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The Modern Antiquarian Forum » Cornwall & Boleigh Fogou |
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Merrick 2148 posts |
Jul 20, 2003, 16:40
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Just back from 2 weeks cycling round Cornwall, and was blown away by the sites there. We were fortunate enough to come across a series of booklets by Ian McNeil Cooke called 'Antiquities of West Cornwall and How To Get There Without A Car'. Superbly researched, they take in not only the neolithic sites but also other ancient megaliths (and is careful to distinguish what's when), adding folklore and really good maps with suggested walks so you properly get a feel for a particluar landscape. These things vastly improved our visit and I'd recommend them in the strongest terms. He's also done reprints of two 19th century books on Cornwall's stones. Details are in the publications section of his site at http://www.menantolstudio.freeserve.co.uk/ The openness and friendliness of people we found in Cornwall was overwhelming. With one notable exception. Boleigh Fogou is in the grounds of a large house owned by CAER, a new age 'personal development' organisation. Cooke's pamphlet said permission needed to be got, which I always do when visiting somewhere on private land anyway. On CAER's door it had a blunt notice 'fogou visitors; view by appointment only. Do not knock on the door and ask for an exception to be made'. This is such a rude and stark contrast to the atitude from other landowners (even the farmers who see the stones as just obstacles). How much effort would it be to have a 'fogou this way' sign, and replace it with a 'fogou closed today' sign when they want it for their ceremonies. There's something really rude, vulgar and arrogant not just in the harsh phrasing, but in the hoarding exclusive ownership of it, sort of, 'we have exclusive rights to access not cos we have any higher spiritual purpose but just cos we have lots of money. Who knows what dreadful things might happen if we let someone like you near our fogou'. So be warned, you have to email or ring first and tug your forelock to the squire who owns it. 01736 810530 [email protected] for their thing on the fogou: http://www.caer.co.uk/fogou.htm Their site says they're selling the place this autumn (if any of you have a spare three quarters of a million quid); maybe the next owners won't be quite so selfish.
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moey 770 posts |
Jul 21, 2003, 01:00
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Aye, me and Joolio turned up without knowing a couple of years ago - snotty bunch of people they seemed. only had the rest of that day in the area and they wouldn't budge. moey
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pure joy 334 posts |
Jul 21, 2003, 01:04
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I totally agree with you that Ian McNeil Cooke’s books and re-prints are excellent, and very useful additions to the other material on Cornwall. The link to his website has been posted in the ‘Links’ section, and on the Boleigh Fogou page. Boleigh is a bit of a strange situation. The info on this site is now pretty clear that you need to call in advance; which I guess is the owner’s prerogative. People who have called in advance seem to have had a pretty warm welcome. I’m not sure what the situation was when ‘The Modern Antiquarian’ was researched / printed, but it doesn’t mention pre-booking, so maybe they are getting more unexpected visitors that they would like. I did feel a bit uncomfortable about going and decided in the end to not go - I just want to visit the site as an ancient site, not as some re-birthing site. I also feel a bit uncomfortable when people sell land that includes an ancient site at a premium, as if they are some sort of ‘unique selling point’ or a good investment. I’m not saying this is Jo’s situation because the centre and the grounds are large, but it is a shame that two ancient sites in Penwith have recently come ‘up for sale’ with huge price tags attached. This follows the recent stories on this site about a barrow being sold by a London based ex-member of Van der Graaf Generator - http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/browse.php?site_id=419 (see the news section). I note that one of the stories says that “Nic bought the land from his father, Norman Potter, in the mid-1980s for a few thousand pounds” and now he’s trying to sell 4 acres of land (that you can’t farm or build on) for £150,000? Uh, when did land prices go through the roof like that?
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pure joy 334 posts |
Jul 21, 2003, 01:14
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Ps - I've just officially offered £10,000 for the barrow and land (inc some sort of not-for-profit sell on clause). Wonder if it might be accepted...ho hum......
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Moth 5236 posts |
Jul 21, 2003, 01:48
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Well done PJ!!! Good luck...you'll need it!! love Moth
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Merrick 2148 posts |
Jul 21, 2003, 14:18
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>Boleigh is a bit of a strange situation. The info on >this site is now pretty clear that you need to call >in advance sure, but to suss that I'd have to have seen the website first - I usually don't check if a megalith has a website done by its possessive owner granting permission! >which I guess is the owner’s prerogative. Indeed, but it is still definitely snotty. Loads of farmers haven't a clue why we would want to look at some lumps of rock, but they still let us walk through their crops or livestock. Caer, these suposedly enlightened and spiritual people are the most excludingly possessive megalith landowners I've ever come across. And it's not just the fact of excluding visitors simply cos they have the money to buy the place, but the note on the dor is so abrupt and insulting in it's tone. How fuckin enlighjtened. >maybe they are getting more unexpected visitors >that they would like. Like I said in my last post, they could have a 'fogou this way' sign and do away with the need to be personally bothered by people. Loads of farmers do this for their stones, and how many suffer desecration? Seems like a bunch of arrogant fuckers with their heads up their arses if you ask me.
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ocifant 1758 posts |
Jul 21, 2003, 14:26
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Don't beat about the bush, say what you mean! I'll be down that way again in October and haven't seen the fogou yet. Forewarned is forearmed...
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Moon Cat 9577 posts |
Jul 21, 2003, 19:48
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Is that the one that was on the TV Mod Ant? Seem to remember Cope talking with Jo May on it, or rather 'in' it. Just read a book called simply Fogou by Jo May which I picked up for a couple of quid at Glasto - there was a great book tent there. A nice and interesting enough read though I found all the CAER related stuff a bit cheesy. Shame to see on here they act like gits when people wanna see the fougou. Tsk!
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pure joy 334 posts |
Jul 21, 2003, 21:02
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i'll need a miracle, but at least they might get the point that just selling it for shedloads isn't the only possibility. idealist? moi?
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