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<< Our Photo Pages >> Ladder Hill - Ring Cairn in England in Derbyshire

Submitted by Couplands on Tuesday, 23 July 2002  Page Views: 11853

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Ladder Hill Alternative Name: Cadster (?), Tunstead
Country: England
NOTE: This site is 1.129 km away from the location you searched for.

County: Derbyshire Type: Ring Cairn
Nearest Town: Whaley Bridge  Nearest Village: Fernilee
Map Ref: SK0230579434  Landranger Map Number: 119
Latitude: 53.311839N  Longitude: 1.966866W
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
2 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
3 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.
3 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
3

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Ladder Hill
Ladder Hill submitted by vicky : A close up of the bank at Ladder Hill showing one of the stones still remaining in the possible stone circle. (Vote or comment on this photo)
Probable ring cairn. A circle of stones, measuring ~40-45ft across. Heavily disturbed by livestock and in poor condition as a result, though still clear on LiDAR. Seems to have a raised causeay running north-south slight to the east of centre. Was probably visible from Combs Edge hill fort before damage reduced it in height.

Vicky writes: We recently acquired a copy of Marsden’s ‘The Burial Mounds of Derbyshire’, which put us on the trail of a possible stone circle in Derbyshire within metres of the Peak National Park boundary.

Having gone back to the original source, Memorials of Old Derbyshire by Rev J. Charles Cox (1907) we came across the following description in an article by W.F.Andrew FSA:

‘A circle of this class [embanked stone circle similar to the Nine Ladies] which has hitherto escaped observation has an interesting deviation from the usual lines. It stands 1050 feet above sea level on the hillside at Cadster, near Whaley Bridge, but in Chapel-en-le-Frith parish. Its vallum has an elliptical diameter, varying from thirty five to forty feet, with entrances north-north-east and south-west. The stones are of the same arrangement and size as those of the Nine Ladies, and the diameter of their circle varies from thirty feet to thirty three feet six inches. The centre is nearly level, but some large stones below the turf may have supported a monolith, which, perhaps, was a large pointed stone, measuring four feet long, two feet six inches wide, and one foot deep, now lying at the foot of the vallum. Ninety feet nearly south by west of the circle, almost prostrate is the “pointer,” a block of millstone grit measuring three feet six inches high, two foot six inches broad, and two feet deep. . .’

Andrew then goes on to describe an excavation which he undertook on the site. A trench was cut across the bank revealing loose stones laid upon the natural ground surface. Into these ‘the principle stones of the circle’ were placed. He later describes these as ‘pillars’ from which he removed encroaching turf.

Having had our appetites sufficiently whetted, we decided to take a trip up there this weekend and were pleasantly surprised by what we found. As we have learnt from past experience, following antiquarian references often leads to disappointment as many of the sites have been destroyed in the last century. However on this occasion there was a recognisable prehistoric site to be seen.

Walking along the track (Long Lane) which skirts the site to the south, the prominent circular rubble bank can be seen on the hillside for some distance. A close inspection reveals three recumbent stones within the bank itself as well as several others littering the field and wall lines (GR: SK02337942). A possible candidate for Andrew’s outlying standing stone can be found to the south-west of the circle. The Ladder Hill site has obviously suffered since Andrew’s time so it is difficult to say whether it is a stone circle or a ringcairn, as Barnatt suggests in his 1990 publication.

It is certainly well-placed to be a stone circle, with fantastic views over Whaley Bridge and the hills beyond. It is very reminiscent of other sites in Derbyshire, having been terraced into the hillside to create a level interior. Andrew’s description of ‘pillars’ and stones of the same size and arrangement of those of the Nine Ladies certainly seems to suggest that it was an embanked stone circle.

Text and original page by Vicky
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Ladder Hill
Ladder Hill submitted by vicky : A general view of the possible stone circle of Ladder Hill at Cadster near Whaley Bridge in Derbyshire (GR: SK02337942). (Vote or comment on this photo)

Ladder Hill
Ladder Hill submitted by vicky : The possible outlying stone at Ladder Hill with the circle in the background. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Ladder Hill
Ladder Hill submitted by Couplands : LiDAR image showing outer wall, but also 'causeway' running north-south through the centre. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Ladder Hill
Ladder Hill submitted by Couplands : Old photo 5 (Vote or comment on this photo)

Ladder Hill
Ladder Hill submitted by Couplands : Old photo 4 (Vote or comment on this photo)

Ladder Hill
Ladder Hill submitted by Couplands : Old photo 3

Ladder Hill
Ladder Hill submitted by Couplands : Old photo 2

Ladder Hill
Ladder Hill submitted by Couplands : Old photo 1

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"Ladder Hill" | Login/Create an Account | 2 News and Comments
  
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Re: Ladder Hill by Andy B on Thursday, 23 November 2023
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Couplands posts from the Derbyshire Historic Environment Record:

A "stone circle" stands 1,050 feet above the sea level on the hillside at Cadster, near Whaley Bridge, but in Chapel-en-le-Frith parish [NB parish boundaries have since changed]. Its vallum has an elliptical diameter, varying from 35 to 40 feet, with entrances north-north-east and south-west. The stones are of the same arrangement and size as those of "The Nine Ladies" [SMR 12908] and the diameter of their circle varies from 30 feet to 33 feet six inches. The centre is nearly level, but some large stones below the turf may have supported a monolith, perhaps the stone, measuring four feet long, two feet six inches wide, and one foot deep, now lying at the foot of the vallum 90 feet below. Nearly south by west of the circle, almost prostrate, is another stone three feet six inches high by two feet six inches. A trench cut through the vallum revealed it to be revetted on both faces and filled with loose stones.

Vestiges of a small circle on the hillside above Tunstead and Cadster House adjoining the lane from Combs to Fernilee were pointed out by Mr Andrew in 1910. It had then been almost obliterated by cattle, etc. but the general outline could be traced. A [trepanned] skull called 'Dickie' now at Tunstead Farm may have come from "this tumulus".

An unclassified rubble and earth circle has been recorded in the Cadster area of Whaley Bridge parish. It is not clear whether this is part of, or associated with, the circles visible at SK 026792 (SMR 3501).

The site has been suggested to be an embanked stone circle. It was dug into in around 1905 by Andrew. His description is garbled and implies a ruined stone circle or ring cairn. However, the extant remains indicate this is a badly ruined cairn with a diameter of 14.5 x 13.0m. There are three or four kerbstones standing up to 0.45m high near the outer edge.
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