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Stonehenge: The Story So Far, Julian Richards

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<< Our Photo Pages >> Bow Henge - Henge in England in Devon

Submitted by AngieLake on Monday, 07 February 2022  Page Views: 25043

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Bow Henge
Country: England County: Devon Type: Henge
Nearest Town: Crediton  Nearest Village: Bow
Map Ref: SS70750160
Latitude: 50.799505N  Longitude: 3.835449W
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
1 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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Bow Henge
Bow Henge submitted by AngieLake : Bow Henge viewed from the air during the drought of 1984. [Excuse quality, but this is an old photocopy from 'Devon's Past - an Aerial View' by Frances Griffith*, which has been tucked away in a file for ages, hence the crease.] *In 2005 she was Devon County Archaeologist. Her description: "The cropmarks here represent the remains of quite a large prehistoric ceremonial structure - some 60... (Vote or comment on this photo)
Bow Henge was discovered as crop-marks by the present Devon County Archaeologist Frances Griffith in 1984 whilst flying over Devon with Dickie Dougan (now deceased) as a part of an aerial archaeology exercise. This page was created in 2007.

It first came to my notice while reading about the 'Nymets' around the Crediton/Bow area of mid-Devon in an article by Tracey Brown, editor of Wisht Maen, Devon Earth Mysteries magazine between 1993-97.
[Issue 4. "A Sacred Bus Journey"]. (See more of this in 'comments' under the Copplestone Cross site page on this website).

In 2007 I attended the Heritage Open Day at Totnes Castle and asked the Devon Archaeological Society representative there if one could visit the henge, but she said apparently not, as the farmer doesn't welcome visitors.

She gave me the Society's Spring magazine, and an article inside: "Dickie Dougan Remembered" (a fond obituary for the man who had flown her on so many valuable aerial reconnaissance flights) by Frances Griffith, also had a mention of her earlier discoveries, [quote]:

"The next year was 1984, one of the all-time great summers for aerial reconnaissance in Britain"........ "Literally hundreds of new sites of all sorts and periods were discovered in Devon that summer"...... "and a major ritual complex centred on a henge was found at Bow (Griffith 1985)."

NB: The site co-ordinates were given to me by Ken Taylor, who contacted me regarding my comments about Nymets on the Megalithic Portal. Because they are so precise I had no cause to disbelieve him, despite noticing that Vicky has also posted a Bow 'woodhenge' site.

My curiosity getting the better of me, I've trawled the internet for info:

1): Frances Griffith's own summary of a talk she gave at the AARG Annual Conference 2004 in Munich, 5-8 Sept 2004 'Aerial Archaeology - European Advances' - Abstracts:
'The impact of aerial reconnaissance on Neolithic studies in Devon'
"Until the 1980s, the map of Neolithic and Bronze Age ceremonial monuments in South West England coincided to a large extent to the map of the high ground - Dartmoor, Exmoor and Bodmin Moor. Since then, aerial reconnaissance in Devon has contributed to a very different picture, with a major focus of ceremonial activity - the henge at Bow with numerous surrounding monuments - in the biggest blank area on that map. Other possible henges have been identified.
A causewayed enclosure (Raddon) has been partially excavated and proved to have Neolithic and Late Bronze Age phases; a cursus monument has been found close to a previously known long enclosure, and two other major enclosures, not yet investigated on the ground, further amplify the picture. Numerous ring ditches have been discovered, and of the many simple enclosures found, some, such as that at Nymet Barton, have also produced Neolithic material on excavation. While reconnaissance in the west of Britain has many problems, this information, taken in conjunction with results from rescue excavations, has radically altered the perceived pattern of prehistoric activity, ceremonial and otherwise, over the last 25 years, and other branches of research - notably southwestern ceramic studies - have also benefited. The relationship of the 'new' material in the lowlands to the known archaeology of the moorlands is a subject of continuing study."

2): British Archaeology magazine's Issue 84 Sept/Oct 2005 ran this story:
"Some 20 years ago Frances Griffith, now county archaeologist, flew across Devon looking for new archaeological sites. North of Dartmoor, between Bow and North Tawton, she found significant prehistoric crop marks, including one of Devon's few henges and several ring ditches. All this, says Peter Green of the Den Brook Valley (Wind Turbine) Action Group is now under threat."........"A public inquiry starts in August: the initial application was turned down, partly because the company had failed to look for archaeological remains with a geophysical survey."
In Issue 92, Jan/Feb 2007 we read:
"Peter Green of Den Brook Valley (Wind Turbine) Action Group says planning consent has been refused.. with archaeological considerations. The developer appealed."

3): Tom Greeves writes [in Pulp! 1989, 43, pls]:
"The henge monument at Bow (Devon) found by air photography in 1984 lies in an area of 'Nymet' place-names deriving from 'nemeton', sacred grove. St. Boniface, well known for is attacks on pagan rites involving trees, was born a few miles from Bow...." "Moreover, this area of Devon has some of the best survivals of Green Man carvings in the churches: is there a link across the 130 generations that separate us from the henge-builders?"
[See, also, related comments under Meg P's 'Druids Temple' site page, with my reference to an extract from 'The Green Man Companion and Gazetteer' by Ronald Millar.]
**In that comment I've posted that: "I found a picture of an aerial view of a henge in cropmarks between Bow and North Tawton in 'Devon's Past: An Aerial View'. There's a 'Nichols Nymett Cross' along that straight East-West road.". Funnily enough, the Bow Henge co-ordinates show this cross to be not far at all [west] from the site of the henge. (I was unable to locate the earlier website with that picture.) Also, Broadnymett village or hamlet, with its old chapel is to the south west!**

4): Another website, for Bournemouth University, has the CV of Dr Eileen Weekes BSc, MA, PhD, MIFA, with the following comments:
"....I also serve on the Executive Committee of the Devon Archaeological Society and am currently involved in a series of surveys (geophysical and topographic) of enclosure sites in Devon, including the henge at Bow, which were identified by Devon County Council aerial reconnaissance....."
[I wasn't able to link this in with a date, so unsure when she was involved with Bow Henge.]





Note: Angie has added photos from the site of this henge in Devon
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Bow Henge
Bow Henge submitted by AngieLake : Bow Henge field at Equinox sunset 2012. Though there is nothing to see today, the actual henge, discovered in 1984 as cropmarks during an aerial survey, lay in the far corner of this field on slightly elevated ground (just about visible in the low light rays) a few yards in from the SW gateway. (This is taken from the NE field gate that is at right-angles to the main road, opposite Silver Str... (Vote or comment on this photo)

Bow Henge
Bow Henge submitted by AngieLake : A friendly local farmer (not the owner) 'R.M.', indicating where he believed the henge to be (slightly lower on the slope than we'd dowsed, once again). Sept 2018. I (and 'we' when Alan has helped) have put many years of research into finding a possible Celtic Sanctuary in the vicinity. Alan has been invaluable in the most recent visits, but we've only dowsed once a year, until illness and Cov... (Vote or comment on this photo)

Bow Henge
Bow Henge submitted by AngieLake : Looking, from SW, diagonally across the area where we'd dowsed the henge, towards the gate in NE corner of field, in September 2018. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Bow Henge
Bow Henge submitted by AngieLake : Late afternoon on 18th October 2010, having dowsed the henge and marked its outline and the central posts with flags and tapes. [The late] Peter Green of Bow obtained permission for us to dowse from the farmer that day, and he stood in for one of the post markers. Initially excited by the findings, I was later to find my dowsed outline was a few metres too far south, compared with the crop marks... (Vote or comment on this photo)

Bow Henge
Bow Henge submitted by AngieLake : Another view, towards the site of the ancient henge at Bow, on the afternoon of 2 Dec 2021. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Bow Henge
Bow Henge submitted by AngieLake : View across towards the henge site during the afternoon of 2nd Dec 2021.

Bow Henge
Bow Henge submitted by AngieLake : A zoom-in to the Henge site on 18th September 2017, in the SW corner of the field opposite Silver Street Cottages, to the west of Bow village. While we stood here at the gate taking photos, the farmer was driving around, spraying the field. (2 comments)

Bow Henge
Bow Henge submitted by AngieLake : The henge site is in the far distant corner, and looming over the hedge to its left can be seen the summit of Cosdon, or Cawsand Beacon.

Bow Henge
Bow Henge submitted by AngieLake : View from gateway of henge field, looking diagonally across it towards the site of the henge, overshadowed now by several huge wind turbines at Den Brook wind farm. They became operational in October 2016, despite the efforts of local groups who hoped to prevent the spoiling of the valley and this monument's ambience. Sorry about the state of this photo, but the weather was poor and there is sno...

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 2.3km W 261° North Tawton B Cursus Cursus (SS685013)
 2.5km ESE 112° Puddock's Well* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (SS731006)
 3.0km N 358° Bow Timber Circle Timber Circle (SS707046)
 5.8km W 270° North Tawton A Cursus Cursus (SS649017)
 6.4km E 80° Copplestone Cross* Ancient Cross (SS7706802606)
 6.8km SE 127° Lethen Castle Hillfort (SX761974)
 8.2km SSW 204° Ringhole Copse Cross* Ancient Cross (SX6721794162)
 8.3km SSW 209° Ring Hill Cross* Ancient Cross (SX66559440)
 8.5km SSW 211° Oxenham Cross* Ancient Cross (SX6625194414)
 8.9km SW 216° St Andrew's Cross (South Tawton)* Ancient Cross (SX65289453)
 9.2km SSW 205° Addiscott Cross* Ancient Cross (SX6666993344)
 9.3km SW 215° Moon's Cross* Ancient Cross (SX6525194125)
 9.8km SW 214° South Zeal Cross* Ancient Cross (SX6505793594)
 9.8km SSW 213° Oxenham Arms* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SX65119354)
 10.1km SW 220° Sticklepath Methodist Chapel Cross* Ancient Cross (SX6404694079)
 10.1km SW 221° Lady Well (Sticklepath)* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (SX6390494124)
 10.1km SW 221° Sticklepath Boundary Marker* Marker Stone (SX6388694135)
 10.2km SSW 212° Ramsley Stone Row / Alignment (SX651931)
 10.2km SW 227° Belstone Boundary Marker* Marker Stone (SX6314994770)
 10.3km SW 214° South Zeal Stone Row* Stone Row / Alignment (SX648932)
 10.3km SSW 208° West Wykes Farm Tau and Latin Crosses* Ancient Cross (SX6567992638)
 10.3km SSW 208° West Wyke Farm Cross* Ancient Cross (SX6564692638)
 10.8km ESE 122° Higher Bury Camp Hillfort (SX79789572)
 10.8km S 182° Spinsters' Rock* Burial Chamber or Dolmen (SX70109079)
 10.8km S 183° Shilstone Common (DRE 1a) Cairn Circle Cairn (SX6990090800)
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"Bow Henge" | Login/Create an Account | 8 News and Comments
  
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Re: Bow Henge and surroundings by AngieLake on Tuesday, 08 February 2022
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Interesting that the cottages opposite this field on the E-W running main road are called 'Silver Street cottages'. As this is an ancient 'nymet' area (look at the villages all around with nymet in their names) it is likely to be a centre with a major sacred grove (nemeton, from which nymet is derived). Silva meant Forest or Woodland, so no doubt 'Silver Street' is probably from the ancient 'silva'.

Check out the Copplestone Cross page, which has some more info on the area, which sparked my interest in all this back in 2006.

NB: In the Site Page photo (aerial view of cropmarks), the hedge shown diagonally across the left upper corner would be south, and the one diagonally across the upper right corner is west, of the henge site.
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Bow Henge by Anonymous on Monday, 29 November 2010
We have a copy of the black and white pic at our museum in seaton. Didn't know where it was. Copy is from an old exhibition where it's written on the back devons only henge. Our museum opened in 1985. Guess it was new then.
[ Reply to This ]
    Re: Bow Henge by AngieLake on Monday, 29 November 2010
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    Hello Anonymous. Yes, it would have been almost 'breaking news' then. The henge was discovered by the Devon County Archaeologist, Frances Griffiths in 1984, while flying over the area during a drought, which caused the outline of the henge to show up as cropmarks.
    [ Reply to This ]

Re: Bow Henge by AngieLake on Thursday, 10 September 2009
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Hi Anonymous, writing on 9.9.09

Maybe you missed something on the site page? Perhaps this link will help you a bit:

http://www.megalithic.co.uk/comments.php?sid=8430&tid=11157&mode=&order=&thold=

This is a quick link to some of the stuff I'd copied on the Copplestone Cross site page, but also mentioned in the details about Bow Henge above.
I tried to investigate further in August, but the road from the A377 at Copplestone to Bow was still closed to traffic with a diversion in place. As I was heading for North Devon that day I postponed the visit, but did look at Nymet Rowland's little church. That's very pleasant little area, and so is the road from there to Eggesford, esp in the river valley just below the village.
I went on to look at King's Nympton, where there are many Green Men in the church, and George Nympton, which I believe had one Green Man.
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Bow Henge by Anonymous on Wednesday, 09 September 2009


it seems possible that during the iron age a celtic sacred grove exisited in this area, perhaps due to the neolithic henge.

Is there any evidence to support this idea and if not what should anyone look for as a clue to wher the sacred grove might have been.

The roman remains of a large military fortress which may have been built due to the concentration of celts in this area, is located not far from the henge, just south of North Tawton.
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Bow Henge by Anonymous on Monday, 31 December 2007
You can see this using Google Earth. First go to Bow, Crediton, Devon, UK. Then, converting the decimal latitude and longitude to the annoying degrees-minutes-seconds format and looking a couple of fields west from Bow Aquatics and Garden Centre. It is visible as a ring at
50 47 58.24n 3 50 7.66w
(glide your mouse until you get there from Bow)
Google Earth is a good way to find aerial photos of ancient structures like this.
[ Reply to This ]
    Re: Bow Henge by TheCaptain on Monday, 31 December 2007
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    Much more simply, just click on one of the blue aeroplane icons at the top of the site page - I personally like the Flash Earth one best (left of the three). This gives a choice of Google Maps (which spots the henge dead central), or Microsoft Virtual Earth, which in this case does not show the henge - wrong conditions in the fields for crop marks.

    It is good to have these two systems directly comparable, often one s much better than the other for resolution, and it is interesting when the pictures are significantly different, as in this case.
    [ Reply to This ]
      Re: Bow Henge by AngieLake on Monday, 31 December 2007
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      Thanks for pointing this out Martyn. Great feature, isn't it? I know exactly where to look if I'm over that way now.
      [ Reply to This ]

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