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The Henge Monuments of the British Isles: Myth and Archaeology

The Henge Monuments of the British Isles: Myth and Archaeology

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<< Our Photo Pages >> Menhir des Planches - Standing Stone (Menhir) in France in Normandie:Calvados (14)

Submitted by Rida on Monday, 18 April 2011  Page Views: 3282

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Menhir des Planches
Country: France Département: Normandie:Calvados (14) Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Nearest Town: Caen  Nearest Village: Amblie
Latitude: 49.285381N  Longitude: 0.515521W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
4 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
4 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
5 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
4

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Menhir des Planches
Menhir des Planches submitted by Rida : Site in Normandie: Calvados (14) France (Vote or comment on this photo)
Standing stone in the community of Amblie, which is less than 1.5 metres tall, and shaped into about six smoothed flat sides, although very irregular.

From Rida's Wikipedia article :

Le menhir se trouve sur un chemin de limite cadastrale au lieu dit la Vaubaine à l'est de la carrière d'Orival et au sud du château des Planches. Il a une forme de colonne de 1,35 m de hauteur formant grossièrement 6 côtés de largeurs inégales (45 cm × 34 cm × 40 cm × 10 cm × 50 cm × 2 cm). On y remarque des traces de taille à sa base. Une cupule profonde de 5 cm est visible au sommet ainsi que des rigoles parallèles. On peut voir d'autres plus petites cupules sur le sommet et les côtés.

En 1913, le Dr Raoul Doranlo, membre de la Société préhistorique française, fit un recensement des pierres antiques dans la région septentrionale de Caen. Il signala plusieurs pierres remarquables aux alentours d'Amblie. Il fit remarquer que les menhirs y sont souvent de petites tailles et que beaucoup ont été brisés, renversés ou enlevés des champs cultivés. Certains ont été déplacés par les cultivateurs pour en faire des devises. Cette pierre pourrait avoir été utilisé comme devise, c'est-à-dire comme borne en pierre marquant la limite de propriété.

Sept autres mégalithes sont visibles dans un rayon de moins de 8 km : le Menhir des Demoiselles à Colombiers-sur-Seulles, la pierre levée du clos St Gilles à Creully, la Pierre Debout à Reviers, la Demoiselle de Bracqueville à Bény-sur-Mer, les Grosses Devises à Thaon et la Pierre Tourneresse à Cairon.

Which Google translates as: The menhir is on a path of cadastral boundaries at a place called Vaubaine to the east of the quarry Orival and south of the château des Planches. It is a column of 1.35 m in height forming roughly six sides of unequal widths (45 cm × 34 cm × 40 cm × 10 cm × 50 cm × 2 cm). We notice traces of size at its base. A cup of 5 cm deep is visible at the top and side ditches. You can see other smaller cups on the top and sides.

In 1913, Dr. Raoul Doranlo, Member of the French Prehistoric Society, made a survey of ancient stones in the northern region of Caen. He reported several remarkable stones around Amblie. He noted that the standing stones are often small and many were broken, overturned or removed from the fields. Some were moved by the farmers to make devises. This stone could have been used as currency, that is to say as boundary stone marking the property line.

Seven other megaliths are visible within a radius of less than 8 km: the Menhir of the Demoiselles in Colombiers-sur-Seulles, stone lifting of the closed St Gilles Creully, Standing Stone in Reviers, the Flower Bracqueville at Beny-sur-Mer, les Grosses Devises in Thaon and the Pierre Tourneresse of Cairon.

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Menhir des Planches
Menhir des Planches submitted by theCaptain : I have read that there are some cupules in the stone, perhaps there are remains of a couple on the north side, but was not too convinced by any others. On top the stone is rain worn, and indeed has a large circular hole in the middle, which I think is more likely to be a mounting for an old cross rather then a prehistoric cupule. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Menhir des Planches
Menhir des Planches submitted by theCaptain : There are several holes and nicks in it, within which are living many small snails, which reminded me of my visit to the Drift stones in Cornwall. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Menhir des Planches
Menhir des Planches submitted by theCaptain : The stone is less than 1.5 metres tall, and shaped into about six smooth flat sides, although very irregular. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Menhir des Planches
Menhir des Planches submitted by Rida : Site in Normandie: Calvados (14) France (Vote or comment on this photo)

Menhir des Planches
Menhir des Planches submitted by theCaptain : Its a few hundred metres walk up between the fields (very muddy today) to the stone, which is less than 1.5 metres tall, and shaped into about six smooth flat sides, although very irregular. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Menhir des Planches
Menhir des Planches submitted by theCaptain

Menhir des Planches
Menhir des Planches submitted by theCaptain : The stone is less than 1.5 metres tall, and shaped into about six smooth flat sides, although very irregular.

Menhir des Planches
Menhir des Planches submitted by theCaptain

Menhir des Planches
Menhir des Planches submitted by theCaptain : The stone can be seen clearly against the skyline, although it is not on the top of the hill.

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 1.4km NNE 26° Menhir des Demoiselles (Colombiers-sur-Seulles)* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 2.0km NE 51° Colombiers-sur-Seulles tumulus* Chambered Tomb
 2.0km ENE 72° Amblie necropole Barrow Cemetery
 4.7km ENE 67° Menhir dit Pierre Debout (Reviers)* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 5.3km E 94° Menhir de la Demoiselle de Bracqueville* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 6.9km ESE 114° Les Grosses Devises (W)* Standing Stones
 7.7km ESE 115° Les Grosses Devises (E)* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 7.8km SE 136° Pierre Tourneresse, Cairon* Chambered Tomb
 11.2km ESE 108° Mathieu necropole Barrow Cemetery
 11.2km SE 145° Rots necropolis Barrow Cemetery
 12.1km ENE 74° Luc-sur-Mer menhir* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 13.7km W 265° Musée Baron Gerard Museum
 15.4km ESE 107° Les Pierres Branlantes* Chambered Tomb
 15.6km SE 135° Musée de Normandie* Museum
 16.4km ESE 112° Blainville-sur-Orne necropole Barrow Cemetery
 16.6km SSE 151° Menhir dit la Pierre Couchée (Louvigny)* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 18.5km SE 143° Fleury-sur-Orne necropolis* Barrow Cemetery
 20.3km S 177° Nécropole mérovingienne à Évrecy* Ancient Village or Settlement
 22.2km WSW 247° Domaine de Castillon* Ancient Village or Settlement
 22.7km SSW 207° Pierrelaye menhir* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 23.8km SSE 152° La Hogue* Chambered Tomb
 24.1km SSE 151° La Hoguette* Chambered Tomb
 27.7km SSE 156° Pierre Tournante (Fresnay-le-Puceux)* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 32.0km SSE 154° Pierre Tourneresse (Gouvix)* Standing Stone (Menhir)
 34.4km SSE 147° Bretteville-le-Rabet* Ancient Mine, Quarry or other Industry
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Re: Menhir des Planches by TheCaptain on Thursday, 29 December 2011
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Notes from 22 December 2011.
This was a completely new stone to me until I checked on the Portal a couple of days before this trip, and as its only a mile or so from the big tumulus I just had to check it out.

About a kilometre to the south of Columbiers-sur-Seulles, cross the river and pass the chateau, the road bends right then left, slightly rising as it passes another big place, where there is room to park. From here the stone can be seen clearly against the skyline, although it is not on the top of the hill.

Its a few hundred metres walk up between the fields (very muddy today) to the stone, which is less than 1.5 metres tall, and shaped into about six smooth flat sides, although very irregular. There are several holes and nicks in it, within which are living many small snails, which reminded me of the Drift stones in Cornwall.

I have read that there are some cupules in the stone, perhaps there are remains of a couple on the north side, but I am not too convinced by any others. On top the stone is rain worn, and indeed has a large circular hole in the middle, which I think is more likely to be a mounting for an old cross rather then a prehistoric cupule.
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