiannon

Comment on Mount Cross, Cornholme, Todmorden, West Yorkshire by sunbright57

sunbright57 — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 21:01:31 +0000

I think its the case that many ancient crosses and, some more recent ones, are haunted. Many other ancient sites are thought to be haunted.

Comment on Mount Cross, Cornholme, Todmorden, West Yorkshire by Kai Roberts

Kai Roberts — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 19:12:28 +0000

Cheers Paul. There’s not much more in the Lofthouse book (one of my all-time favourite tomes!) than what you’ve quoted, and I’ve got a photocopy of the Halifax Antiquarian Society paper on the Long Causeway crosses but can’t recall anything regarding a haunting mentioned in that. Don’t worry about following it up though if you don’t think there’s much more detail. I hope the move all goes smoothly!

Comment on Mount Cross, Cornholme, Todmorden, West Yorkshire by megalithix

megalithix — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 17:50:47 +0000

HI Kai – I can’t get to all mi notes on this item at the mo, as we’re slowly packing to move house in the next fortnight. There are several lengthy articles on this cross, not listed in the references above, and the info either comes from them, or those cited. Might be worth checking Jessica Lofthouse’s book – I think it may be in that one (my copy is in one of the boxes, packed away ready to move). But from what I can recall, the description telling it to be haunted gives very little more detail.

Comment on Mount Cross, Cornholme, Todmorden, West Yorkshire by Kai Roberts

Kai Roberts — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 15:48:46 +0000

Can you elaborate on its reputation for being haunted? I don’t think I’ve come across any mention of that before.

Comment on Wizard’s Stone, Dollar, Clackmannanshire by greenmackenzie

greenmackenzie — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 12:25:37 +0000

Merlin gets around doesn’t he. Theres a stone down in the Borders near Stobo castle said to have been his. It always amazes me the stories which gather around old sites like this. Woven into local tales they spring to life in the imagination.

Comment on Wizard’s Stone, Dollar, Clackmannanshire by Alex Jones

Alex Jones — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 21:13:20 +0000

Must be awesome to live in the vicinity of such sites.

Comment on Hastings Hill Cursus, Sunderland, Durham by megalithix

megalithix — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 21:50:52 +0000

Hi Adam – A massive thanks for the additional information. Truly hugely appreciated! :)

Comment on Hastings Hill Cursus, Sunderland, Durham by Adam Bland

Adam Bland — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 19:31:31 +0000

I live very close to this site and though it may be helpful to provide some information about the site and the wider context in which it sits.
A walk along the edge of the fields to the West of this site reveals a great deal of natural flint, most of which is unbroken and unworked, possibly turned up by the plough from old stream beds that may have once run through the area as well as the glacial till that underlies most of the northeast. A significant amount for burnt flint and a few worked flints and agate appear around a rise immediately West of the enclosure, next to the road. The topsoil at the summit of the rise is so shallow that any archaeological features will most likely have been destroyed. The rise it’s self is a prominent feature in the undulating topography of the area. Examination of what the topography would have been like before significant changes made by the introduction of roads and industrial farming to the area would reveal a landscape difficult to navigate by todays standards.
In the wider context of the local prehistoric landscape the cursus sits South of hasting hill which is topped with a previously excavated burial mound. Humbleton hill a mile or so to the East of the site was once topped with a burial mound and possible enclosure which have long since been destroyed. Tunstal hills further to the east have both had burial mounds and worked flints found on them. Warden Law to the South had a number of Neolithic burial mounds as well as Mesolithic worked flint finds and Seven Sisters burial mound lies West of Warden Law with evidence of Mesolithic activity also recorded.
To the South West of Hasting Hill is the prominent Herrington hill which runs west in a crescent to Newbottle. As far as I am aware no prehistoric feature have been recorded along this hill but in the fields to the West at the foot of the hill I have found a number of worked flints, most likely Neolithic which include scrapers, burins and various worked flakes.
To the North West of Hasting hill lies Penshaw Monument which is a speculated, but unconfirmed prehistoric hill fort or enclosure. A number of flints have been found in this area and recorded in antiquity.
North East of the site evidence of bronze age settlement has been found near the river Wear at Hylton as well as a dug out canoe and Bronze weapons and axes dredged from the river during the days of shipbuilding.
Further features and burials have been recorded across Sunderland and in villages to the south of Houghton le Spring but most now have been replaced by suburbs or destroyed by open cast mining of farming.
Overall the archaeological evidence remaining after heavy industry, mining and agriculture in the area suggest this relatively small section of Sunderland has seen a large amount of prehistoric activity and habitation. This is easy to understand as the coastline provides large quantities of flint and hard stone from the glacial till that underlies the whole of the Northeast which could be used for tools. The coast would also provide food and access to trade up and down the coast line. The river Wear would provide food like salmon and has a relatively short estuary making it fordable quite close to the coast a low tide.
I hope this is useful for people in understanding the site a little better.

Comment on Rivock Enclosure, Riddlesden, Keighley, West Yorkshire by megalithix

megalithix — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 00:01:25 +0000

It can be quite exciting as well! The wonder of discovery seems to light up a lot of people when we explore these ancient environments – always a good thing! :)