This site stands on top of Middleton Common in Derbyshire, and Julian Cope describes it thusly in the gazzeteer section of "The Modern Antiquarian":
All of its limestone longstones are fallen, including the huge central Cove setting, giving the impression of a gigantic megalithic clockface.
He also tells us that Aubry Burl has argued for this being a series of monuments, beginning with the Cove at the centre and following with the bank and ditch. Later came the stone circle and then a Bronze Age Barrow was inserted upon the henge bank itself. Gib Hill, an associated site, was excavated by Thomas Bateman in 1848.
| Visit date: | 13/08/2000 |
| Reporter: | Clive Bates |
| Email: | cbHope@btinternet.com |
| Purpose: | Dowsing for energy lines and healing points |
| Spoke to Land Spirits: | Yes |
| Damaged Lichen: | Yes |
| Also found: | Site was in good condition although worn by visitors. Upturned "VR" marker stone near Gib Hill. |
| Visit date: | 10/04/2000 |
| Reporter: | Naomi J Mason |
| Email: | n.mason@ucl.ac.uk |
| Purpose: | MA research |
| Time since last visit: | 5 days |
| Fire damage: | Yes |
| Objects: | Yes |
| Flowers: | Yes |
| Left food: | Yes |
| Picnic remains: | Yes |
| Action taken: | All the picnic litter was organic so I left it. I thought about removing the flowers but they looked so nice. |
| Visit date: | 10/10/1999 |
| Reporter: | Tim Prevett |
| Email: | wigwam@taialm.clara.co.uk |
| Website: | http://members.dencity.com/Felinda/Wigwam.html |
| Purpose: | Personal interest |
| Time since last visit: | 1 week |
| Ritual remains: | Yes - Oak and heather and other leaves tied together with red string, with a small selection of sea shells. |
| Visit date: | 21/06/1999 |
| Reporter: | Graham Walker |
| Email: | katzcom@freeuk.com |
| Purpose: | Summer solstice |
| Time since last visit: | [Graham has written 4am in this field, so I'm not too sure what he means - Sam] |
| Fire damage: | Yes |
| Flowers: | Yes |
| Cigarette ends: | Yes |
| Other marks: | Yes |
| Action taken: | Took my rubbish away, e.g. fag ends, empty bottle of mead hic! I did not remove the herbs as they were lying on the ground and not jammed into the stones [ I would have removed them anyway, but I'm just mean - Sam ] |