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 ...

1990 season begins ...

A splendidly atmospheric view of the vale taken by Lara Unger at the beginning of the 1990 season with just the turf taken off the cutting on the lower slope of the hill.

December 2009

A few stray shafts of late afternoon sunshine warm the Severn Vale just over two weeks ago when C-H-M paused on his way home from his Christmas travels. Cookery school back at full throttle: some recipes may follow soon ...

North western panorama

(Click on image to enlarge)

Panorama from last Sunday across the whole of the Severn Vale from the western tip of the hill. In the far distance you can just about make out Hay Bluff, I think, as well as the hills nearer in the Vale. Fabulous light and clouds. C-H-M wishes his readers a very Happy and Prosperous New Year. Not sure how we're all going to achieve the prosperous part of that wish in the current climate but the usual combination of perspiration and inspiration will doubtless apply.

Just beautiful ...

More views from Crickley yesterday afternoon, together with a couple of shots of the Belted Galloway cattle which are currently adorning the slopes on the approach road. There is clear evidence everywhere on the top of the hill that they have recently been carrying out the duties imposed on them there by the Cotswold wardens: keeping the grass down and preventing the spread of scrubland.

The Long Mound 27 December 2009

C-H-M's Volvo turned up the Hill of its own accord this afternoon on the way back from a splendid Christmas with friends in Herefordshire. This is the beautiful light and clouds looking along the Long Mound out towards Wales at about a quarter to three this afternoon. It was bitterly cold and windy on top of the Hill but nothing affects the pleasure that view always brings ...

Gloucestershire shifts on its axis

A rather splendid view from the hill at a rollercoaster angle from Lara Unger's 1990 series. Makes one feel as though the ground is moving.

Apologies for the late posting today: C-H-M has been slaving over a hot stove to produce lunch consisting of Parmesan and chive scones with red onion marmalade, Mushroom roulade stuffed with cream cheese & spring onions, Marinaded prawn, mango and spinach salad, Cherry tomatoes stuffed with mint and cream cheese, Avocado rillettes with tarragon and Greek yogurt, Chicken with saffron and lemon, Pumpkin, butternut squash and brown lentil strudel, Quinoa and lime salad, new potatoes baked en papillotte with rosemary and garlic, Lemon meringue pie and Brownies. Serious quantities of yummy leftovers lurk in the fridges ...

Stunning view, and not only from Phil's perspective...

Another great shot from Eric van Dorland, taken during the 1990 season, of PWD atop the photographic tower, as Paul Noakes makes last minute adjustments to the ranging rods. Away behind them the beauty of the Vale.

Under a threatening sky ...

Saturday 4 July 2009: the weather threatened rain at some stages during the picnic but fortunately limited itself to a short drizzle that did not trouble us much. This picture suggests we may just have got away with it compared to other parts of the Vale.

Crickley Hill and Barrow Wake

This fine view was taken by Peter Wakely in 1995 and is by permission of Natural England (English Nature before October 2006). The picture is from the northern flank of Crickley Hill looking south west. 

1985: Julian Thomas planning Slot City again ...

Fine Phillpotts action-planning shot of Julian Thomas in 1985 on his cutting that was dubbed "Slot City".  You can even (just about) make out elements of the plan which shows just how good Dr Phillpotts's camera was all those years ago: now any digital camera would produce even better definition.  Looks a rather jumbled and awkward cutting.

That view again, 1985

Good visibility that caught the Phillpotts eye, even on a cloudy day.

17 April 2004 just before 3 o'clock No 2 ...

And here's the second minute.  As PWD once said to me: "One can never tire of that view." Don't think it gets better than this. I was even lucky with the cloud formations!

17 April 2004 just before 3 o'clock ...

Sometimes you're just lucky with the weather: I have some dear friends in Byford in Herefordshire whom I often visit, usually by a route that takes me past the Air Balloon roundabout. I can rarely resist a diversion up to the Hill. This set of photos and those in the next post were taken in one magical two minute spell. Here's the first minute ...

Jigsaw Puzzle - changes to the site layout

I've made quite a number of changes to the layout and features of the site overnight which I hope are an improvement & haven't made it too busy. In particular, I've gone back and labelled properly all the old posts so you can now browse by person or topic or place. I've also installed a custom search engine at the top which is slightly biassed towards archaeology, pottery and food. To clear the search results, use the back button in your browser. Also if you're interested and want to be kept up to date with new posts, you can now subscribe either via a reader or by email.

That view is still breathtaking - CH 7 August 2004

I took these panoramic views at the 2004 summer picnic.