ABOUT ME

I live in a camper van with a West Highland Terrier for company.
My passion is creating images but it is a work in progress.
I am always willing to share what knowledge I have and can be contacted through the comments on this post or e-mail ADRIAN
ALL IMAGES WILL ENLARGE WITH A LEFT CLICK

Wednesday, 16 December 2009

FIVE THOUSAND YEARS OLD (16/12/09)

 A clear sunny morning, we went for the bus at five to nine. It never came so went back to the truck to find I had misread the time table it's a Saturday only service. Well bless my soul! The next and first bus of the day was not until eleven by which time it had clouded over.

Running a little late but eventually got to Merrivale Bridge and not far away on the moor is a site of great antiquity it dates back to around 2700BC. Even by my standards that is old! I am fascinated by these places but recognise that one half metre high stone looks much the same as another so will restrain the number of pictures posted. The job consists of two sets of two parallel lines of stones with a blocking stone at the eastern end. There are several embellishments in the form of stone circles and a Kistvaen. The full words and music can be found by clicking HERE.

On to the photographs.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA The blocking stone.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA      This stone circle is in the middle of the southern set of stones which is roughly half a mile long.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA The western end.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA          This Leat separates the two rows, whether or not it is contemporary I'm afraid I don't know.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA           The ends of the rows. This is the start of the northern row, they are not quite in parallel nor ruler straight, this row is shorter than the other. Obviously builders haven't changed much over the years! (A joke Tony)

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA           Kistvaen......I am assuming this a burial chamber but it seems a touch on the small side.

Loads more views but enough is enough, probably more than enough.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA           Merrivale Bridge.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA          I imagine this being picturesque in summer, quite like it now. The white building lurking behind the branches is The Dartmoor Inn, it's open.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA         Taken with a star filter attached.

Rain, freezing rain curtailed the wander yet again but was very fortunate. Two old ladies I was chatting to in the pub were heading home passed the van so kindly offered a lift. Saved waiting for the bus in the rain. Better than that one of the ladies sons owns a camp site at Ashburton just up the road. So, another good day.

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11 comments:

  1. Unknown16 December 2009 at 17:06

    Morning Adrian... I suppose it's probably afternoon or evening for you there now... still only 9 a.m. here though so, top of the mornin' to ya!

    The blocking stone - really really neat! I love old stuff like that. 2700BC now THAT is old! And so fascinating.

    Sounds like you had a great day! Hope your night is good as well.

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  2. Scriptor Senex16 December 2009 at 17:27

    May be picturesque in summer but I suspect you've got the best time of year because it's probably packed with grockles from Easter to October.

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  3. Bob Bushell16 December 2009 at 19:02

    What a load of old stones! The first picture seems to me, they are broken teeth. They were 5000 years old; it had a bad year with the dustmen. But it comes down to a good pint in the local. I'm joking, honest.

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  4. holdingmoments16 December 2009 at 19:51

    Fascinating area Adrian, and interesting link too.

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  5. Unknown16 December 2009 at 19:52

    The bridge looks vaguely familiar to me. I am sure we stopped there looking for the Whinchats this year before moving on to Princetown. You get very lucky with the pubs...they do look rather welcoming. That is one of the advantages of using the bus and shankies pony.

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  6. ADRIAN17 December 2009 at 04:36

    Penny, Difficult to get a composition, tried lying down....Once...Ground was soaking wet and freezing. Ought to try with a longer lens compress the beggars up a bit.
    John, yes, despite my moaning it is good to have the world to myself.
    Bob, ta, after StoneHenge, these are a bit wee. Bin lorry got bogged in the mire.
    Keith, Thanks the link is a bit heavy going but it appears to give the facts as they know them. At the end of the day whose to know. were they a calender, a temple? Most likely both.
    Trevor You can't miss it the first valley you get to on the Tavistock- Princetown road. Usually as I'm ambling passed the pub is shut. Nice to get in the warm.

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  7. Midmarsh John17 December 2009 at 07:42

    I am always fascinated by the effort put in to moving so many large lumps of rock thousands of years ago. Makes me wonder how they found the time as scratching a living must have taken up a lot of their short lives.
    I wonder if the boulders near the bridge were deposited there by a glacier in one of the ices ages.
    That looks like a nice cosy refreshment stop.

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  8. ADRIAN17 December 2009 at 08:06

    John i suspect that we have been misled. Bronze age man seems to have been more organised than I was always led to believe. They must have had dedicated masons and as you say the time to do the job. The whole area was glaciated and there are large moraine fields.

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  9. Jerry17 December 2009 at 14:06

    There is also a single stone row there, and many hut circles.
    The stone circle is the remains of a burial cairn.
    The leat is not contemporary, only a few hundred years old.
    Glaciers did not reach Dartmoor, your 'moraine fields' are the normal surface 'clitter' of granite areas.
    You might find this useful;
    http://www.richkni.co.uk/dartmoor/docs/prehistory.htm

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  10. ADRIAN18 December 2009 at 09:30

    Thanks Jerry for all your help. Will get back up there. The reason i assumed glaciation was the existence of large rounded boulders of various different coloured rock. Have a good Christmas.

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  11. GB1 January 2010 at 07:02

    Another really interesting posting with great photos. I'm learning lots from your blog, thats for sure.

    I suppose the pub does look brighter with a star filter....

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