Kirkmaiden Old Church

Trip No.137  Entry No.12  Date Added: 28th Jun 2019
Site Type: Ancient Cross Country: Scotland (Dumfries and Galloway)
Visited: Visited (still working on) on 18th Jun 2019. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: Kirkmaiden Old Church: A very lovely drive along the coast road (A747) through Port William to the golf course. We had difficulty finding the grassy track down to the church, but eventually stumbled upon it using the GPS.

Down a steep cliff on its eastern side, and with steps down to the beach to the west, this is a lovely spot. Whilst we could hear the sea, we couldn’t see it for the trees. The site comprises two very small churches – the old one to the west of the site, and the new church to the east. The old church really is just a ruin, but almost buried under ivy, it is very atmospheric.

The three cross slabs mentioned in Canmore we could not find– if there was a slab in the fenced enclosure, there were too many weeds to see. Another two are recorded as being in the church, which is padlocked with a huge chain. The padlock seemed so rusty, I’m not sure when it had last been opened.

With time pressing, I really wanted to get to Whithorn, so we went back to the car and drove on.

Torhousekie Standing Stone

Trip No.136  Entry No.7  Date Added: 25th Jun 2019
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: Scotland (Dumfries and Galloway)
Visited: Visited (still working on) on 17th Jun 2019

Log Text: Torhouskie Standing Stone: At the time of our visit, the only route to this stone was either along the very busy minor road then down the farm track (didn't fancy getting run over as sight lines for cars weren't very good) or across the field. With The Huge Bull standing guard, and watching our every move, we had a quick chat with another visitor who was keen to see the stones, we decided we were not brave enough to risk it!

Seeing SumDoood's photographs of this stone on the site page, the size of the stone is very similar in size and shape to the one lying in the field just to the east of the stone circle.

On my list for another visit.

Minnigaff Old Church

Trip No.139  Entry No.2  Date Added: 23rd Jun 2019
Site Type: Ancient Cross Country: Scotland (Dumfries and Galloway)
Visited: Visited (still working on) on 17th Jun 2019

Log Text: Cross Slabs, Minnigaff Old Church: The Canmore record says clearly that these two cross slabs are within the ruins of the old church at Minnigaff. We found these enigmatic ruins easily, within the burial ground of the modern-day church. However, the stones have been moved inside the modern church, and there is an information board just to the north of the west door into the church. I was very disappointed. I have sent Canmore a message, which they've acknowledged, so they can update their webpage for future visitors.

St Andrew's Church (Forteviot)

Trip No.84  Entry No.3  Date Added: 25th Jul 2018
Site Type: Class III Pictish Cross Slab Country: Scotland (Perth and Kinross)
Visited: Visited (still working on) on 14th Jul 2018. My rating: Ambience 3 Access 5

Log Text: St. Andrew's, Forteviot: We drove up to this church to find a lovely local lady garden by the gate into the churchyard. She told us the church would be locked, "but it'll be open on 29th (July)." We explained we were only here for the day, so this was too late. She told us about the recently erected modern cross, just down the road from the church, next to the bus stop. We thanked her kindly and walked down to take a look.

Newbeggin Stone Row

Trip No.9  Entry No.4  Date Added: 15th Feb 2017
Site Type: Stone Row / Alignment Country: England (Cumbria)
Visited: Visited (still working on) on 12th Feb 2017

Log Text: Newbiggin Stone Row, near Penrith: See comment on main page. Tried to find. Seen an image of a stone in an enclosure wall but unable to locate. Working on finding exact location and will return!

Jedburgh Rock Art

Date Added: 23rd May 2015
Site Type: Rock Art Country: Scotland (Scottish Borders)
Visited: Visited (still working on) on 23rd May 2015

Log Text: Jedburgh Rock Art: We spotted this site page after our last visit to Jedburgh earlier this month, and having missed this piece of rock art first time round, we decided to stop when we next passed through to see if we could find it. Armed with SolarMegalith's grid reference, we went scouting, but were unable to find any rock or boulders in the vicinity.
I called up this page on my mobile phone and went into the visitor centre to ask if they knew anything about it. Neither of the guides knew anything about this at all, taking my phone to consult each other, and even double-checking the guide book to find out where the courtyard referred to in the earlier reference might be.
In the end, we all had to admit defeat on this occasion, but I'd be interested to find out if this piece of rock art has been moved to a local museum. Curious! I'd now love to found this stone and post a photograph.

Westwood Drive 01

Date Added: 19th Apr 2015
Site Type: Rock Art Country: England (Yorkshire (West))
Visited: Visited (still working on) on 17th Apr 2015. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 2 Access 5

Log Text: The Comet Stone, Ilkely: (we found the grid reference but queried if this was the stone): From the Panorama Stones, driving the 700 metres up towards the moor we parked by the footpath sign just west of the junction of Moorlands and Westwood Drive and headed up the steep path (with steps) onto the moor (to get nearer, Keighley Road travels up onto the moor and there is a small car park near to the grid reference given).
The grid reference led us to the back stone wall of a house. The grass had been badly overgrown and someone had put weed-killer down on this patch of ground, but nettles were springing up in between the dead undergrowth.
Walking up and down the wall and identifying several possible stones, the grid reference led us back again and again to the same stone over which the stone boundary wall between a garden and the moorland was built. Cheekily peering over the wall of the house, found the stone extended some way into the garden. It had shrubs growing over the sides and was covered by moss and twigs so it wasn’t possible to make out any of the rock art by eye.
Shame, as I thought I’d be the first to submit a photograph of this stone, but it will take a knock on the door of the house when someone is in to get permission to go round and look!

Merkland Cross (Woodhouse)

Trip No.190  Entry No.2  Date Added: 18th Sep 2024
Site Type: Ancient Cross Country: Scotland (Dumfries and Galloway)
Visited: Yes on 13th Sep 2024. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: Merkland Cross: Almost ten years have passed since our first visit in October 2014, but nothing much has changed. This would have been a glorious location if not for the tremendous amount of traffic rushing along the motorway to the west of this cross.

Langholm Market Cross

Trip No.190  Entry No.1  Date Added: 18th Sep 2024
Site Type: Ancient Cross Country: Scotland (Dumfries and Galloway)
Visited: Yes on 13th Sep 2024. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 5

Log Text: Langholm Market Cross: It's odd to think we've driven past this cross many times, but never noticed it. A curiously small cross with a round boulder on top inscribed with a cross. Also an odd location, sited next to a statue, an information board about astronaut and first man on the moon, Neil Armstrong (now a freeman of the town) and an archway created by Thomas Telford.

The heavy traffic whizzing by on the main road made it difficult to take some of the photos without risking getting knocked over by the huge lorries driving through the narrow high street.

Birrens Roman Fort

Trip No.190  Entry No.3  Date Added: 18th Sep 2024
Site Type: Stone Fort or Dun Country: Scotland (Dumfries and Galloway)
Visited: Yes on 13th Sep 2024. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: Birrens Roman Fort: I didn't even know this fort existed until we spotted it on the OS map and it was on our way home, so we stopped to look. My hip wouldn't allow me to climb over the stile, but the farmer had left the gate unpadlocked, so we let ourselves carefully in and out.

The field had been heavily churned up by cattle, so walking across it was difficult. Would like to return to this site with some of the reports mentioned in the Canmore record and in better weather.

St Michael's Churchyard Cross (Knill)

Date Added: 1st Aug 2024
Site Type: Ancient Cross Country: England (Herefordshire)
Visited: Yes on 16th Jul 2024. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: Knill churchyard cross: our first (and only) site visit for some considerable time, due to my current mobility issues. The church was easy to access, and it was lovely to be out in a really rural area on a warm, if overcast day.

Whilst old, the church seemed unremarkable, with no monuments inside of note apart from one very pretty stained glass window and the font, which is thought to date from the 12th century.

A very impressive carved large wooden dragon sits just to the south east of the church.

Penrith Museum

Trip No.189  Entry No.1  Date Added: 25th Feb 2023
Site Type: Museum Country: England (Cumbria)
Visited: Yes on 13th Oct 2022. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: Penrith Museum: With relatively few trains running between Penrith and Carlisle, and recovering from a broken shoulder, this was of necessity a brief, but reasonably interesting visit. Only a relatively small museum, it has a surprising number of exhibits, although not displayed in any cohesive way, and with frustratingly little information about the items on display. However, I was made very welcome by the staff (volunteer?) members manning the reception desk.

I asked permission to take photographs of some of the exhibits, particularly the cross base, and this was readily granted, providing I didn't use flash. I would go back for another look next time I'm in Penrith, feeling better, and able to carry my proper camera with me, rather than using my mobile phone. Am planning on going back in the not too distant future.

Moor Divock 3

Date Added: 9th Feb 2023
Site Type: Cairn Country: England (Cumbria)
Visited: Yes on 28th Jun 2014. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 3

Log Text: After visiting the Cop Stone, we walked up to the Cairn Circle (which is clearly visible from the footpath). Whilst ruined, it's atmospheric. The more I sat on the edge of the cairn and looked round, the more there is to see. I'd like to go round with someone who knows this area better than I, so I can understand it better. [Note: I originally confused this with Moor Divock 4, the cairn circle and small stone row just to the north. Looking back on my photographs, I could find no evidence of this feature on the ground].

St Ninian's Preconquest Monastery (Ninekirks)

Trip No.188  Entry No.2  Date Added: 18th Sep 2022
Site Type: Ancient Village or Settlement Country: England (Cumbria)
Visited: Yes on 13th Sep 2022. My rating: Condition 1 Ambience 4 Access 3

Log Text: St Ninian's Pre-Conquest Monastic Site: See visit report for St Ninian's Church (Ninekirks) for now. More details to follow.

St Ninian's Church (Ninekirks)

Trip No.188  Entry No.1  Date Added: 18th Sep 2022
Site Type: Ancient Cross Country: England (Cumbria)
Visited: Yes on 13th Sep 2022. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 3

Log Text: St Ninian's Church, Ninekirks: We parked in a very small car park which is at the start of a green lane/permissive footpath, at NY 55815 28944. This was quite tricky to spot as the entrance to the car park is small and hidden by tall grass.

The permissive footpath initially leads us a gentle slope at the northern side of a very recently ploughed field, with the River Eamont downslope to our left. The path then turns northwards, still with a steep drop down to a loop of the river, but with pasture to our right. The sheep here were so large they looked like calves.

Through the trees, we could see a large tower attached to a large building, so it came as a bit of a shock to drop down to river level and see the church was so small. It turned out that the building we could see was on top of a hill on the northern side of the river.

Whilst there was no church guide book, the notes left by the Churches Conservation Trust were very helpful.

Beautiful spot, and well worth the walk.

Stanger Spa

Date Added: 8th Sep 2022
Site Type: Holy Well or Sacred Spring Country: England (Cumbria)
Visited: Yes on 14th Jun 2020. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 3

Log Text: Stanger Spa Well, Embleton: The well is approached by a narrow causeway which runs through a boggy area, terminating at the well house. At the time of our visit, the land around the well was very wet, and in places there were deep puddles of water around the edges of the well house.

Whilst there were lots of other walkers in the area, I didn't see anyone else look at the well house.

An interesting spot and well worth visiting.

St Anne's Well (Shap)

Date Added: 6th Sep 2022
Site Type: Holy Well or Sacred Spring Country: England (Cumbria)
Visited: Yes on 12th Jun 2020. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: St Anne's Well, Shap: Stopped off for a break on one of very rare essential car journeys during lockdown, when exercise restrictions had been relaxed slightly. A lovely spot, although difficult to park as the long, thin, layby next to the motorway maintenance compound was full with cars of other walkers and dog walkers.

Heading east to walk around the forested areas, the noise of the motorway disappeared, and it was easy to spot the small area of limestone pavement this well is located in.

A very peaceful and lovely spot, although a fair way from any habitation in this era.

Long Meg And Her Daughters

Trip No.185  Entry No.2  Date Added: 21st Aug 2022
Site Type: Stone Circle Country: England (Cumbria)
Visited: Yes on 7th Aug 2022. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: Long Meg and Her Daughters: We walked along the quiet, shady old hollow ways from St Michael's and All Angels, Addingham to Long Meg and her daughters, coming across a well by the side of the track, plus a solitary standing stone in a field just north of Long Meg. The latter was too close to the field boundary to be a rubbing stone. It wasn't marked on the OS map, nor is it mentioned on the Historic England map search or the entry for Long Meg.

We took my daughter-in-law, son and their two dogs along, and they were amazed it was 'a proper stone circle'. The base of Long Meg itself is currently being used as a shrine, with people leaving offerings even as we walked up to this stone - including flowers, key rings and even a pair of sunglasses!

The rock art on Long Meg stood out well in the bright sunlight. The site was very busy today, and the field full of large cattle, who fortunately kept their distance.

Preston Park Museum (Stockton on Tees)

Trip No.186  Entry No.2  Date Added: 12th Aug 2022
Site Type: Museum Country: England (Yorkshire (North))
Visited: Yes on 10th Aug 2022. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: Preston Park Museum (Kirklevington Stones): I'd tried to arrange a visit here a couple of months before the first pandemic lockdown hit, but the museum closed early, and it's been well over two years until I was able to rearrange the visit.

Some of the Kirklevington Stones are one display (some of the more important ones behind glass), some in the museum store. A small archaeology section, but with impressive exhibits.

Got to see the museum store, but the stones were stored on the floor under a very deep shelf, so some of them were impossible to photograph properly, which was disappointing.

I personally preferred this museum to Beamish, as there were more shops to go into in their Victorian Street, a small cafe, which wasn't too busy (most people were queued up in the cafe in the park), and small, but interesting exhibits.

St Peter's Church (Croft-on-Tees)

Trip No.186  Entry No.1  Date Added: 12th Aug 2022
Site Type: Ancient Cross Country: England (Yorkshire (North))
Visited: Yes on 10th Aug 2022. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: St Peter's Church, Croft on Tees: The church's wedding co-ordinator kindly opened the church for us at very short notice, and acted as our guide for our brief visit. A very lovely church, right next to the River Tees. Sadly, the stone recorded on the Corpus of Anglo Saxon Stone Sculpture as Croft on Tees 01 had been moved to the Bowes Museum, and was about to be transferred to Newcastle as part of the celebrations of the Lindisfarne Gospels returning to that part of the world. This was disappointing, as this was the stone I most wanted to see.

A couple of bonuses were the additional stones built into the external fabric of the building, which we walked around to see what we could spot.

Our grand-daughter, Alice, was partly named after 'Alice in Wonderland', so it was good to be able to take a photograph of the sculpture which is said to have inspired Lewis Carroll's Cheshire Cat.