Cringle Park Stone Circle.
2015-ongoing
A few moments from where I live
the place of countless perfunctory park laps
on working from home days
distractedly circling the familiar playground
tennis and basketball courts
and the stone circle
head full of work, worries
always scheming, getting a few steps in.
I made an inquiry
on the Friends of Cringle Park Facebook page
about the origins of this stone circle.
Different bits of information gather
park life memories, personal histories, stone circle ambiguities
Levy henge! Modern myth.
Seems like
it’s a copy of the Burlington Earth Clock in Vermont
by an organisation called Circles for Peace
who build Megalithic Stone Circles
to aid inner healing and world peace.
Google takes me to the bio of one their founding members –
Avalonia Moonstone. Priestess of Avalon.
Bridging the magic of Avalon to the ones who are awakening
although she herself came in awake
a galactic, adventurous, entrepreneurial soul
truly blessed with many natural and psychic gifts
a passionate dancer, writer, traveller, poet, mystic, singer and healer
a living embodiment of all she holds sacred
Avalonia creates magic out of raw organic materials
embracing her passions fully
Avalonia walks in balance and follows her heart.
I contemplate my career and life choices.
Who else could I be?
Nine Ladies Stone Circle.
24.02.24
The Stones Project's
first collective research fieldtrip
we walk together to our destination
four women and special guest Steve
arriving at Nine Ladies
via an established path
and an English Heritage information sign
quite a few people mulling around
teenage girl with family says ‘Is that it?! It’s pathetic!’
We split up but stay close
creating a space shared for our own quiet contemplation
prowling, observing, note-taking,
photographing, filming, clay pressing.
The stones are cold, smooth and scarred.
Remnants of a fire in the centre of the circle
tree-tied wishing ribbons and amulets
memorial candles and
rain-protected photos in plastic wallets.
Someone asks us what we’re doing
we say that we’re academic researchers with
interests in ancient stones.
They offer some insights.
Bamford Moor Stone Circle.
04.04.2024
Ascending from Bamford train station
alone and glad to be
walking at a pace
up onto the moor
scampering around to bad signal google maps
searching for the stone circle
in the mud, heather and drizzle.
Finding it is a gentle high
it’s smaller than I imagined
just me here, magic
birdsong, faint distant traffic
I circle it, photograph it, take some clay pressings
Then, resting on one of the cold, quiet stones
I crinkle open a packet of crisps.
Hordron Edge Stone Circle.
13.04.2024
Weekend walking ascent
past Ladybower Reservoir
up top
with Jack
Hordron Edge Stone Circle
sits on a mowed moorland edge path
spacious with big open views
It’s pissing it down
warm earthy smell.
Our sandwiches sog
rain on my camera lens mystifies photos
clay slips in my hands.
The smallest of the stones
precious, gorgeous
lively, continuous
is embellished with pale turquoise, lilac and
copper-coloured endolith.
Long Meg and Her Daughters Stone Circle.
02.09.24
Up from little Salked on the River Eden
Uphill ascent with heavy rucksacks for the week ahead
Bit of drizzle
Taxi from the train station was a bit steep
Our the same-but-different anoraks rustle as we move in between the stones
First thermos
The stone circle is big in diameter! Biggest I’ve seen.
A small quiet road intercepts the circle
A big oak tree and a few other trees by the roadside
It dries up and it is very still
Different birdsong
Not sure what birds but I count five variations
Drizzle on the ascent then
Stillness and not wind, the rain ceases at the stone circle
No wind in the big oak tree
Us and one other paid – a woman and a man with a bushy long white beard speaking in German
A country road cuts through
We circle the inner circle
Counting the stones
69 stones, no, 66 stones – later we read about the stones being uncountable
And the stone circle being 120 metres on it’s long axis
Guidebook says
A coven of witches turned to stone
Or
Long Meg’s lovers – if shattered would run with blood.
Long Meg is 12 foot high in red sandstone and stands apart from the stone circle
Watching, guarding, protector, outsider
I think of childless and promiscuous women who stand outside of circles too.
Distant train
Rhythmic farming equipment from nearby farm – sawing, a tractor. Agricultural land.
A distant train.
Cows or bullocks gather in the next field
A cow mounts another cow and one of them loudly moos
I stand still and listen deeply, starting with my rustling anorak, panning out to the stones, then onwards across the field
I hear the bullocks stomping tribally and continuously ripping grass from the ground
This sound pulls me down to the earth
I imagine the close up sounds of the grass being ripped, like the yanks of a bikini wax
Disturbing the worms and bugs below
I dwell on the stones and for the first time try to imagine the hidden parts of them underground
Under the same ground that the bulls pull from
How deep to they go?
How lively are they with worms and bugs, damp in the rich soil nutrified with young bullock poop
Tribal bullock stomping
The sounds of druids dancing
The sun rising.
Continuous and lively.
Music in the landscape. Love it when the deep listening reveals something.
Knocknakilla Stone Circle.
19.08.24
Heading further west?
To get there – across an incredible road that stretches between the mountains with expansive views below
The Blackwater Way – come back to walk here?
Carpark below, fir tree forest behind
No one else here
Short boggy path ascent
The stone circle is surrounded by a waste high wire fence with wooden posts
A few amulets and offerings woven into the fence by the entrance
Late afternoon, great light, the rain has stopped and the wind has slowed right down
More sheltered here tucked into the valley
With view opening up below
Tidier plot
Some standing stones, others have fallen
Small circle of stones to the side
Ring marks.