Standing Stones, Fallen Stones.

One of my recent posts, a somewhat philosophical approach to a local standing stone, seems to have captured people's imagination. I was talking to the Northleach Local History Society last week, and I mentioned the number of standing stones that exist between Northleach and Sherborne. This seemed to intrigue people. It intrigues me too! These stones are not well known, and that's no bad thing necessarily. I think they are interesting. Some are probably no more than old gate posts, but others are in locations that suggest a much more interesting purpose.

And they're not the only ones...

I have now discovered four and possibly five fallen standing stones within Lodge Park. There's a fifth about five metres outside the Lodge Park boundary. Also fallen. In all but one of these cases, these stones have naturally grassed over. But they're there. Once I've worked out an understanding of what they were there for, I might share the locations if the NT are comfortable with that - they may not be and I'll respect that. Archaeology is important to preserve. For now, above is the only picture I can show you. It's a standing stone, I believe, fallen and mostly forgotten. Just for absolute clarity, I took this photograph a while back on an open day, so I've not strayed into an area I didn't have permission to go to. I asked the National Trust if they were aware of this last one and got a vague nod.

1. I found one stone marked on a Victorian map, when presumably it was still standing and confirmed it with LIDAR. It's fallen and overgrown now.
2. I found one stone, the one pictured, by walking along an interesting alignment on a day the parkland was formally open.
3. I found three, and possibly four more referenced in a book published over 100 years ago and confirmed by LIDAR and visual inspection on a day the parkland was formally open. It's amazing what you can find in old books. It's also amazing what you can find on LIDAR if you're given a focus area.

The truth is that standing stones do sometimes fall. It's due to age, weather, physics and ploughs towed by tractors or horses. And memories are short - so what was known about by many 100 years ago is known about by very few today. One or two of these megalithic stones may be natural occurring "erratic" stones or left overs from other purposes, just moved around by farmers over the millennia, but some of them are in some very interesting places. Watch this space.

There is still much ancient history to be understood about this place we live in. I think that's really interesting and exciting.

Finally, best wishes to Mike Robinson, who many of you know and who I understand is not well. I understand he is recovering and will return home soon.

( A correction - in the last post I misdated the Sherborne Archives exhibition. It is, of course, on the 31st of May, not the 1st of May. Details in the poster below. Can I also make a plea to the person who keeps removing Sherborne Archive posters from the village notice boards not to do it. It is very irritating, and it's pretty stupid. The Archives hold interesting stuff that should be of interest to anybody with an interest in Sherborne. If you don't like it, don't go, but let other villagers be aware and make their own choice.)