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Swindon Stone Circle - Believe it.

Submitted by JJ on Monday, 06 October 2003  Page Views: 24459

Mysteries

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Coate circle
Coate circle submitted by JJ : Aerial photo copyright JJ Evendon (Vote or comment on this photo)
Those who are interested in all things megalith probably have a small if not large collection of books on the subject. To my astonishment, all the leading and popular authors somehow fail to mention the existence of a large stone circle (though derelict) just N.W from junction 15 of the M4 close to Swindon - why?

Could the Swindon Stone Circle [Correctly called Coate - more details on our Site Page] have once held special significance and been part of a network of Stone Circles whose location was specially chosen to enhance and interact with the energies of Stonehenge, Avebury and Stanton Drew - and perhaps a few others now lost? Who knows? If we were to take a wider look at these enigmas, could what we then see make any difference to the way we perceive their purpose?

Unless this site is listed in all guides (as it should be) on Stone Circles, I can see that in the future some land developer will grab the land, remove the stones (maybe not in that order), and another housing estate built in its place – and no one would be the wiser.

Though we see stones standing up by themselves, it’s a shame they cannot speak for themselves.

JJ

The soil beneath our feet is our first connection with the universe.

Note: Extraordinary new aerial photo of Coate stone circle near Swindon. See also JJ's new aerial photos of Stonehenge, Avebury, Stanton Drew and Silbury Hill
Contributor Bio for JJ: Based in Cheltenham, contributing since 2002. Favourite site: Avebury. Occupation: Retired.

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"Swindon Stone Circle - Believe it." | Login/Create an Account | 22 News and Comments
  
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Re: Swindon Stone Circle - Believe it. by Anonymous on Wednesday, 27 September 2017
Additional information about the Coate area;

Mesolithic scatter near the stone circle, and a range of other monuments and further Mesolithic activity across the Day Brook valley

Three spring sites also originate near the circle, with Coate Circle sitting very near the head of Day Brook, which flows north, into Swindon. Two other springs flow south east and south west from the small hill at Bradbury Wick, c. 1 mile south.

additional information about the rich archaeology of the Coate/Commonhead/Bradbury Wick area has been posted here;

http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/14721/coate_mound.html
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Re: Swindon Stone Circle - Believe it. by Anonymous on Wednesday, 22 March 2017
There are large carved (some half moon shaped) stones strewn about around an ugly little apartment at what I would think is the highest point in Swindon overlooking the Old Town - called 'The Heights'.

It appears that the apartment complex was built directly in the centre of the circle...you can see only two stones at the front just opposite the small parking area. But if you go round the back of the building you will see a number...with some part standing and others half buried.

I haven't been able to find any information about these stones or what the site was prior to being developed. I would love to know more...if anyone knows?
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Re: Swindon Stone Circle - Believe it. by Anonymous on Thursday, 17 April 2014
the reson the stone circle is not in many books is possibley to do with the original owner of the house having a great intreset in stone circles, it is belived that he may have made the circle him self...just a throught and would need futher investigation
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Re: Swindon Stone Circle - Believe it. by Anonymous on Monday, 14 March 2011
The Coate site IS already classed as a Scheduled Monument and has been since 1997 (or 1955 under the earlier system). The monument number is 28956 and details can be had from the NMR Swindon, free of charge.
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    Re: Swindon Stone Circle - Believe it. by Andy B on Monday, 14 March 2011
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    Hello, do read the whole page. We know it's listed, JJ wrote "Unless this site is listed in all guides on Stone Circles" - in other words he wants visitors to Avebury and the nearby well known sites to know about it.
    [ Reply to This ]

Re: Swindon Stone Circle - Believe it. by Anonymous on Saturday, 25 October 2008
The Stone Circle is actually close to a Roman Rd - Brokene Street. Also documented.
A Iron age settle ment has also been uncovered at Coate. I have know about this circle for over 40 years. Over the death of the owner of the fields in the last few years led to the local expert to investigate more.

Richard Jefferies spoke about the gold in the fields after ploughing in his books!
Roman coins!?
Richard Jefferies Lived in Coate Farm!
Another untapped piece of Swindon History
The large Mound is a round barrow. Also documented.
On the corner of Daye House Lane stood a church!
Coate Church also documented on 1800 mapS

The stone circle is in line with Stonehenge, Avebury etc.
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Re: Swindon Stone Circle - Believe it. by Anonymous on Monday, 20 October 2008
WHAT'S GOING ON AT BADBURYWICK STONE HENGE????

I recently discoverd the stone circle at Badburywick, sout east perifery of Swindon!!! Clearly it was a large stone circle/henge 80+ yrds accross its circumfrence. Although only six stones remain above ground, 5 one side of the road and 1 on the other side there is plenty of sarcen stone lying about the large house adjacent in their rockery beds which must have come fom the circle! The next house southwards down the road has a large sarcen in its verge side being grassed over. Further south in the village of Badbury on the south side of the M4 it is almost entirely built of sarcen stone and further south at the large hill fort above Badbury there is a large sarcen stone by the road at its NW corner.

Probably there were avenues leading to this Henge similar to Avebury and possibly from both local hill forts!!! What archeology has been done?
This is an archeological missed opportunity of imeasurable potential!!!!! I think we are...

Read the rest of this post...
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    Re: Swindon Stone Circle - Believe it. by TheCaptain on Monday, 20 October 2008
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    Presumably you are talking about the Coate stone circle, just off Day House Lane.

    Please see that page for more information.
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Re: Swindon Stone Circle - Believe it. by Anonymous on Sunday, 06 January 2008
I am a new member - I live in Swindon and walk around the Coate area quite a lot. I have a blog on Hidden Swindon and would very much like to add the Coate SC to it - found it on an ordinance survey map but would like to walk to it one day soon - any tips on how to locate it from Dayhouse Lane.

thanks in advance

june jackson
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Re: Swindon Stone Circle - Believe it. by wysedragonfly on Tuesday, 25 April 2006
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Stopped off and had my lunch there today, got speaking to a local who told me that Oxford Uni have been digging there last month and found lots of pottery (although he couldn't tell me what time period) and Roman artefacts. The adjacent fields are full of filled-in trenches. He told me that there are rumours that the stone circle was originally in an adjacent field and the stones were moved to their current location and dumped there. Some of the stones alledgedly form part of the rockeries in the day care centre. He also said the archeologists were talking about another stone circle in a nearby field, but he couldn't tell me any more. The site is close to a farm ditch, with a large pool close to the stones, which may possibly be a spring. There is also a large flat topped hill with an iron-age fort overlooking the stones to the east.
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Re: Swindon Stone Circle - Believe it. by Anonymous on Tuesday, 15 June 2004
As acknowledged on this site, this site is now under threat of development. But rest assured we will be keeping an eye on the stones. Please see http://www.savecoate.org.uk for further information or to offer support.
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Re: Swindon Stone Circle - Believe it. by baz on Monday, 03 May 2004
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English Heritage, not the National Trust, is responsible for the protection of such sites. Coate Stone Circle does appear in English Heritage's list of scheduled monuments:

Coate Stone Circle

As English Heritage's National Monument Records Centre is in Swindon, then you are probably better placed than the rest of us to actually go and inquire about its status. :o)

Stone cannot be carbon-dated.

baz
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Re: Swindon Stone Circle - Believe it. by Anonymous on Monday, 03 May 2004
can anyone tell me if this sight is protected by national trust and
is there any access to carbon dateing stone for layman as i feel i might know were the rest are .i have lived in swindon all my life
and i feel this site needs to be restored.

please post more info

many thanks
parker22
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Re: Swindon Stone Circle - Believe it. by Anonymous on Tuesday, 23 March 2004
please dont destroy this beautiful area
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Re: Swindon Stone Circle - Believe it. by Anonymous on Wednesday, 10 December 2003
This land is now designated for development - see www.savecoate.org.uk
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Re: Swindon Stone Circle - Believe it. by PaulM on Monday, 06 October 2003
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Once again JJ excellent images.
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Re: Swindon Stone Circle - Believe it. by terrapin-rob on Monday, 06 October 2003
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Far from being unknown, the Coate stone circle was listed by Aubrey Burl thirty years ago in the gazetteer of 'Stone Circles of the British Isles'. Having visited this site with friends several years ago, the only remains of the circle we could see was an arc of 4 flat (fallen?) stones being kept company by horses. Not a photogenic circle!
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Re: Swindon Stone Circle - Believe it. by bec-zog on Saturday, 04 October 2003
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PPG's (a range of documents issued by the office of the deputy Prime Minister) regarding site "development and planning " puts an onus on the "developer" to safeguard sites of scientific and archeological importance.
Should any site become under threat, opposition to the " development plan" should be made officially to enable such sites to be registered. e.g local and central government authorities, archeological bodies etc.
I have visited and photographed this interesting site. It is registered on Ordnance surveys as a stone circle therefore should be covered by gov. PPG regulations.
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Re: Swindon Stone Circle - Believe it. by Anonymous on Saturday, 04 October 2003
The reality is that not all stone circles and other prehistoric sites can be preserved. We have seen that EH has no enthusiasm for Thornborough and so what chance has the Swindon circle which is already in a site rich area? Prehistoric sites cover the landscape and will only be visible from the air and as new archaeological techniques are developed. By then many will have been lost to the plough, mineral extraction, hypermarkets and housing. Rescue archaeology is their only hope before they are bulldozed into extinction. Cruel world - ain't it?
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Re: Swindon Stone Circle - Believe it. by Andy B on Friday, 03 October 2003
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Thanks for the article JJ,

The circle is called Coate and is buried in the back of the big Burl book. I've visited it and my friend Alastair took a photo that's posted here. He's cleverly highlighed it to show the stones.

You are actually dead right in your fears about this site, see this article from last January!
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    Re: Swindon Stone Circle - Believe it. by simcon on Saturday, 04 October 2003
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    Nice picture. I like the use of JavaScript rollover to highlight the stones, very useful.
    [ Reply to This ]

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