The long grass at Ullenwood in black and white

From the English Heritage National Monuments Record collection, the Cold War series taken by Michael Hesketh Roberts in 1999: the long grass at Ullenwood looking particularly luxurious and doubtless appealing to the foxes of which Lofty was so fond ...

Whilst on the subject of Ullenwood, I have a vague recollection of some episode involving surveillance by the Gloucestershire Constabulary drug squad.  I have a feeling that somebody had planted a grove of marijuana, on one side or the other of Greenway Lane, and that the dope plants were discovered, presumably by Mike Cuttell, on whose land the undesirable growing was taking place.  The police were informed and this led to some doubtless long-suffering Detective Constable hiding in the hedge awaiting the return of the marijuana grower, presumably with the intention of making an arrest followed by interview, and unless a very good explanation was forthcoming, charges were sure to follow. I have half a suspicion that this may have been either in 1976 on 1977 when Ken and Dave were the cooks for the season and I think the only reason I know anything about this at all is that they mentioned that they were in the habit over a few days of slipping down Greenway Lane and handing plates of hot food into the hedge for the nourishment of the long-suffering Detective Constable.  Presumably a disembodied arm would emerge from the hedge to return the plates and cutlery.  At this distance I am beginning to wonder whether I have imagined this: does it ring any bells with anyone else?

 I cannot imagine the Gloucestershire police sparing anyone to stake out a marijuana patch these days.

Savage 1988 6: Interlude: Priest and People

My thanks, as ever, to Richard Savage and the Crickley Hill Trust for permission to reproduce abstracts from his 1988 booklet  "Village  Fortress Shrine: Crickley Hill Gloucestershire 3500 BC -AD500".  Today the the section dealing with the Long Mound.

6 Interlude: Priest and People

c. 2500 - 1000 BC

The last Neolithic settlement was destroyed well before 2000 BC, and for more than a thousand years there was no permanent occupation of the hill.  But its use as a religious centre continue for at least part of that time; at present we have no means of establishing a certain date for its end.

The Neolithic shrine and the path approaching it were modified, the shrine being incorporated in a small stone circle whose centre, a burnt area, was almost exactly above the hearth which was presumably the focus of the old rituals.  Part of the path was covered with a stone cairn.  This supported very odd fence lines which defined cells, stalls or even short lengths of passage.  Later, in a final rearrangement, the circle was rebuilt, with a stone slab over its central hearth, and the slab itself was burnt on its upper surface, with many fragments of burnt bone scattered about it.  The cairn covering the approach road was covered and extended by a mound of turf and topsoil nearly 100 m long, with a pole erected at its eastern end and its sides marked out at intervals by large stone slabs, some covering butchered animal bones.  Cobbling and trampled stone suggest that processions moved beside the mound, outside its stones, and continued both inside and outside the circle.

We are looking at an important religious centre, whose rituals involve animal sacrifice with elaborate ceremonies.  We do not at present know where its priesthood or their congregation lived; it seems likely that it was not on the hill itself.

[Illustration: a beaker from Crickley Hill. The shape, decoration and fabric are characteristic of the transition from the Neolithic to the Early Bronze Age. Height about 15cm]

The sacred area may have been defined by a small trench, 40 cm wide and deep, which contained only burnt stone and earth, cut in the silt of the final Neolithic ditch.  The processional way, today visible as the long mound, lies at the bottom of the natural hollow which conceals it and the circle at its western end.  Outside the sacred area, only watchers standing in a small zone on the southern side of the hill could have a sight of activity on the mound, and their view was, it seems, interrupted by short fence held up by three posts to the east of it.  In fact, the whole ritual complex would have been hidden from anyone on the hill outside the boundary, although the smoke of the fire in the stone circle would have been visible throughout much of the Severn Vale.  One might guess that the occurrence of ritual practice was intended to be public, but its details were kept entirely secret. 

[Illustration: The shrine and its processional way in their first post-neolithic form K. Hajichristou]

It is likely that this final phase was a ritual site of the earlier part of the Bronze Age, perhaps in the centuries after 2000 BC, but it may be only a coincidence that the best place from which the initiated (discreetly removed well out of earshot) might see the ceremonies is 700 m due east of the long mound, on high ground, where there is a small group of early Bronze Age burial mounds.

[Plan: the relationship between the shrine, the processional way and the round barrows of Emma's Grove (on private ground)]

[Illustration: casting an axe head in the early Bronze Age. P. Saxby]

The use of this temple site came to an abrupt end.  The great slab in the centre of the circle was smashed.  The stones of the circle itself were pushed over.  All but one were driven inwards; those involved seem to recognize the power of the circle, and destroyed it while themselves standing outside.  The hilltop was now abandoned, and grass slowly covered its monuments.

[Photo: the shrine and long mound under excavation, and illustration: the shrine and its processional way in their final form. E.J.P. Wilczynska]

Boden on Lash

Mr Boden's archive contains a gem:

"Herr Blogmeister, the Boden archive used to extend further - I once had a good selection from 1980, but lent them to someone many years ago and never saw them again. [Who was it? Let's track 'em down?] Anything else, not sure.... I have thousands of slides, the Pentax became the Nikon, and I continued to use this medium until CCD technology overtook the resolution of the best quality film early in this millennium.

A propos of the recent Captain Lash postings, the copy that still somehow resides on my bookshelves was the basis of the proposed stage version, fully annotated as the prototype script in a hand which I know isn't Ferris's so must presumably be Philpotts or yourself. For example, Cocky's concertina has become a recorder, and textual alterations such as "He began to rave, ripping out a - 'torrent of filthy lingua franca' (replaced by) 'Giant JP!' - that would have curdled the blood of Cora had she understood it." Maybe an important and iconic copy for the Lash aficionados - perhaps I should stick it up on eBay and let them fight amongst themselves for it!!!!

Finally, I still possess my old WHS trowels and have used them again relatively recently for their properly designed purpose - ie repointing old brickwork."

Looking West

My thanks to Natural England for the last in Peter Wakely's 1995 series: is this looking down the northern flank of the hill towards the west from quite a distance or have I misread the perspective? 

C-H-M and Dr Ferris are caught short ...

Dr Ferris disputes my support for Arwel Barrett's shorts in this post a few weeks ago: "While I would on many topics defer to the wisdom of Crickley Hill Man, fashion is not one of them. I think he will find that the only time in which shorts such as those worn by Private Arwel have been fashionable was in the 1940s, and only then if worn by members of the Eighth Army in the western desert." I think Dr Ferris and I are simply going to have to agree to disagree: perhaps, further, Dr Ferris has not set eyes on Crickley Hill Man's collection of shorts recently. Maybe they should be given an outing at the reunion ... 

Is this a ticklish question from Andrew Powell or a rash one?

Andrew Powell asks:

"Glad to hear that John Boden has been in touch. But his picture of the ablutions triggered a vague memory - concerning the luxuriant bed of nettles visible outside. My memory is of someone (no doubt Ferris/Phillpotts/Boden can identify the victim - something says Boden - but I may be way out) who on returning from an evening at the local hostelry mistook said bed for his own, and in a partially undressed state lay down in it, not fully appreciating the fact for some time - although by next morning I think he was aware of his error."

Ow. Ai-ai-ai-eeeouw.  Should not the verb perhaps have been "fell" rather than "lay"?  Perhaps it mattereth not. Gentlemen?

Dr Phillpotts provides an erudite commentary ...

Dr Phillpotts has taken time out from his labours to tie together one or two strands that we might otherwise have missed.

"Really Julian, what's next? Left leg? Right leg? You must remember that you are a Delicate Critter and must take care of yourself. ... I was glad to see that Andrew Powell is sending in his contributions: I see that you have already worked out that no 3 is the CH72 season. The reason that the cutting is so close to the huts is that it was extended up to them to follow the lines of postholes of a 20-post longhouse. The strat was very shallow over the bedrock. I think I remember some of the postholes being hacked out by Cameron Moffet with a catbasher, which she broke. She too now lives in Shropshire.

Further to some other recent posts, the shot of Sylvie was taken up the photographic tower. I was also up the tower when I took the picture of PWD returning from the peeing tree, with a 200m zoom lense. As he heard the shutter click, Phil raised two fingers to me in jocular salute.

I much appreciated the shot of Jill Hummerstone in action on the serving counter, but I wonder if the double drainer metal sink is in fact a 1980s replacement of the original arrangement, which I fancy may have been single, deep and ceramic. Also in the 1980s refurbishment the whole stage and the piano was lost. Does no one have a picture of the mural that was on the back panel of the stage facing the kitchen? It featured King Kong holding Big Ben, and I believe it was painted by Pat Anderson's sisters c1972.

The unreleased Troubled Bridge over Water was from our GG and the Wart Removers phase, when we really were a duo and Andrew Powell was lost in space. It featured an extended cut of Jordanian Woman and our nod to the English pastoral tradition, Walking to Hampton Homosexual. Sadly the master tapes are lost, but perhaps if you can remember what BAWB sounded like, you weren't really in it."

Andrew Powell muses ...

Professor Dixon illuminates this 1973 shot of Andrew Powell's: "the area to the south of the entrance. The square cut into the bank is cutting AIV of 1969, reopened in 1973."

Andrew himself says: "All this nostalgia gets me to reminiscing. Your blog says over 3000 people have dug at Crickley and while I am sure there is something about the Crickley Hill experience that most of us share - a common feeling about the place, the archaeology, the people, particularly Phil, even about the Ullenwood ablutions, I am also certain that each person has a different story to tell about what that experience meant.

When I first went to Crickley, for two weeks in 1971 (I think), I had just left school and was planning to study Scots law. This was my first experience of archaeology, and each subsequent summer while at university I came back to Crickley, where I met the likes of Ferris, Phillpotts, Boden, Roberts and many others, all of whom seemed to be having much more fun studying archaeology than I was, studying law. 

It slowly dawned on me that I was on the wrong career path, and after graduating I finally decided that a legal career was not for me (much to the relief I think of the Edinburgh solicitors who had offered me an apprenticeship – given my sober and respectable appearance at the time). 

However, with help and advice from Phil, including a very complimentary “To whom it may concern” reference (that I still have), I first got my first professional job in archaeology digging in Glasgow, and eventually a place at university to study archaeology. So Crickley was literally a life-changing experience for me – thanks to which I am a now highly remunerated, fat-cat archaeologist, rather than just another impoverished Scottish lawyer. Ho hum.

Has anyone mentioned the 1972 Fisher-Spassky World Chess Championship, which I remember being followed with great interest at Ullenwood? I recall there were a number of quite good chess players there; I was not one of them but I got quite interested. Or, a few years later, the group who, incomprehensibly (to many of us), would play Dungeons and Dragons every evening rather than amble down to the Air Balloon for a quick half of shandy."

May I apologise to Andrew for the delay in posting his amusing observations: he sent this note to me some weeks ago, but the after-effects of the general anaesthetic caused me to suffer from temporary amnesia?

The Guardian crossword, 1972

A rather crowded shelter in 1972, or thereabouts in this photo from Andrew Powell. He recalls that the object of attention was the Guardian crossword. Amongst others, L to R: Dave Southwood, Mike Webb and John Parry.  It's interesting to see that at this time the trestle tables for serving drinks and lunch were set up in the shelter.  In later years, unless my memory plays me false the tables tended to live outside the shelter, presumably because there were too many diggers to accommodate the tables as well.

Fourth Report, 1972: Part V

 Click on image to enlarge

Today, with thanks to PWD for permission, the final part of the Fourth Report from 1972:

"The Period 3 Settlement

The Period 2 settlement was destroyed by fire, presumably at the same time as the burning of the Period 2 defences.  Before the laying of the Period 3b road surface a large roundhouse was built across the western end of House 2.  The post circle of this house was 11.6 m in diameter, but outside it, to the north, perhaps platform formed a shelf about 3 cm higher than the surrounding bedrock; this shelf, produced by traffic wear around the house, ran from 1.7 m to 2.4 m outside the circle; on the south side a burnt streak and clusters of burnt daub continued the line, which is taken to represent a wattled partition framed, like those of the Period 2 houses, on sleeper beams resting on the ground surface.  The porch lay on the west side, facing away from the entrance to the hillfort, and appears to have been supported by diagonal braces set in slots.

The total diameter of the roundhouse was about 14.8 m.  A number of post holes whose dating is uncertain lay within the circle.  Some may belong to partitions at the west end of House 2 of Period 2: postholes 522, 541 and 542 probably associated with the roundhouse, but none were substantial enough to have held up the roof.  No central support was possible, for a hearth lay in the middle of the house, and while roof supporting posts might have rested on the ground surface (producing a tower-like structure similar to that proposed for Little Woodbury roundhouse (Bersu, 1940) no evidence of this is likely to be forthcoming.  Like the roundhouses of similar size, and apparently similar construction, at Pimperne or Longbridge Deveril, the roof construction of the Crickley roundhouse is problematic.

To the south west of House 4 two small hearths were surrounded by clusters of small postholes.  Further holes, both small and large, lay to the south of the roundhouse and to the north of House 1.  For none are there adequate grounds to allow period attribution, and all are shown in figure 5 as of uncertain period.  The excellent preservation of the hearths might suggest ascription to the final phase of occupation, and this, more tentatively, might be indicated by the undue proximity of one of the structures to the front of House 5.  The post holes around hearth 801 could be seen as a trapezoidal building: heavy burning to the south of the hearth had reduced the bedrock to quicklime, an intense heat that suggests some industrial function from the building.  The internal post holes were perhaps to support a frame around hearth itself.  No clear pattern can be made of the post holes in other areas, and, as flimsy shelters, drying racks or similar two or more pos-structures, some may belong to the Period 2 and others too are shown for convenience, on the Period 3 plan (figure 6).

If the Period 3a defences are correctly interpreted as a temporary re-fortification of the hilltop after the Period 2 destruction (Dixon, 1970), the roundhouse may have been built during Period a 3a.  It was burnt down during the destruction of the 3b and  defences, and the site was then abandoned.

Discussion

The decorated sherds of fine fabric with incised linear ornament (illustrated and described in Dixon, 1971) which came from the info of the latest rampart (Period 3b) are now closely matched by pottery from the postholes of the Period 2 roundhouse.  Almost all the material from the Period 2 post holes, however, consists of sherds of coarse fabric with sagging shoulders and irregular rims; the only decorated sherd comes from the post-pipes of the five-post  structure between Houses 1 and 3, and presumably  relates to the period after the Period 2 settlement. 

This break in the ceramic tradition, whatever interpretation be put upon it, should therefore be placed between Period 2 and Period 3a, a period which saw the change from longhouse to roundhouse, and also from daub filled with grit to clean sifted daub in the wattling of these buildings.

Comparanda for the pottery should be treated with caution in view of the paucity of the material.  The closest parallels for the sherds of the latest period appear to come from the Upper Thames (references given in Dixon 1971), in context now ascribed to the initial stages of the Iron Age and dated not later than the sixth century BC (Harding, 1972).  The cultural context of the longhouses is at present quite uncertain.  Analysis of strata deposited by erosion between Period 2 and Period 3a indicated no considerable time-span (Dixon, 1970) but calibration of this in terms of years, decades or even centuries is hardly possible.

The longhouses themselves are of a type seldom recognized in Britain.  At Park Brow in Sussex (Wolseley, 1925) a ten-poster longhouse was associated with Hallstadt pottery, and a very few others have been noticed in Wales, Scotland, and, conjecturally, on the Thames (Harding 1972, pp 34-5) But on the continent the longhouse type, many with evidence of byres as true longhouses is predominant in many areas from the Neolithic onwards.  The discovery of an extensive regularly planned settlement of longhouses at Crickley is thus an unexpected outcome of the 1972 season.  Although the dearth of insular parallels draws attention to origins on the continent, it is any reasonable to suppose that further settlements of this sort still await discovery, on new sites or perhaps even among reports of old excavations.

Future work

In 1973 we shall continue the excavation of the area behind the entrance, and hope to reveal more of both the longhouse and the roundhouse settlements.  The work requires volunteers and adequate financing to augment the generous support of the Gloucestershire College. Donations (to the Crickley Hill Fund) and offers of assistance should be sent to the Secretary of the excavations, Mr.  R. D. A.  Savage, Gloucestershire College of Art and Design,, Cheltenham Glos., GL52 3JG from whom further copies of these notes, and copies of the notes on previous seasons, may be obtained (1969, 15p 1970 and 1971, 25p all plus 5p for postage etc.).  Persons interested in taking part in future seasons of excavation in this series should get in touch with Mr Savage at the address given (telephone Cheltenham 32501).

References

Bersu, 1940: ‘Excavation at Little Woodbury’, Proc. Prehist.Soc. VI

Dixon, 1969, 1970, 1971: 1^st 2^nd and 3^rd interim reports (Gloucestershire College of Art and Design in Cheltenham)

Harding, 1972: The Iron Age in the Upper Thames Basin

Soudsky, 1969: ‘Etude de la maison Neolithique’, Slovenska Archaeologia XVII

Stanford, 1970: ‘Credenhill Camp…’ Arch. Journal CXVII

Waterbolk, 1964: ‘The Bronze Age Settlement of Elp’ Helinium 4

Wolseley et al, 1925: ‘Prehistoric and Roman Settlements on Park Brow’ Archaeologia LXXVI"

Dr Ferris reminisces ...

Iain writes to say "Your recent posting of a picture of Simon Mercer on your blog was most welcome. His first appearance, I think. Simon was a good friend when we were at the Institute of Archaeology and over a couple of seasons at Crickley. He had a really surreal sense of humour and was a very kind and generous man. Simon seemed very shy on first meeting him, but, as I'm sure Crickley Hill Man remembers, he soon came out of himself after a few pints of cider. Previous mention has been made on the blog of the Institute digging song 'Four and Twenty Diggers', also sung at Crickley, and you may recall that Simon's verse ran as follows: 'Four and twenty diggers came down from Gordon Square, and when the dig was over they wondered who'd been there. Simon Mercer he was there, late for work again, we're glad the sale of cider stops at half past ten.' 

 

As to the tale of Crickley Hill Man's teenage fall from grace under the tutelage of Simon, Dave Southwood and Robert Roberts, painted as the story of a sentimental education tainted by evil mentors, I think the seeds of your descent into a life of fun, drinking and romance were probably sown long before your first appearance on the hill."  Steady on Dr Ferris or you'll be hearing from my solicitors ...

John Boden frames Andrew Powell

Andrew Powell shapes up in 1975 by demonstrating how to use a 2 metre planning frame's weight as a fitness training aid. Or John Boden may have been wanting to record Andrew's height - about 1m 85 cms? 

CHM's first supervisor: Mr Simon Mercer

Crickley Hill Man was a sixteen year old choirboy with an engaging mop of golden curls when he was placed under the benevolent eye of Simon Mercer, one of the London Institute of Archaeology contingent at Crickley.  Mr Mercer, whose photograph appears above, courtesy of Mr John Boden, taught me how to use a trowel, what to do with a catbasher, what to do with a Killaspray, and advised me on matters of the heart. He also showed me the way to the Air Balloon and once there allowed me to buy him a pint of GL cider.  He also introduced me to a man called Southwood and another man called Robert Roberts.  All innocence lost, my hair began to fall out almost immediately and I never sang "Oh for the wings of a dove" again.  What I was taught to sing instead cannot be published on a family blog ...

Lunch in 1993

Manda Jones sends this to "prove we had lunch in 1993: L to R: Paul Noakes, Terry Courtney, ?Rowena Dutton? , Jill Hummerstone, Sheep, Manda Jones, Les Capon, ?" 

How many diggers can you squeeze into one cutting?

Both Jim Irvine and Dr Phillpotts are agreed that this shot Jim sent is of a packed cutting in1990. Dr P thinks the trousers on the left belong to Sally. Then Jim himself, Les Capon on the cutting edge and Paul Noakes hurdling some almost invisible obstacle. Others unknown. Update from Malc White: "Paul appears to be stepping daintily over a high trip wire. The fetching lass in shorts and wearing a yellow T shirt is Denise and the handsome chap on the bank with his back towards the camera and fondling a bucket is me."

Readers' letters

A Dr Iain M. Ferris of Birmingham writes: "I was pleased to see the recent posting on your blog of a picture of a very hirsute Clive Anderson demonstrating the correct use of a Killaspray. I wonder if Crickley Hill Man has any other photographs of such a machine in operation on the hill, perhaps also operated by a man with an equally retro hairstyle." Of course I do.  Here he is.

Why haven't you got your arms crossed, Noakesy?

Manda Jones & Nick Snashall have been having a hunt in the cupboard and come up with this gem, probably from 1993: L to R: ?, Phil, Les, Sheep and Noakesy. Obviously Paul didn't hear the photographer's instruction which was plainly "Arms crossed, please, gentlemen!"

Early 1990's digging panorama

Joanne's father's open weekend shots were posted here a couple of weeks ago: of this third shot she says: "a typical dig scene - may be from the same year or not.   It looks like the Long Mound.  Whatever year it was - clearly the fashion of the moment was 'short shorts' for men.  The gentleman on the far right looks like he is just about to have his manhood strangled and Dave Hollos ( green T-shirt to the centre right) is going the same way."  Her husband exits stage left.

Throwing a shape with a Killaspray

An early entry from the Boden catalogue? Well, Clive Anderson's shirt would have a sporting chance of making the catalogue in the modern era: in fact he is snapped for the Boden collection in 1975, complete with shades, Killaspray and splendid sideburns.  In the distance Andrew Powell trowels quietly away.

The BGAS 1989 report

A further abstract from the transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society, this time from the 1989 season as follows:

"COBERLEY/BADGEWORTH, Crickley Hill, SO927161. During the 20th season of excavations a straight line of burnt hearths was found below the long mound, surrounded by very large number of finds, pottery, flint and bone.  The area is interpreted as a communal kitchen, of the final phase of the Neolithic settlement.  To the south of the entrance it was found that the buildings of the round-house settlement were confined to a strip about 15 m broad behind the rampart.  To the west lay two rows of square structures, their post holes containing barley grains, which seemed to be an extension of the zone of granaries of the hillfort settlement.  Towards the south of the excavated area, two-face hearth was dated by remnant magnetism to 1 BC +/- 2 years.  Nearby a penannular brooch and smooth, black, late-looking pottery were found.  Within the ramparts a quarry hollow, used as a rubbish tip during the last occupation of the hillfort, produced quantities of pottery and animal bone.  The hollow had ultimately been utilised as the floor of a small hut, walled in stone.  The structure resembles the sub-Roman/Dark Age buildings found 80 m to the south in the lee of the rampart.  Several sherds of Roman greyware were uncovered immediately to the west of it."

The date seems curiously, nay perhaps even spuriously, precise...  one suspects a typographical error?

A cutting from 1990

Slightly moonscape-like. I think, but am not sure, that this 1990 cutting from the Phillpotts oeuvre is down the side of the hill away to the north: therefore that this must be looking uphill to the south. The question for physics GCSE candidates is: which way does the right-hand bucket fall when John Parry shouts "Square up yer tack!"

Bob Hopegood about to do himself an injury

A curious portrait from the Chronicler's collection for 1985. Bob Hopegood looks as though he might do himself a mischief serious enough to require hospital attention, if indeed that foot, boot and leg are even his.  Let's hope reality was less painful than Dr Phillpotts's photo makes it look.

Steve's and Joanne's wedding 1990

Do diggers scrub up nicely? Judge for yourself from Steve and Joanne's wedding in May 1990 "with a crowd of reprobate gatecrashers. Left to Right Arwel, PWD, me, Jock Bruce, Joanne, John Gale, Julie Gale, Noakesie, Sue, Ros, Nikki, Chris Gingell, Dr K."  Yes ...

Planning in 1980

Another work scene from the Dineen collection in 1980: is that the back of Lucy Loveridge's head on the left?  Definitely David Southwood in the foreground and behind him to his left Arwel Barrett and then on the right, Anna Collinge.  More wonderful ageing of the photo that makes it look like an old master.

A beautiful Iron Age hearth from 1972

One does not often see an Iron Age hearth, let alone one as splendid as this from Andrew Powell's collection.  Professor Dixon recalls that this was discovered in 1972 on cutting CIV.  It is certainly one of the most clearly delineated compared to some of the more haphazard patches of burnt limestone where one could not be sure that they had not arisen by some accident or another.

The Return of the Bard of Grimsby ...

And so what the Seer of Selly Oak foresaw came to pass: in this post but five weeks ago Crickley Hill Man unkindly teased Dr Ferris and - doubtless libellously - suggested that he may have been drinking. But what Dr Ferris prophesied has come true and I'm delighted to announce to an adoring readership the return to the public eye of Mr John Boden, the Bard of Grimsby and cherished member of the Below Average White Band.

After an absence of more than 20 years, John has come out of retirement, dug around in his attic  and sent me, from 1975, the fruits of his brandishing of his Pentax.  Here, as he says, is clear photographic evidence of why 'The Ablutions' were called 'The Ablutions'.

It cannot be long before some imaginative and brave, not to say deranged, impresario puts up the funding to stage a comeback world tour for Ullenwood's favourite band.

A Small Celebration - the 400th post!

I am now back at home recovering from the arthroscopic relocation of two parts of my shoulder socket which have been successfully reattached by the amazing orthopaedic surgery team at University College Hospital: a couple of months in a sling and I should be fully  fit and well again. May I just say thank you to all those of you who have sent me good wishes for a speedy recovery?  You have been very kind and I have much appreciated your e-mails.

I thought I would mark my return with yet another beautiful picture from Peter Wakely's 1995 series for Natural England, to whom thanks, as ever, for permission to reproduce on the blog.

This particular post is the 400th since I started the blog last year and I'd like to give my personal thanks to the many of you who have contributed by sending photographs and penning reminiscences.  There's quite a bit in the pipeline which will be posted over the course of the next few weeks in the run-up to the reunion itself.

Meanwhile Google's 'Analytics' software tells me that there have been well over 4000 visits and more than 10,000 page views from 57 countries: what they make of the blog in Norway, Brazil, South Korea, Japan and Indonesia I do not know!  The readership is predominantly from the United Kingdom, America, Canada, Italy and Cyprus.

Another stratigraphic gem ...

More from Dr Ferris's slide collection: in the afternoon shade in August 1979 the cross-section of the bottom of the Iron Age ditch.  All very peaceful: makes you want to go to sleep in a post hole.

Looking north towards Chosen Hill

Another shot taken by Crickley Hill Man on Easter Sunday: standing on top of the Iron Age rampart looking north towards Chosen Hill.  Only on this trip, 33 years after I first looked at it, did I manage to grasp the name of the bump in the plain.