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Bincknoll Castle

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Sacred Stones in Indian Civilization: with Special Reference to Megaliths

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<< County Introductions >> County Guides No. 21- Dorset

Submitted by Traveller on Sunday, 09 May 2004  Page Views: 4278

EnglandCountry: England County: Dorset
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Maiden Castle (Dorset)
Maiden Castle (Dorset) submitted by AngieLake : A beautiful representation of Maiden Castle from Upwey Wishing Well's May 2008 well-dressing. (Vote or comment on this photo)
Dorset, is widely known as Hardy Country after the famous author, Thomas, but there is of course so much more to this fine county than its renowned authors. Although a much larger county nowadays than in past years, Dorset's importance stretches back well before the Romans, who made use of its strategic position after they finally took Maiden Castle, a 120-acre Iron age hillfort near Dorchester, in AD43.

Like many other counties, Dorset has far more lurking beneath the surface than the usual prehistoric literature mentions. It is just a case of knowing where to look. A great deal of research has been undertaken in the county by Peter Knight, the author of several books on the region's ancient and fascinating sites. The county's most famous prehistoric site is undoubtedly The Cerne Abbas Giant, (although the jury is still out as to a verdict on its original date of construction).

In addition, Dorset has around forty Neolithic long barrows, ten Bronze Age stone circles of varying condition, over two thousand round barrows, three highly unusual bank barrows, a type believed to be unique to Dorset (although there may also be an example at Long Low in the Peak District), and numerous other hillforts such as Chalbury. Aside from these, there are also many other stones littering the landscape but it is unclear whether these are boundary markers or the remnants of larger sites, long since destroyed. Some may have been hijacked and modified during the transition from Pagan to Christian worship. Of particular note is the Knowlton Rings complex, where a derelict 12th century Norman church stands in the centre of a large Neolithic henge.

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"County Guides No. 21- Dorset" | Login/Create an Account | 1 comment
  
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RE Knowlton Rings by swimmer on Thursday, 18 June 2009
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I vist knowlton henge regurly and last summer i was there when some american tourists had their car broken into and valubles stolen even though they had placed them in the boot. The car was in the lane just outside the site. The Police inform me that thishappens reguarly, one keeps watch and the other or others break into the carso all you good people out there BEWARE !

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