Saturday, June 2, 2012

Alan Ford writes:

"Having lately returned to the dwell in the Five Valleys of my youth I am now within a jar of limestone polishes throw from the hill.  As such it has come to my notice through a work colleague and fervent member of the Ermin St Guard that he and his father will be responsible for the setting of a beacon on that hallowed ground in celebration of the Jubilee. I'm not sure exactly where on the hill the beacon will be lit, but my money is on the end of the Long Mound. 

Weather and young lordling permitting I shall attend to watch the good loyal burghers of the district throw a few of the more radicalised local whigs on the fire in honour of our good Queen Bess 

In so doing I will also indulge myself in a bit of experimental archaeology as pretty much every beacon and hillfort on the scarp will have its own conflagration; and i'll warrant a goodly many more locations within that broad vista too. I shall see if I can make out how many and where.  

About the hour of ten and fifteen in the evening on Monday is, I am told, likely to be the time of the  incendiary event for those of you who may also want to enjoy the view."

Splendid.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

What did Mr Boden hear next?


Mr Boden & C-H-M have been to Pembrey, Carmarthenshire to see Dr Ferris and Dr Bevan (a.k.a. Dr Mrs Dr Ferris). Very jolly it was too, with healthy walking on the delightful beaches nearby and not too much misbehaviour.  And on the way home we dropped in to see Richard & Lydia Savage to plot a little more for this year's reunion, of which more very soon.


Inevitably, as we were so close, the Boden Saab was irresistibly drawn to the top of the Hill after a quick snack at the Air Balloon.  Once Mr Boden had recovered from the shock being gouged for parking charges, we completed a circuit of the Hill in fabulous weather, noting blackthorn, hawthorn, vibernum, cowslips, speedwell, buttercups, a solitary campion, ditto an aquilegia.


And as we strolled C-H-M and Mr Boden had an experience neither of us has ever had before whilst atop Crickley. Nor, we suspect will many, if any, of those who dug the hill have ever had this experience unless you happen to live close by and time your visit as we did. As we stood drinking in the view, we heard cuckoos singing. Rather splendid.

Friday, March 9, 2012

Splendid photos from Kirsten Jarrett

Kirsten has published a number of sets of interesting photos from her Crickley Hill research on Flickr here. The sets are Iron, Finds drawings, Enclosed post-Roman settlement, Views of Crickley, Unenclosed late- to post-Roman settlement, Hand-made coarseware rim sherd, Hand-made coarseware bases, Hand-made coarseware body sherds, Lid, Short Mound bowl, Romano-British ceramics, Copper alloy. I was particularly interested to see that some of the sherds actually fit together! So do go and have a peek ...

Click on this title for interesting material from Kirsten Jarrett about Crickley

Kirsten Jarrett recorded a day of research on the Roman and early medieval phases at Crickley Hill, for the 'Day of Archaeology'

CH Reunion 2012


The Crickley Hill 2012 reunion picnic will be held on top of the hill on Saturday, 7 July 2012 from 1 p.m. onwards. All former diggers and their friends and relatives are, as ever, most welcome! Here's a photo of PWD, in the old days, bringing the crockery for lunch ...