This is a Severn-Cotswold cairn. There is an enormous ammonite fossil on the left side of the doorway, quite low down and easily missed, although Julian Cope describes it as being around 15 inches in diameter. It was first opened through the roof in 1760 by a farmer looking for material with which to mend a road. Many bones were discovered in the Colt-Hoare excavation of May 1816, including thigh, leg and jawbones, and piles of smashed and burnt bones. It is currently undergoing restoration, and don't get me started on what they have for that.
| Visit date: | 04/10/2000 |
| Reporter: | Paul Kesterton |
| Email: | cthulhu@madasafish.com |
| Purpose: | Photographing and visiting sites |
| Time since last visit: | 5 months |
| Nightlight remains: | Yes |
| Candlewax: | Yes |
| Joss sticks: | Yes |
| Left food: | Yes |
| Picnic remains: | Yes |
| Cigarette ends: | Yes |
| Also found: | Some barely legible scrawled messages on pieces of paper left inside the tomb |
| Action taken: | Removed the rubbish from inside the tomb. |
| Comments: | I'd finally been able to go inside Stoney Littleton and was amazed by the size of the interior. This really is a fabulous site, but it saddens me to see that so soon after being re-opened idiots are littering the chambers and making a general mess at the site. I've no objection to people performing rituals at sites, but please don't spoil it for everyone else and take your rubbish with you! |
| Visit date: | 09/04/2000 |
| Reporter: | Rhiannon |
| Purpose: | To impress my sister. |
| Time since last visit: | 3 months |
| Comments: | I went to check out how the restoration was going - I visited in December and spoke to the archaeologists who were working there who said it'd be done by Spring. I was really Astounded! at the depth of the chambers but rather disappointed that I couldn't go inside. They've put a barred metal gate in the entrance, which is about a million times better than the concrete block I suppose. I think I may write to EH to ask whether it'll ever be open, but I do worry about all the things you've written about in your 'physical disturbance' essay and I worry that sadly, people can't be trusted to look after the site as it deserves. My sister and I got a real buzz from being up there, but we were quite happy to just sit quietly and take in the atmosphere - why do people have to impose physical signs of their own beliefs on sites? We visited Wells cathedral this weekend too - noone would dare leave joss sticks and coins jammed into the carvings there, because they know it wouldn't be appropriate in the eyes of other users of the building (if you see my point). I'm not denying people the right to believe whatever they like, but it's ridiculous to destroy what you hold to be the focus of your / your ancestors' beliefs.. |