Cop Stone

Trip No.173  Entry No.3  Date Added: 17th May 2022
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: England (Cumbria)
Visited: Yes on 14th May 2022. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: The Cop Stone, Askham Fell: Our second visit to this area, which has a wealth of archaeological sites, and reminds me very much of Dartmoor (in places). The weather was gloriously hot, and with many other walkers on the moor, we joined the row of cars parked by the side of the road at around NY 49586 21586.

Nothing much has changed about the Cop Stone since our last visit in 2014, although I was amazed at the number of people who just walked straight on by, without stopping. I had forgotten that the Cop Stone lies on the South Eastern border of a ring cairn, which has been described and illustrated by W. Waistell Taylor in his 1885 Antiquarian paper "Prehistoric Remains on Moordivock". Most of the stones in the ring are largely hidden, or just peeping above, the turf.

Askham Fell Cairn Stone Row

Trip No.173  Entry No.4  Date Added: 16th May 2022
Site Type: Stone Row / Alignment Country: England (Cumbria)
Visited: Yes on 14th May 2022. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: Askham Fell Cairn and stone row: Using M. Waistell Taylor's Antiquarian paper from 1885, plus Sandy Gerrard's notes from the Stone Rows of Great Britain, we parked at the end of a row of cars at the junction of the single track road and the footpath which runs across it, near the Cop Stone. We set off with our trusty GPS to walk up to this amazing cairn to find the associated stone row.

We've visited this area before (28th June 2014), but more recently, Sandy G has been along to this area and surveyed the 2 verified stone rows in this area. We were unable to join him on this survey, but we're curious to find out more.

Thankfully we had Sandy G's diagram of the 4 small stones in this row (I thought they were just part of the kerb). Andrew very gracefully modelled the location of the smaller 2 stones using my walking poles.

Given the number of walkers around, I was amazed how many people were sticking to the paths and bridleways, rather than look at the archaeology. So much to see in such a concentrated area.

Dumfries Museum

Trip No.174  Entry No.1  Date Added: 25th May 2022
Site Type: Museum Country: Scotland (Dumfries and Galloway)
Visited: Yes on 25th May 2022. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: Dumfries Museum: We parked on Whitesands, and walked over the Nith by the Old Bridge, to the NW, then turned left to the Robbie Burns House, then up the hill to the Museum and Camera Obscura.

We lived in Dumfries and Lockerbie between 1992 and 2002, but for some reason had never visited the museum, despite going to many other historic sites, and what an oversight!

Armed with Guy Points' book "A Gazetteer of Anglo Saxon, Anglo Scandinavian & Anglo Norse sites in Cumbria, Dumfriesshire and Wigtownshire, we had a wonderful afternoon in the basement of the tower. Treasures indeed, much appreciated after the dearth of things of visit during the two years of lockdown.

Staff at the museum were incredibly helpful. I've been given the details of someone at the Council (press officer for the museum?) to apply for permission to upload some photographs, and hopefully she'll get back to me shortly.

Hallrigg Standing Stone

Trip No.175  Entry No.1  Date Added: 28th May 2022
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: England (Cumbria)
Visited: Saw from a distance on 28th May 2022. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 1

Log Text: Hallrigg Standing Stone, Plumpton: The nearest we could get was the very back (staff only area) of the Pot Place Car Park, and we asked permission to take this photograph from the member of staff working in this area.

We did try numerous other ways to get closer to the standing stone, but couldn't even find a track and/or gate to walk across the fields, or who to ask permission off.

Photo taken with a tripod and 50-300mm zoom lens at maximum zoom, but even this didn't give an excellent photo, given the haze in the atmosphere.

Hyssop Holme Well (Carlisle)

Trip No.176  Entry No.1  Date Added: 6th Jun 2022
Site Type: Holy Well or Sacred Spring Country: England (Cumbria)
Visited: Yes on 4th Jun 2022. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: Hyssop Holme Well (Carlisle): A very pleasant, short walk down slope to this well house, the sound of wood on willow from the nearby Cricket Ground accompanying our steps. Am trying to trace the Antiquarian history books which mention this site, as I'm trying to ascertain if the well predates the 1817 date on the keystone, and why the water was regarded as a spa in days gone by, and what properties the water had.

Finglandrigg Spa Well (Chalybeate)

Trip No.176  Entry No.2  Date Added: 6th Jun 2022
Site Type: Holy Well or Sacred Spring Country: England (Cumbria)
Visited: Yes on 4th Jun 2022. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 3 Access 3

Log Text: Finglandrigg Spa Well: A very pleasant walk through this nature reserve, although the well is not where the published map says it is. In the end, we walked round and round, then tried to find a spot with a phone signal so we could find a rough grid reference, which we acquired from the Old Cumbria Gazetteer. Some 50m from the published path, down a grassy 'lane'. Ruined, but ticked this one off the list. Am trying to trace what properties this water had, and added the nearby Toddel Well to my list of places to visit in the near future.

Brow Well (Ruthwell)

Trip No.177  Entry No.1  Date Added: 6th Jun 2022
Site Type: Holy Well or Sacred Spring Country: Scotland (Dumfries and Galloway)
Visited: Yes on 6th Jun 2022. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 5

Log Text: Brow Well (Ruthwell): Having escaped the noisy builders across the road, we decided on the spur of the moment to visit the Brow Well, as it’s only about half an hour’s drive away. We bombed off up the M6, turned off onto the A75 at Gretna, turned off down a side road which turned left at NY 13732 69544 (note: HUGE mistake – too many large, enormous pot holes – continue on down to the B725!), only to find the cottage next to the well was blasting out music at huge volume. Boo hoo.

In addition, the area around the well had been turned into a building site, meaning the entrance to the small parking area was blocked off, so we pulled into a gateway a few metres from the well.

The well was almost dry, very muddy, and not very nice to visit at all. So disappointed after all the photographs I’ve seen on the internet. We found out from the couple we were speaking to at Kingholm (Lady’s Well) that the bridge by the well had recently collapsed and had just been replaced.

The information board tells us:
“Healing powers of water.
Brow Well is a chalybeate spring with natural iron-salt rich water believed to cure a multitude of ills and was popular with the residents of Dumfries at the time of Burns. From early times spring water was believed to have healing qualities and many locations in Scotland were renowned for their holy or healing wells. In the 17th century spas with mineral rich waters became fashionable locations to visit in the pursuit of health and beauty. Later sea-bathing emerged as part of a growing activity and built on popular traditions that saw seawater as having healing powers.”
That Robbie burns bathed in the well in 1796 but died 3 days later isn't a hugely great advert for the healing properties of this chalybeate well!

Ladye Well (Terregles)

Trip No.177  Entry No.2  Date Added: 8th Jun 2022
Site Type: Holy Well or Sacred Spring Country: Scotland (Dumfries and Galloway)
Visited: Couldn't find on 6th Jun 2022. My rating: Condition 1

Log Text: Ladye Well, Terregles: Armed with the OS map and a description from “Saints in Scottish Place-Names”, we went back (after many, many years) to Terregles. This well is on private ground, so I found myself chatting to a lady who was gardening just opposite the village hall about how we might be able to ask for access.

She was very cagey about giving us any information at all, telling us in order to see it, we’d have to walk half-way down someone’s driveway. I did explain the purpose of our visit – my ‘holy well’ project, and that we used to live in the area - which didn’t seem to convince her.

I did try and knock on the door of the house at the very end of the village, at NX 92749 77497, but no-one was at home, apart from the dogs. Just to the west of this house there was an access road into a building plot, and with no-one around to ask, we ventured down this track to the back of the "garden". All was derelict ground with weeds galore.

Finding nothing, we made our way back to the road, and I was going to walk down to Ladywell House, which was some distance down a long driveway, with the house not visible, only for a second lady who drove out of Ladywell House and parked up just down the road, to speak to the Gardening Lady (presumably waiting for us to walk up). I went up to them and told the Gardening Lady we couldn’t find the well, found myself telling them we used to live around here years ago, and my kids went to Shawhead School (only 4 miles away). The New Lady said “there’s nothing to see – it’s all weeds. Even the site of the old chapel is just a lump at the end of the field, covered in weeds. Nothing to see at all”. So that was us told!

We felt really unwelcome, which was very sad.

We went onto see a named well (not a holy well or sacred spring) at Kingholm, and our reception was completely different. Two of the residents were enormously helpful, even giving us a guided walk of the field with possible locations of the well and associated spring.

The Kendal Cross

Trip No.178  Entry No.1  Date Added: 21st Jun 2022
Site Type: Ancient Cross Country: England (Cumbria)
Visited: Yes on 21st Jun 2022. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: The Kendal Cross: located on a window sill in the Lady Chapel (east end of south aisle) in the Parish Church of Kendal, Holy Trinity.

The fragment was sited in strong sunlight at the time of our visit, so difficult to photograph.

Such a huge church, apparently the widest in Cumbria, and also the oldest in Kendal, with the site older than the building, as 'evidenced by the 8th/9th century cross shaft'.

A replica of the cross sits outside the western end of the church, on the green between the western entrance gates and the church.

Anchorite Well (Kendal)

Trip No.178  Entry No.2  Date Added: 22nd Jun 2022
Site Type: Holy Well or Sacred Spring Country: England (Cumbria)
Visited: Yes on 21st Jun 2022. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: Anchorite Well, Kendal: a short-ish walk from Trinity Church (Kendal Parish Church), through a modern housing estate. The roads have some interesting names: Buttery Well Road (couldn't find the well, though), Mint Cake Cottages and Kirkbarrow.

The well was easily spotted as there is a large green metal sign at the entrance to the site.

Beautifully clear water. Would have liked to have been able to walk all the way around the well pool, but the western side path was private access only to the cottages.

St Peter's Church (Heversham)

Trip No.178  Entry No.3  Date Added: 22nd Jun 2022
Site Type: Ancient Cross Country: England (Cumbria)
Visited: Yes on 21st Jun 2022. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: St Peter's Church, Heversham: A lovely little village, but so very full of builders with loud radios, which there was no avoiding.

Inside the church was quiet, but a number of other visitors who came and went. We looked at the cross shaft (and the very old south door) in the south porch, and easily found the small fragment in the external wall to the east of the porch, in the south wall.

The church itself was simple and unremarkable, apart from an old wooden pew which was carved with the date 1626, and a huge chest at the east end of the north aisle, which dates from1400.

St Mary's Well (Heversham)

Trip No.179  Entry No.4  Date Added: 22nd Jun 2022
Site Type: Holy Well or Sacred Spring Country: England (Cumbria)
Visited: Yes on 21st Jun 2022. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: St Mary's Well, Heversham: Spotted the blue 'W' on the HE map search when looking up information for St Peter's Church, so decided to have a look. Actually found the well purely by chance, when we drove past looking for a parking spot, then doubled back and parked near the lych gate, walking back to the well after we'd photographed the Anglo-Saxon stone fragments.

Having escaped the noise of building work (and radios) at home, we arrived to find the builders in the house opposite the well blasting out very loud rap music. Not a great visit as a result, as we couldn't hear ourselves think, but good to have added another well to the list I've seen.

Plague Stone (Penrith)

Trip No.180  Entry No.1  Date Added: 10th Jul 2022
Site Type: Ancient Cross Country: England (Cumbria)
Visited: Yes on 9th Jul 2022. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: Plague Stone/Cross Base, Penrith: We've driven by this site many a time without realising this stone was here. A bit difficult to find somewhere to park, as the stone is near the hospital, community college and fire station, but there is a modern housing estate, so disk parking is available along Tynefield Drive.

The stone was easily found, once we picked it out from amongst the shadows of the surrounding trees.

I wasn't aware of The Great Plague of Cumbria until I researched more about this stone. Definitely a re-purposed cross base. Shame it's being used as a rubbish bin by people who pass by.

Bampton Grange Cross

Trip No.180  Entry No.2  Date Added: 10th Jul 2022
Site Type: Ancient Cross Country: England (Cumbria)
Visited: Yes on 9th Jul 2022. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: Bampton Grange Cross: A glorious day. We'd previously seen this cross in August 2020, when lockdown restrictions had been briefly lifted for a short time, but I didn't post any photographs. That day had been grey and the cemetery busy with people strimming grass around family graves. Today was glorious, and we had the cemetery to ourselves (living people, that is).

This cross has had a hard life, but has spectacular views over the fells.

We finished this visit with a trip to the Bampton Village Store which served teas, toasties and cream teas, and were made very welcome. NY 51505 18200, with a parking area to the side of the store.

Cross Stone of Keverigg

Trip No.180  Entry No.3  Date Added: 11th Jul 2022
Site Type: Ancient Cross Country: England (Cumbria)
Visited: Couldn't find on 9th Jul 2022

Log Text: Cross Stone of Keverigg: The location of the stone was clearly marked on the Historic England Map search map, but despite my husband clambering (very carefully) over the dry stone wall and stock fence at the eastern end of the access land, he was unable to find the stone. There was considerable growth of grass and weeds in the area, and plenty of moss and lichen on the surrounding stones. He did, however, find the Cross Shaped Stone that MonumentMan has submitted (SID 52464), 23m away.

Cross Shaped Stone of Keverigg

Trip No.180  Entry No.4  Date Added: 11th Jul 2022
Site Type: Ancient Cross Country: England (Cumbria)
Visited: Yes on 9th Jul 2022. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 3

Log Text: Cross Shaped Stone of Keverigg: We went looking for the boundary stone inscribed with a cross, as marked on the modern OS map, but were unable to find it (grass too high and lots of lichen and moss on surrounding rocks to be able to make out the carved cross).

My impression of this particular stone is that it's the remnants of a quarried stone (or natural), as it lies on/near a long line of limestone pavement.

Roman Bridge Remains (Bitts Park)

Trip No.181  Entry No.1  Date Added: 17th Jul 2022
Site Type: Ancient Trackway Country: England (Cumbria)
Visited: Yes on 17th Jul 2022. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 1 Access 4

Log Text: Roman Bridge Remains, Bitts Park: A lovely park, and a lovely walk. Stones are hidden largely in deep shade between the main avenue running along the northern side of the park and the river. We needed to drop down onto the sandy paths below the avenue, and follow the river along. The four stone 'sculptures' come into view first. The rectangular 'display' of stones is about another 100m further westwards.

St Winning's Well (Kirkgunzeon)

Trip No.182  Entry No.1  Date Added: 20th Jul 2022
Site Type: Holy Well or Sacred Spring Country: Scotland (Dumfries and Galloway)
Visited: Yes on 19th Jul 2022. My rating: Condition 2 Access 4

Log Text: St Winning's Well, Kirkgunzeon: We parked near the telephone kiosk in the village, at about NX 86783 66771, and walked back to the small cross-roads, then north-westwards up the little dead-end lane. A very pretty spot. We had the grid reference of the well, so were looking around, when the owner of the large house round the corner came out to see if we were lost. He also warned us that the person who lived in the cottage at the very end of the lane was very wary of strangers, so helped us find the well. of which he told us there was nothing left. There is a small section of closely mown grass at the end of the white cottage with old threshing (?) wheel at the end, and the stand of trees under which the well is located. We walked up the 10m or so of this path and were able to see into the bowl of what was the well. It was dry at the time of our visit, although some remnants of the stonework forming its crude bowl were visible under the shrubbery. Better, perhaps, to visit in the winter when this has all died down.

Rumbling Well (Buittle)

Trip No.182  Entry No.2  Date Added: 20th Jul 2022
Site Type: Holy Well or Sacred Spring Country: Scotland (Dumfries and Galloway)
Visited: Couldn't find on 19th Jul 2022

Log Text: Rumbling Well, Buittle: Unable to get to. Since the Google Earth images and the map on Canmore were produced, an additional lake with platforms for fishing has been introduced at the head of the reservoir.

We parked in the 2-car layby by the footpath sign at NX 80296 61523 and made our way across the fields towards the reservoir, thinking we’d be able to walk around the head of this new lake. What we should have done was parked further north at about NX 80275 61662 (but this was only a field gate with no footpath sign and only passing places to park in), and walked towards the northern side of the reservoir.

With a party of teenagers arriving to swim in the waters, and temperatures in excess of 30 degrees C, the call of cross fragments and other sites called louder, so we gave up, saying we’d come back another day, as there is so much to see in this area.

Stewartry Museum

Trip No.183  Entry No.3  Date Added: 22nd Jul 2022
Site Type: Museum Country: Scotland (Dumfries and Galloway)
Visited: Yes on 19th Jul 2022. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 5

Log Text: Stewartry Museum: We arrived at the museum with 10 minutes to go until closing, having been to St Cuthbert's Church almost next door, only to discover that the 8th century cross arm was not in that church, but now located in the museum.

Our thanks go to Isla who obtained permission for me to upload photographs to the Portal (she admits to being a keen follower of the Portal, especially stones!), and for her enthusiasm and time in showing us the cross fragments, and also the rock art and rock art impressions they have at the museum.

Would love to come back and spend more time here. A small museum, reminiscent of a smaller Hunterian museum, with lots of things packed into a relatively small ground floor room, some interesting modern sculptures (including Odin's Throne) and impressions of rock art panels stored outside adjacent to the street.