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The Modern Antiquarian Forum » Reclaim The Stones |
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Annexus Quam 916 posts |
Dec 08, 2000, 21:22
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I am currently roaming the land in search of ancient natural formations which must have freaked the mind of the ancients much more than anything you call a stone circle can blow your minds today for bearing the label 'ancient' - in an effort to attempt to penetrate the psychology of pre-industrial man, i am beginning to see shapes and feelings in all kinds of boulder groupings, rock edges and light effects around the time of winter sunset. Surely you must know of a weird stone or group of stones which, although being natural blessings from the ma, got their due respects and names from your local community and acted as an omphalos in the land. The time has come to reclaim the stones -
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Droood 58 posts |
Dec 08, 2000, 23:13
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Yeah, theres a huge 'mother rock' (sh490440) a few miles outside Criccieth on the Afon Dwyfor in the valley not far from 'Ystumcegid'. I stumbled across it when when i took a day out from the family, on holiday last year. It's mostly white quartzite granite and covered in green lichen , its probably some sort of glacial erratic, but it is apsolutely huge (20 ft long by about 15 ft high by about 10 ft wide), and shaped like a hump back whale. The shear presence of the thing was overwhelming and i spent a good hour just chillin', reclining along it's 'back' having my dinner on this scorching summers day. If we go back to wales again this year, i'm definately going back, as it's setting, in a tree lined hollow next to a stream and a quiet farm track is pure bliss. There was also another 'portal dolmen' nearby which Julian does'nt mention in TMA, but is well worth a visit. The name is 'Beudy r Gromlech' (sh 489404) and its situated about 2 miles as the crow flies from Ystum'. It's looks like a mini 'Pentre Afan' from certain angles, and is in a tree lined field, not far from the B4411, just before the village / hamlet of Rhoslan. (The pathfinder for the Lleyn Peninsula East No:13 is excellant for getting about, though i did find that there were a few more high fences than i expected.) If you've got a car theres plenty more 'stones 'n'stuff' nearby, but i had to rely on the cambrian coaster train service to get about. When i get a scanner sorted out, i'l find somwhere to post the photo's.
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Annexus Quam 916 posts |
Dec 09, 2000, 10:35
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thanks for all that info droood, I will print it out and add it to my wales files - are you referring to coetan arthur and rhoslan as the other stones nearby you couldn't visit? I can't check the details now but clearly concentrations of stones and important monuments like ystum' relates to the fact that there may be important natural features around like the mother-stone you mention or maybe hills you have failed to observe nearby which acted as the focus of the megalith builders. let me know once you have that photo, or else I might send you another strange curved isolated formation in return that I only saw yesterday, with a background of dark foreboding cloud-topped hills behind (that is, if the cheap film I used worked properly...)
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Annexus Quam 916 posts |
Dec 11, 2000, 14:00
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glad to hear you will have some pix - I vaguely remember Buzzard mentioning Criccieth to me recently though I may be wrong.
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Droood 58 posts |
Dec 11, 2000, 15:27
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If you work close to Birmingham, take the train to Wolverhampton, you get some outstanding 'mother hill' type outcrops (especially the one at Oldbury, and also the Wrens Nest in Dudley, as well as castle hill). Also just outside Stoubridge, the Clents are an unusual outcrop (along with Whychbury with it's overgrown hillfort, spooky, and the hills towards Kinver also with another hillfort, albeit in ill repair. Closer to Birmingham are the Lickey hills, and theres a great walk from the beakon through Waseley hills country park out to the Clents (and Kinver if you've still got the puff). The Hills to the North of Pwelli going towards Bangor have one of Wales's most outstanding hillforts, though its a climb to get there. There's also bags of prehistoric remains in the locale. Happy hunting...
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Droood 58 posts |
Dec 11, 2000, 15:43
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I've tried visiting your site, it sounds great, but alas i could'nt get in. Any pointers...
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Buzzard of Morfe 196 posts |
Dec 11, 2000, 15:51
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Yet another one notices the Wychbury Enigma! Please mail me. Regards, Morfe.
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Droood 58 posts |
Dec 11, 2000, 16:32
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Yeah, it's a fab place,I always try and pay a visit when i'm in the area, the ramparts to the West are vast (i know i slipped down them), and theres stacks of old Yew trees dotted around the interior (a sacred tree to our ancient brethren as well as the cross swingin' christians, aparently all of the tree is highly poisonous, except for the red berries). Every time i've been, whatever time of year it's always been deserted (i've yet to brave a visit at night, it puts the willies up me in the day as it is) Has that Napolionic war memorial fell over yet? It's been tettering for years, and whats with the Neo Classical temple further down? Was'nt there some local story about a witch being hung there during the war or something (who put Bella in the Whychelm? or something like that. I don't know, maybe i've got my wires crossed, but i thought i saw something on Central news once.
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C33 17 posts |
Dec 11, 2000, 19:32
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The most awesome "Natural temple" I've been to is Brimham rocks which Julian rightly gives respect to in the MA. This place is weird, like the Badlands of North Yorkshire. It's best visited this time of year (less chance of school trips and ice-cream vans). Nearby, (Halfway between Leeds and Harrogate) is another mighty Temple to the elements, Almscliff Crags which JC doesn't mention. Even though its a favourite spot for Pepsi-max drinking climbing types its easy to get up to the top and enjoy the views. Itsa place which definitely has "the Vibe". A dead giveaway is the Holly (holy) Hill farm marked on the map next to it.
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