Telling stories on the barrow

Dr Cleal, hearing C-H-M's appeal for more material, has emerged from hiding, blinking into the light and very kindly sent C-H-M this picture. She writes "... at some time in the 80s, I think after your time but I may be wrong, we started going to sit on the top of Crippets long barrow in the field next to Ullenwood, usually after we'd been to the pub (strange, that). This is an occasion in 1984 and the protaganists are from left front clockwise : I'm afraid unknown (or forgotten on my part), Julian Thomas (now Professor Thomas, University of Manchester), Clive Anderson, Nicky Snashall, Clare Milroy, Julie Lancley, Simon (help - have temporarily forgotten his surname) [Figg? Ed.], self, Dave Southwood (Biggles). We certainly did this on more than one occasion and I've since looked up Crippets in the 1920s volume on Gloucestershire long barrows by the well known field archaeologist O.G.S.Crawford in which he notes that there is evidence of some antiquarian activity - well, we should have recognised that, as we were sitting with our feet in the remains of the 'dig' - but I'm not sure that did occur to us (except perhaps to Julian!). If you're putting stuff on line you can mention that Nicky (usually 'Nick' now) and I now work for the National Trust at Avebury where we recreate, as far as is possible, the ambience of the CH finds and planning huts - all we lack is Corky to keep us in order."

To which Dr Ferris muses: "Oh, the youth of today thinking they invented everything-the jet engine, alcohol, cyber-sex, the wireless, pot noodles, sitting on Crippets barrow at night etc. I remember some splendid late night, GL-fuelled,ghost-story-telling sessions on the barrow in 1976 and 1978, the latter being my opportunity to reveal my strange experience with the ghost of a miner encountered in County Durham. And I wasn't making it up." How much GL had you had when you met the miner?

Sitting on the step ...

From Jill Hummerstone and Les Capon's collection: Dr Phillpotts and Adrian Corrigan sit upon the step of the mess hall at Ullenwood watching the world go by: the diggers are probably trotting to and fro to the dormitories and the ablutions block.

Parry by Griffiths

Griff, whose photo this is, snapped this shot of John Parry "in classic pose" in 1984. Scrattin.

Rebecca and Ros

Rebecca Chambers kindly sent this rather charming photo of her talking to Ros Cleal taken by Arwel Barrett in August 1984. For once a picture of Dr Cleal without either a planning frame or board in sight. Bet neither was far away.

Soil sampling at Ullenwood

Les Capon took this picture of the team working on the soil samples amidst the tents in 1984. Until I saw this I'd forgotten that there were occasions where the soil sampling, under Frank Green supervision, transferred its sphere of operation to Ullenwood, presumably on the basis that it was somewhat simpler to bring the dirt to the water than the other way round on the top of the hill. Might that be Sue Lee Jeffs in the orange? Not sure. Messrs Dixon and Courtney's holiday homes in the background.

Ah, the beds and mattresses ...

My thanks to Dr Griffiths for this heart-warming shot of some beds and mattresses, probably, from the absence of partitions, in the laundry opposite the mess hall. This was used as overspill accommodation when the dormitories and the tents were full. Taken, Griff thinks in 1984 or thereabouts. It brings back that luxurious feel, doesn't it?

Whoops! Misidentification by me of hut: Griff updates:"It was not the laundry but the hut right beside (left of as entering) the gate to [Ullenwood Camp], which was less noticeable as was surrounded by pine trees on 3 sides. The barred windows suggest it was originally used as a guardhouse or cooler but rumours (probably unfounded) persisted that it had been the mortuary of the USAAF hospital. It was an 'overflow' hut, which tended to be occupied once the other huts were full, usually by younger and less socially integrated males. I was in it in my first season in 1982 and also 1983 I think. It was less popular than the others because of its open plan, its generally run down, dark (because of the trees) unappealing and flyblown interior, and its distance from the 'brick shithouse'. There was a toilet cubicle inside the door, but it was a great mistake to use it because the flush was broken and it leaked badly."

There were less socially integrated males, Griff? Surely not?

Raw blondes for breakfast

A mephitic manuscript has fallen into Crickley Hill Man's hot little hands: it is the Crickley Hill Song 1984.  For those who are keen I publish the full version in the scanned collage above. 

To give you a flavour, the chorus runs "Singing: raw blondes for breakfast/Tack up if you will/You can spend a wasted summer/on the top of Crickley Hill."  

I think my favourite verse is "There was Dafydd and Mad Blodwen/From the Legion of the Damned/They confirmed all JP's stories/Which are fabled in this land."

 Or perhaps: "Katey up from Cheltenham/The flaxen-headed sylph/She inspired young men with many thoughts/But most of them were filth."

The authors of this delightful ditty appear to have been principally David Southwood and Julian Thompson with some assistance from Dr Cleal.  As I wasn't at Ullenwood much in 1984 I don't know whether there was ever a public performance.  What are you writing, Julian?  You know it will have been performed.  Few are spared a mention: Dave and Sonia Hollos, John Parry, Ros and Julie, The Famous Five (who were they?), Naughty Nicky, Biggles, Clyde, Griff, Noakesy, Kris the Chronicler, Simon the planner, Richard Savage, Bryn, Terry, Sarah Squealpig, Bernie Dawson and Richard Bradley.

The 1983 to 1985 entry in the Transactions of BGAS

Thank you to the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society for permission to reproduce extracts from their Transactions.  Here is Richard Savage reporting on three seasons at once. 

"Badgeworth/Coberley, Crickley Hill, Excavations 1983-1985. Work, directed by Dr P.W. Dixon, was concentrated on the western end of the Long Mound, where it was possible tod efine in the neolithic:(phase 1a) three small subcircular buildings without traces of occupation; (phase 1b) the causewayed enclosure, with two successive entrances here, a fenced pathway running in from the second and postholes which may represent buildings; (phase 1d) within new defences, probably of the mid-third millenium BC a platform built of rubble, fenced and approached from the east through a gate. It seems to have had a ritual purpose and to have been destroyed at the time of the attack on the settlement.  In phase 1e a kerb circle was built on the same spot, also having a ritual purpose, perhaps in the second millenium.  In the post-Roman period, phase 4, the area was strongly defended, with buildings perhaps related to those found in 1982 at the south-eastern end of the site."