| Summary : Probable embanked stone circle or ring cairn. Excavation revealed a cremation accompanied by a flint "spearhead" which was found in the centre of the monument circa 1846. About a third of the monument was destroyed, possibly during the 19th century, by the construction of some shooting butts. More recent, 20th century disturbance takes the form of a subrectangular earthwork mound said to be an orgone accumulator [According to the psychoanalyst Wilhelm Reich, orgone represents a vital energy or life force which informs the universe, and which can be collected and stored in an orgone accumulator for subsequent use in the treatment of mental and physical illness]. |
More information : SE 13644472. Stone Circle (NR) (1)
Grubstones stone circle, a scheduled ancient monument, is built
upon an earthen bank, the stones being set edge to edge to form a
complete enclosure. About a third of the circle has been destroyed
by the construction of shooting butts. A cremation, accompanied by
a flint spearhead, was found c 1846 beneath three large stones in the
centre of the circle. (see photograph). (2-4)
Surveyed at 6 inch scale. The circle is well defined (though
incomplete on its W side) and appears to be the remains of a robbed
cairn. The bank on which the stones are alleged to be set, is probablyno more than a ring of consolidated stones left after the removal
of the cairn, whilst the inset stones are the remains of its
peristalith See photograph. (5)
SE 13644472. At about 345m OD slightly below the top of the hill on
a gentle south facing slope, this near circular enclosure (see
illustration) is formed by a heather-covered rubble bank averaging
about 1.8m wide and 0.5m maximum height. It is faced internally
by large contiguous stones mainly laid horizontally and measuring
about 10.0m E/W by 0.2m N/S between these faces. The low bank has
been reduced in the SW by robbing and the inner facing stones removed
(possibly to build a small hut to the immediate SW). Four large
loose stones in the interior may also have come from this break
in the inner face or another smaller one in the NE. There is no
trace of an entrance or break in the bank and though it is possible
there may have been one in the SW it is now too low and robbed to
prove, but it seems unlikely.
It is now difficult to determine the original condition of the
interior although it appears almost level. A central hollow (about
5.0m x 3.0m x 0.5m deep) may be the site of the cremation. (It is
also possible that the loose stones lying in the interior came
from the hollow and may be the stones referred to covering the
cremation, found about 1846 but it is doubtful if they are in situ).
The remains of the butt shown on Raistrick's plan are barely
discernible now.
This does not appear to be the remains of a robbed cairn as suggested
by authority 5 as the interior is too level and clean cut at the
inner faces and there is no break as one would expect to remove the
internal material. With the evidence of the cremation it is certainly
a burial monument, probably related to the embanked stone circle
or kerb circle types.
Surveyed at 1:10 000. (6)
SE 1364 4471. Enclosure [NR] Cremation Burial found [NAT] (7)
SE 1364 4471. Grubstones stone circle. Scheduled RSM No 25291. (8)
Suggested by Barnatt to resemble a cross between an embanked stone circle and a ring cairn. In addition to the shooting butts, Barnatt notes more recent disturbance in the form of a sub-rectangular mound described as an "orgone accumulator" [According to the psychoanalyst Wilhelm Reich, Orgone represents a vital energy or life force which informs the universe, and which can be collected and stored in an orgone accumulator for subsequent use in the treatment of mental and physical illness]. (9)
The feature described above is visible as an earthwork on air photographs and was mapped as part of the Lower Wharfedale NMP project. The feture is centred at SE 1365 4472.
(10) |