Dolmen de Rochesseux

Trip No.205  Entry No.26  Date Added: 19th Oct 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Limousin:Corrèze (19))
Visited: Yes on 1st Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: This little dolmen is found in a sort of parkland high up on the slopes of Puy de Pauliac, above the historical village of Aubazines. It is signposted from the road. A triangular 3 metres by 2 metres capstone sits delicately balanced on top of two side support stones and a back stone, with a chamber 2.5 metres long by 1 metre wide underneath. The two side stones are both pointed at the top, and the capstone sits only on their points, and the small backstone almost at the same place, overhanging substantially in all directions. The chamber faces eastwards, at a bearing of 080°. The capstone has a lovely ring to it when knocked.

Estivaux Dolmen

Trip No.205  Entry No.25  Date Added: 19th Oct 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Limousin:Corrèze (19))
Visited: Yes on 1st Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: To the east of the village of Estivaux, this dolmen can be found in a field near to the sports stadium and a new housing development, just about 50 metres from the road. Its an odd little affair, and almost looks modern. The oval capstone, 3.5 m by 2.5 m sits on top of 4 support stones making a small chamber 2 metres by 1 metre inside, and about 1.5 metres in height. The support stones look to me to be quite new, perhaps an enthusiastic restoration job has been done, and it is all a bit too level. Unfortunately two of the support stones have been painted blue, and the ambience of the place is spoiled by the power cables directly overhead.

Dolmen dit La Maison du Loup

Trip No.205  Entry No.24  Date Added: 19th Oct 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Limousin:Corrèze (19))
Visited: Yes on 1st Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 3

Log Text: About a kilometre from the village of Espartignac, this dolmen can be found along a signposted track from the village square near to the Bar Le Dolmen. It is found in thick woodland on the end of a defended headland overlooking the Vézère river, and is at the top of a cliff edge. The dolmen is in part made from natural rocks, with a couple of sideslabs and a capstone (now broken into two pieces) resting on a rocky outcrop. The capstone is about 3 metres by 2 metres, and sits about 2 metres above the floor of the chamber.

The headland has been fortified for many hundreds of years, perhaps even thousands. But what can be seen today, with a Motte surrounded by another flat and defended area, dates to post Roman times. There are also double ditches and banks at the south to defend from the landward side of the headland not surrounded by the river. This place is at the site of an important ford across the Vézère river, on the important route from northern France to the Mediterranean.

Doghouse Hill

Date Added: 18th Oct 2020
Site Type: Ancient Village or Settlement Country: England (Dorset)
Visited: Saw from a distance on 15th Oct 2020

Log Text: Seen from a distance during a walk from Seatown up the coast path up and over the Golden Cap and around Stanton St Gabriel and back.

Dyrham Camp

Date Added: 17th Oct 2020
Site Type: Hillfort Country: England (Gloucestershire)
Visited: Yes on 9th Sep 2007

Log Text: Dyrham Camp, otherwise known as Hinton Hillfort, is not so much a hillfort, but more a promontary fort, on a southwest facing spur of the Cotswold Hills north of Bath. Basically triangular in shape, it is cut into two by the little road up the hillside from the village of Hinton below. The northern part is mostly in woodland, and seems to be used as a rubbish dump these days. The hill edge has been shaped, and in places the bank and ditch is in fine condition, perhaps kept in shape in more recent times for drainage. The southern half of the fort is open pasture with a public footpath running through, and the steep southern slopes are sort of terraced, with several almost cliff like ramparts, below which are quite spectacular remains of ancient field systems. The eastern edge of the fort, where the land is flat on top of the Cotswold plateau, has a large ditch and bank in place across the headland. The ditch is about 10 metres wide and 2 metres deep, with a bank up to 4 metres high on the inside, which even these days is a fairly good barrier to entry.

Dyrham Camp

Date Added: 17th Oct 2020
Site Type: Hillfort Country: England (Gloucestershire)
Visited: Yes on 9th Oct 2020

Log Text: Walking a loop on the Cotswold Way around Dyrham and Tormarton, see Hinton Hillfort from the southern side in the fading autumn sunlight.

Golden Cap Barrows

Date Added: 16th Oct 2020
Site Type: Barrow Cemetery Country: England (Dorset)
Visited: Yes on 15th Oct 2020. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 5 Access 3

Log Text: Visit on a walk from Seatown up the coast path up and over the Golden Cap and around Stanton St Gabriel and back. Remains of 5 barrows can be seen on the open hilltop to the west of the highest point of 191m, the highest point on the British south coast. They are in a line along the top, but now very low and worn, clearly showing the Chert and gravelly golden sandstone of which they are constructed.

Bras Dolmen

Trip No.205  Entry No.23  Date Added: 14th Oct 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Limousin:Haute-Vienne (87))
Visited: Yes on 31st Aug 2005. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 5 Access 4

Log Text: This beautiful little dolmen is fairly easily found to the south of the village of Saint-Sulpice-les-Feuilles along the D.44 road. Just to the north of where the road crosses the river Benaize is a place to park and a signposted footpath to the west. The footpath is well marked with orange marks, and after a couple of hundred metres walk turn right and go up the hill for a further hundred metres.

The dolmen has a rectangular chamber, 3.5 metres by 2 metres, built on the hillside overlooking the river, and it is open to the south. The single granite capstone is 4 metres long by 3 metres wide, and a lovely curved shape, looking from certain directions like an elongated mushroom. It sits on top of seven support stones, with a couple more fallen below it. There are remains of a mound around it, circular and approximately 15 metres in diameter. It is possible that there was once an entry passage, as there are signs of side set slabs on the down slope from the dolmen. The stones here are covered with lots of nice moss. This is such a nice dolmen I was inspired to try and do a little drawing or two.

Dolmen de l'Héritière

Trip No.205  Entry No.22  Date Added: 14th Oct 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Limousin:Haute-Vienne (87))
Visited: Couldn't find on 31st Aug 2005

Log Text: To the southwest of Saint-Sulpice-les-Feuilles, between Bouéry and Bras dolmens, in the commune of Arnac-la-Poste, is another dolmen marked on my ign 1:100,000 map, near to the hamlet of L'Ecluse. At the road junction, there was a sign with a dolmen marked on it, with a name something like Le Pau Montbugnard. But following the sign, I was unable to find another, and was not able to find the dolmen. Parking along these little roads was difficult, so I was not able to get out and have a proper look around in the fields and woods. Shame, because the other two round here are little crackers. I could not find a detailed map to look at in either St-Sulpice or Arnac.

Pierre Levée au Bois Bouéry

Trip No.205  Entry No.21  Date Added: 14th Oct 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Limousin:Haute-Vienne (87))
Visited: Yes on 31st Aug 2005. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 5 Access 4

Log Text: In the forest to the southwest of Saint-Sulpice-les-Feuilles, this dolmen is easily found as it is signposted from the D.2 road, several kilometres to the north. From the road that leads to the dolmen, it is just a hundred metres walk from a parking place, and it resides in a little forest clearing.

The dolmen is quite a big one, made from granite rocks. The capstone is sort of mushroom shaped, and about 5 metres in diameter. It sits on top of 5 support stones, with at least one other fallen, and is about 1.5 metres off the ground. It covers an oval shaped chamber 4 metres by 3 metres internal dimensions with the probable entrance to the east. The support stone at the northern side appears to have engravings on it, and I would put money on the markings not being natural. Near to the ground is a classic palette about 40 cm long pointing towards the right, and above this a classic necklace and breasts, or else a smiley face. I have not seen any reference to there being carvings here.

Marchain Dolmen

Trip No.205  Entry No.20  Date Added: 14th Oct 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Poitou:Vienne (86))
Visited: Yes on 31st Aug 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 2

Log Text: To the west of the village of Lathus-Saint-Rémy, in the fields near to the hamlet of Marchain, can be found this dolmen. It can be seen across the fields by the crossroads to the south of the hamlet, but I could find no obvious way to get to the dolmen, all the fields being fenced off. It looks to be a fairly simple little dolmen, with a capstone set on top of a few support stones.

Pierre Brune Dolmen

Trip No.205  Entry No.19  Date Added: 14th Oct 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Poitou:Vienne (86))
Visited: Couldn't find on 31st Aug 2005

Log Text: A bit further to the south of Pierre-Soupèze along the same little farm road is a farm called Pierre Brune. There are no obvious signs of any dolmen, but there are lumps and bumps in the fields, and piles of stones in the fields.

Dolmen dit Pierre-Soupèze

Trip No.205  Entry No.18  Date Added: 14th Oct 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Poitou:Vienne (86))
Visited: Yes on 31st Aug 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 2

Log Text: To the southeast of Montmorillon, this dolmen is within a ploughed field, which is very well fenced to keep people out. From the edge of the farm lane you can see a few stones under some bushes, with a large capstone at an angle on top of a couple of supports. From certain angles daylight can be seen beneath it. It is possible that there are two dolmen capstones here, or else there are many other large stones dumped here for field clearance.

Dolmen de la Bastière 2

Trip No.205  Entry No.17  Date Added: 14th Oct 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Poitou:Vienne (86))
Visited: Yes on 31st Aug 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: Marked on my ign 1:100,000 map is a dolmen in the field to the south of the road between Lussac and Montmorillon. I had a good look around, but could find no obvious dolmen to which it referred. However the fields round here have several mounds and piles of stones, which are perhaps the remains of half a dozen dolmens or burial mounds, some of which have since been used to pile up other stones for field clearance purposes, some of which have been ploughed out. Without any more details, I find it hard to know just what is the historical monument dolmen. Perhaps its none of these mounds I saw, and is hiding in a hedge or the very thick woodland nearby.

On seeing a more detailed map later in the day, the dolmen is probably a bit further from the road, into the woodland at the far side of the field, to where I had walked. Damn.

Dolmen de la Bastière 1

Trip No.205  Entry No.16  Date Added: 14th Oct 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Poitou:Vienne (86))
Visited: Yes on 31st Aug 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: Marked on my ign 1:100,000 map is a dolmen in the field to the south of the road between Lussac and Montmorillon. I had a good look around, but could find no obvious dolmen to which it referred. However the fields round here have several mounds and piles of stones, which are perhaps the remains of half a dozen dolmens or burial mounds, some of which have since been used to pile up other stones for field clearance purposes, some of which have been ploughed out.

Without any more details, I find it hard to know just what is the historical monument dolmen. Perhaps its none of these mounds I saw, and is hiding in a hedge or the very thick woodland nearby. On seeing a more detailed map later in the day, the dolmen is probably a bit further from the road, into the woodland at the far side of the field, to where I had walked. Damn.

Dolmen de Loubressac

Trip No.205  Entry No.15  Date Added: 14th Oct 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Poitou:Vienne (86))
Visited: Yes on 31st Aug 2005. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 5

Log Text: Beside the river Goberté to the west of Lussac-les-Chateaux, at the hamlet of Loubressac, the little road curves around the remains of this dolmen. It is now sitting right beside the road at the edge of a pond. The capstone, which once would have measured 5 metres by 4 metres, has now broken and collapsed into the chamber. About 8 or 10 support stones remain, many of which have fallen. The entrance is to the east. Most of the stones are of the local white limestone, with holes and depressions everywhere, but the large support stone at the back of the chamber is a dark granite rock.

Unfortunately there is a telephone inspection cover right beside the dolmen which detracts. While here there was a helicopter flying very low overhead, perhaps checking on the overhead power lines.

Verrières tumulus

Trip No.205  Entry No.14  Date Added: 13th Oct 2020
Site Type: Chambered Cairn Country: France (Poitou:Vienne (86))
Visited: Saw from a distance on 30th Aug 2005

Log Text: On the village map, about half a kilometre to the southeast of the dolmen, and to the northeast of the road to Lussac-les-Chateaux. I had a walk towards this after getting the van partly sorted, but couldn’t find anything definite. There was however, a mound in a field which has growth on it, which was in the right sort of place. Pity I couldn't get to it and have a proper look, and by now its started to get dark.

Verrières Dolmen

Trip No.205  Entry No.13  Date Added: 13th Oct 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Poitou:Vienne (86))
Visited: Yes on 30th Aug 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: Just outside the village of Verrières, to the south by the road to Lussac-les-Chateaux, are the remains of this dolmen, which can be found round the back of some houses at the top of the valley. Its not much more than a large slab of rock sitting on the ground these days, which is the capstone which measures 4 metres by 3 metres, with a few bits of crumbled rock underneath. There are no signs of any obvious support stones.

When I got back to my van after visiting this, the antitheft electronics would not turn off, and so nothing would start. I checked to see if anything obvious was loose, but could find nothing. I checked the other keys and that didn't help. I asked a passing man in a pickup truck if he could help, and he got a bloke from a garage out to help me. He had a look, but couldn't really do anything till tomorrow, when he could get the van to the garage with the necessary electronics gear. We pushed the van down into a little side lane where I could stay overnight, and he promised that he or someone else from the garage who could speak some English would be back in the morning about 8:30. This is just what I always dreaded would happen.

Coeur de Birette

Trip No.205  Entry No.12  Date Added: 13th Oct 2020
Site Type: Polissoir Country: France (Centre:Indre-et-Loire (37))
Visited: Yes on 30th Aug 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: In the gardens of the Chateau de Grand Pressigny are, amongst many other things, a polissoir stone called (I believe) the Coeur de Birette ???.

Grand-Pressigny Musée de la Préhistoire

Trip No.205  Entry No.11  Date Added: 13th Oct 2020
Site Type: Museum Country: France (Centre:Indre-et-Loire (37))
Visited: Yes on 30th Aug 2005. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 5 Access 4

Log Text: Museum of prehistory contained within the remains of the ruined Chateau de Grand Pressigny, this is a wonderful place to visit. In a little village on the edge of a plateau, the castle is on a steep sided headland with a huge ditch cut to protect it from the fourth side. This place has been lived in and defended since the year dot. For €4 entry fee, you not only get to visit the castle, but also a fossils exhibition, the prehistory museum, and any other temporary exhibitions that may be held here. The castle is excellent, with curtain walls and towers, dungeons, an excellent gatehouse, a superb keep, a large tower and some magnificent cellars and underground passages crossing from one side to the other, all of which can be visited. In the gardens are, amongst many other things, a polissoir stone (called the Coeur de Birette?) and a bit of an iron age stele.

The chateau is right in the middle of one of the greatest prehistoric regions in the world, where people have lived since before people existed. Cave shelters etc have been identified which go back millions of years. And then there is the silex (flint) for which this region is world renowned. This is a yellowish kind of flint which occurs in huge nodules (livres de beurre), which can be split into many fine and long blades, and which have been worked here for an eternity. Blades up to 30 cm long have been found in the region, and they were traded to places all over western Europe. This is one of the most important places in the western world until the advent of the bronze age. In the prehistory museum, there are some wonderful items, ranging from the ancient paleolithic up to the iron age and then the coming of the Romans. Superb.