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Inscribed Across the Landscape: The Cursus Monuments of Great Britain

Inscribed Across the Landscape: The Cursus Monuments of Great Britain

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<< Our Photo Pages >> The Bearstone - Standing Stone (Menhir) in England in Dorset

Submitted by BigBear on Friday, 22 August 2008  Page Views: 8117

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: The Bearstone Alternative Name: The Bear Stone, Monolith at Bear Mead
Country: England
NOTE: This site is 3.881 km away from the location you searched for.

County: Dorset Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Nearest Town: Wimborne  Nearest Village: Stour
Map Ref: SY986993
Latitude: 50.793264N  Longitude: 2.02123W
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
3 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
no data 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.
no data 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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The Bearstone
The Bearstone submitted by BigBear : 1,000 kg megalith discovered at Bear Mead, Dorset SY986993 (Vote or comment on this photo)
We managed to get this fine limestone monolith raised on the 7th Aug 2008. We found it fallen and under vegetation, excavated, measured it and calculated the weight (about 1,000 kg). It has a flat bottom and pointed apex, like a thick triangle, sits very comfortably. The county archeologist came to see it and gave me permission to lift it.

We dug a descent pit, talked to a friendly local farmer, and it was pulled vertical with strap + digger, no problem. Underneath was trapped quarter-inch single-strand wire, seen a lot of it locally, believe it was used for Inclosure Act around 1815, so it probably fell 190 years ago.

I searched old maps in the County Records office, several "stones" mentioned, but not this monolith. Possible stone circle 570 metres NE, now vanished. Several other large stones (limestone or ironstone) within 2 miles, all smaller. Christened monolith "Bear Stone" because the area is Bear Mead (from old maps). It sits on a floodplain, 10 metres from Dorset's largest river, floods perhaps once per winter.

The nearest source of fine limestone is Purbeck, could have been brought by raft along coast and up the River Stour. There are unusual "smooth holes" in the surface, two on the flat bottom. We placed a small time capsule in one of these holes. I found a nice flint thumbnail scraper while digging descent pit. I have made a notice board with full details and pictures. The land is private, email me to come and see the Bearstone. Anyone with info about this monolith, please please contact me.

More details, photos and my email address are on my web site.

John Palmer

Read about the discovery of this stone on this page.

Note: Unrecorded fallen monolith excavated and raised, near Stour at Wimborne
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Nearby Images from Geograph Britain and Ireland:
SY9899 : Pike skeleton at Bear Mead by John Palmer
by John Palmer
©2009(licence)
SY9899 : Flood begins at Bear Mead by John Palmer
by John Palmer
©2009(licence)
SY9899 : Flooded monolith at Bear Mead by John Palmer
by John Palmer
©2009(licence)
SY9899 : Full river at Bear Mead by John Palmer
by John Palmer
©2009(licence)
SY9899 : Corfe Mullen, cattle grazing by Mike Faherty
by Mike Faherty
©2013(licence)

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 1.3km NE 42° Pamphill* Natural Stone / Erratic / Other Natural Feature (ST995003)
 3.8km NE 35° Bakers Dozen* Modern Stone Circle etc (SU008024)
 4.3km NNW 329° Badbury Rings* Hillfort (ST96400299)
 4.6km NW 322° Badbury Barrow Barrow Cemetery (ST958029)
 5.5km NW 314° Straw Barrow Round Barrow(s) (ST94660312)
 5.7km WNW 294° Shapwick Round Barrow(s) (ST9336301635)
 6.3km E 80° Bowl round barrow just outside Stapehill community centre Dorset Barrow Cemetery (SU0482700373)
 6.9km N 11° High Lea Farm* Barrow Cemetery (ST999061)
 7.7km WNW 291° Spettisbury Rings* Hillfort (ST914020)
 7.9km NE 36° Colebarrow* Hillfort (SU033057)
 8.1km E 90° Ferndown Town Common* Round Barrow(s) (SZ067993)
 8.6km SE 125° Poole Timber Circle Timber Circle (SZ057944)
 8.6km E 95° Dudsbury Hill Tumuli* Round Barrow(s) (SZ072985)
 8.7km ESE 113° Two Barrow Heath Barrow Cemetery (SZ0663495924)
 8.9km NE 51° Holt Heath* Round Barrow(s) (SU055049)
 9.2km E 99° Dudsbury Camp* Hillfort (SZ077979)
 9.3km E 94° Parley Barrow* Round Barrow(s) (SZ07909865)
 9.5km NW 315° Buzbury Rings* Ancient Village or Settlement (ST919060)
 9.5km SE 138° Parkstone Standing Stone (Menhir) (SZ050922)
 10.0km E 93° Ralph's Barrow* Round Barrow(s) (SZ086988)
 10.2km NW 316° Tarrant Rawston Long Barrow* Long Barrow (ST91550667)
 10.3km NE 39° Roman Barrow, Knob's Crook* Round Barrow(s) (SU051073)
 10.4km SSW 192° Conygar Hill Timber Circle Timber Circle (SY964891)
 10.6km SE 129° Fern Barrow* Round Barrow(s) (SZ069926)
 11.0km E 83° Trickett's Cross Barrow* Round Barrow(s) (SU095007)
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"The Bearstone" | Login/Create an Account | 1 comment
  
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Re: The Bearstone by TimPrevett on Sunday, 04 May 2008
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Is this found in situ? Is there any indication of it having been erect - socket hole? packing material? To me, its location on the map suggests it may have served as a river crossing marker for a prehistoric trackway... is the river shallow nearby, or particularly narrow? Interesting.
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