This is the sight of a Bronze age stone circle which has been worn away by weather and various farmers so much, that it has almost disappeared.
To claim this cache you will need to read the three types of stones that might have been used to construct this circle and then answer the questions below..
Please message me the answers and remember you are on private land so show respect to the landscape.
The stone circles in the British Isles and Brittany were constructed as a part of a megalithic tradition that lasted from 3,300 to 900 BC, during the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age Educated estimates have been made that there would have been around 4,000 of these monuments originally constructed in this area of north-western Europe during this period, although currently, only around 1,300 of them are recorded, the others having been destroyed.
Although stone circles have been erected throughout history by a variety of societies and for a variety of reasons, in the Late Neolithic and Bronze Ages, this particular tradition was constrained to the British Isles and the neighboring area of continental Europe now known as Brittany. The rings were not distributed equally across this area, instead being centered on several highland regions, namely north-eastern and central Scotland, the Lake District, the south-west peninsula of England, and the north and south-west of Ireland.
Their original purpose still remains partially elusive, although archaeological investigation has shed some light on this issue. It is widely thought that they served a ritual or ceremonial purpose, particularly in relation to solar and/or lunar alignments. In a minority of cases, some were also used as cemeteries, with burials being made in and around the circle.
So what type of stone was used?
Is it, Limestone?
Limestone is a great construction material because it holds it shape over time and looks white and shiny when it is carved. Men have used Limestone for thousands of years to facing buildings and construction, in fact Egyptians used it on the great pyramids. Limestone is created when chalky type deposited rock is put under intense pressure to the point where it almost liquefies, when it cools it is a pale rock with fissures. Given that this stone is very old, if it were limestone you would expect it to be smooth to the touch where weather had worn it and there would be significant cracks or scars where water has washed away the softer parts of the rock.
Is it Gritstone?
Gritstone is a type of sandstone which is made by the depositing of large pieces of worn rock ( about the size of pinheads) becoming embedded in the finer grains of the sandstone conglomerate. As the name suggest this is a very rough stone and would feel very coarse to the touch. You might even see small pieces of stone poking out of the base stone which then falls off as you touch the rock. Grit stone will leave a residual grittiness to your fingers if you rubbed it. This type of stone erode quickly it it a poor building material and lichen and moss would not have time to grow because of the constant erosion.
Is it Sandstone?
Sandstone is an excellent building material because of its close structure and good weathering properties. When it is carved it will hold its shape for long periods and though it would feel rough to the touch it will not break off as you rub it. Also, since it erodes and breaks down slowly, in wet and damp conditions you would expect to see green moss or lichen growing on the rock. There are many types of sandstone ranging in colours from black through grey and ochre to red and bright yellow. If this is sandstone you will notice it is quite red, rough to the touch and yet doesn't not break away, also it will be covered in green moss.
So to the questions
1) Find the largest of the ring and describe the texture and appearance of the rock.
2) Walk round the circle and tell me how far round it is in metres or strides.
3) Some of the stones are hard to spot since they are small and covered in grass but tell me how many there are
4) What type of stone do you think they are?
5) About 30m south east of the big stone there is another stone, stand at this stone, look back to the circle and tell me which solstice you think the sun will set in this direction.
If you are able and willing please post a photo of you or your GPS at the circle and as always take in the blessings of your ancient ancestors who for some reason thought this was a sacred site.
I have spoken to the land owner and he has given permission to go to and observe the stone but please be sensitive, especially if animals are in the field.
Thanks for visiting the cache.