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The Northern Antiquarian Forum

Archaeology, folklore & myth of Britain's pre-christian sites & heritage: stone circles, holy wells, maypoles, tombs, archaic cosmologies and human consciousness. Everyone welcome - even Southerners!


2 posters

    Pendle Hill summit tumulus

    lowergate
    lowergate


    Join date : 2010-11-01
    Age : 75
    Location : CLITHEROE

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    Post  lowergate Sat Jun 02, 2012 8:24 am

    In 1841, when making the principal triangulations for the Ordnance Survey, Captain Alexander R Clarke included the following in his descriptive text on the summit of Pendle Hill: “There is a round conical barrow about 10 feet diameter upon the hill. The centre of the barrow is the station, and is marked by a stone measuring 30 inches by 18, with a hole jumped in it.
    Altitude above mean sea level: - 1816.4 feet.”

    The point described by Clarke is what we now know as the white-washed triangulation pillar which stands on a raised cobbled circular mound upon the summit point known historically as The Beacon or Big End. Beacons sited upon prominent hills were first established in Lancashire by the Earl of Chester to warn of Scottish raids into the county, Pendle being one of them. By such a method a warning could be sent over a distance of 60 miles in 11 minutes. The beacons consisted of a raised platform of iron supported by stout oak posts, barrels of tar being used as fuel. These were recorded in use up to Napoleonic times and into the present to celebrate National events. What Clarke describes as a “round conical Barrow about 10 feet diameter” may well be the old signal beacon foundation, the “stone measuring 30 inches by 18, with a hole jumped in it” may be that that held the oak beam support.

    As to whether the “round conical barrow” referred to by Clark was ever a Bronze Age burial mound must remain one of conjecture.

    (info' on Captain Clarke from Danny)


    QDanT
    QDanT


    Join date : 2011-05-29
    Location : Earby used to be in Yorkshire

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    Post  QDanT Tue Jun 05, 2012 5:12 pm

    Hi John , glad you found the information useful ? but as per my E-mail :-

    Clarke 1858
    Report, Account of the Observations and Calculations of the Principal Triangulation, by Captain Alexander R Clarke, published by the Ordnance Survey, London, 1858.
    PENDLE HILL, 1841. There is a round conical barrow about 10 feet diameter upon the hill. The centre of the barrow is the station, and is marked by a stone measuring 30 inches by 18, with a hole jumped in it.
    Altitude above mean sea level:- 1816.4 feet
    Position, latitude and longitude,
    place name:- Pendle Hill
    coordinates:- 53d 52m 6.43s N, 2d 17m 48.68s W
    Altitude 1816.4 feet

    Hi John, this is not the modern Trig point ?
    cheers Danny


    The modern Trig point is at 1825 feet and Captain Alexander R Clarke's mark is 1816.4 feet, also the coordinates are different

    Pendle Hill summit tumulus PendleHill

    and aren't Barrows sited just off the crown of a hill ? I don't know and am just pleased to offer up my findings and trips out,
    it might be worth a look "on the hill" ? with a bottle of wine of course.
    cheers Danny
    lowergate
    lowergate


    Join date : 2010-11-01
    Age : 75
    Location : CLITHEROE

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    Post  lowergate Sat Jun 23, 2012 2:01 am

    Could Clarke have got his Lat' & Long' wrong Danny ?

    Next time I am up on the hill I will look at the position.

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