It is an unusual outlier to Change). I am interested in holy wells, standing stones and ancient crosses; also anything old, prehistoric, or unusual. Perhaps the name Bride is very old and derives from the early British Breiad, the Gaelic Braidh, the Icelandic Bryddir and the Danish Bred. Amongst these rocky outcrops are a number of odd-shaped formations thathave beencaused by weather-related erosion over thousands, if not millions of years. The monument is the Bridestones Neolithic chambered long cairn located on the Read about our current news, projects and campaigns nationally and in your area. nationally important. (LogOut/ Each of them is now broken in two. In the 1760s some of the stones were used for the nearby road (Dial Lane), while other stones were used in the building of Bridestones farm; other stones from the monument have ended up in Tunstall Park, Stoke-on-Trent. If youre walking through grassy meadows in late May, you just might spot a small pearl-bordered fritillary butterfly. Lying at the foot of the Pennines and with views across the Cheshire Plain, the Bridestones are said to be unique in England although there are similar examples in Scotland, Ireland and the Isle of Man. The Marsden Cross, Marsden Heights, Near Nelson, Lancashire. There are numerous reports of ghostly sightings and otherworldly apparitions connected to the stones. The Bridestones at Timbersbrook in Cheshire. Druids were priests who carried out religious rituals in the Iron Age Britain and France of whom relatively little is known. Of the portal stones, only two remain, one of which was broken in two and subsequently concreted back together. Some 500 long cairns a The nearest car park (not run by the National Trust) is about 1.5 miles from Blakey Topping, at Saltergate (Hole of Horcum). Stansted Express, Greater Anglia and 3 others operates train once a week from London Stansted Airport (STN) to The Bridestones. Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2rio's travel planner. revealed cobbling which included a charcoal layer containing flint blades and the main regional groupings of such megalithic long cairns, these lying mainly One on the North side is broken off, as is part of the other. A dark, shadowy figure has been witnessed in and around the stones and a report in the Congleton Chronicle a few years back stated that a woman with her partner had witnessed a druidic figure in white near to the site. probable, therefore, that these monuments acted as important ritual sites for o entrance is a re-positioned portal stone 1.2m high. He noticed he was by the Bridestones and could quite clearly make them out in the midsummers night. Recommended option. An interesting, in depth study by the Stoke Archaeology Society can be found here https://www.stokearchaeologysociety.org.uk/Bridestones/The%20Bridestones%20final%20pro.pdf. There is a wide variety of natural habitats acknowledged to be amongst the most diverse in the region. Thomas Malbon, rector of Congleton. And in the year 1764, several hundred loads were carried away for making a turnpike-road about sixty yards from this place, which laid it open for examination. Geohost: 69.163.250.162.NA.US.26347.dreamhost-as (69.163.128.0/17) The whole complex is now just over 100 metres in length with the cairn 11 metres in width. The Bridestones Neolithic chambered long cairn. He noticed that these were quite warm. surviving visibly in the present landscape. Above the stones he was astonished to see a shining light, like a golden torch, which was illuminating the whole area and shooting out a shower or bright sparks. Originally an earthen mound upto 300feet (90m) in length running north to east covered the tomb making for a verygrand burial mound. Take a look at the map of Bridestones, Crosscliff and Blakey Topping to help plan your visit. It is referred to as a burial chamber, chambered tomb and long cairn (a man-made structure) that dates back to the middle Neolithic period 2,500 3,000 BC. There are 4 ways to get from Bristol to The Bridestones by train, bus or car. Originally an earthen mound upto 300feet (90m) in length running north to east covered the tomb making for a verygrand burial mound. The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract. Mermaid Carving at Zennor Church inCornwall. Evidence from a variety of sources suggest this was a chambered tomb of massive proportions, with a paved crescentic forecourt. The cairn originally had a stone circle surrounding it, with four portal stones; two of these portal stones still remain. Discover our different types of membership, Bridestones, Crosscliff and Blakey Topping, back to Bridestones, Crosscliff and Blakey Topping, Wildlife spotting at Bridestones nature reserve, Climate change adaptation guidance for heritage organisations, National Trust Registered Charity 205846 Heelis, Kemble Drive, Swindon SN2 2NA, Things to do at the Bridestones, Crosscliff and Blakey Topping. A circular hole is cut through this stone, about nineteen inches and a half in diameter. It is almost as if the quandaries and tribulations of day to day existence fade away spectacularly in the midst of such an ancient presence. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Alternatively, take a short, easy-access waymarked trail for sweeping views of Blakey Topping. SJ 9062 6219. Today the monument is protected by fencing with trees and shrubbery making the monument more secluded. year. Spread over 300 acres, the nature reserve surrounding the Bridestones is a high, wild and inspiring place. It is two yards and a half long, two feet and a half broad and three feet two inches high. They represent the burial places of Britain's early Take the train from Bristol Temple Meads to Birmingham New Street. Bridestones 1.jpg 3,888 2,592; 4.18 MB Bridestones 10.jpg 2,592 3,888; 2.82 MB Bridestones 11.jpg 3,627 2,416; 3.55 MB Bridestones 12.jpg 3,888 2,592; 5.03 MB John Watson knew of the Bride and Groom in 1789, but does not give details of the legend, other than saying the Groom had been thrown down by the country people. . The Pillar of Eliseg near Llangollen, Denbighshire (Sir Ddinbych), NorthWales. Host / ISP: ps100346.dreamhostps.com Youll also notice a lot of ling common heather. western flank of Cloud Hill, a ridge forming a prominent northern extension of Crosscliff and Allerston High Moor combine to the southeast of Blakey Topping and together they offer an area of rugged, isolated moorland off the beaten track for you to explore. Many subsequent investigations have been held and the stones have captured the imagination of all those curious about such things. Operated by the National Trust this is one of Britains finest timber-framed manor houses. the bridestones staffordshire . Query: sid=473021467 Your service title Give us a brief description of the service that you are promoting. earthworks, and due to their comparative rarity, their considerable age and These imposing structures would be at least as old as the Egyptian pyramids. their longevity as a monument type, all long cairns are considered to be These stones have been taken away from time to time by masons and other people, for various purposes. Where investigated they appear to Jurassic rock formations within a nature reserve, featuring heather moorland, wooded hillsides and grassy dales. is a forecourt originally surrounded by a complete or partial circle of stones Mermaid Carving at Zennor Church in Cornwall. | 24/06/2022 | evangelical theological faculty | rwandan genocide footage machete. the chamber's entrance is a portal stone standing 3m high while north of the The Bridestones are located on the border between Staffordshire and Cheshire (SJ908622), three miles from Congleton and seven miles from Leek on a hill called the 'Cloud' at a height of 820 feet. St Johns Church and Witchs Grave at Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, North Staffordshire. Other travel options are bus, car or plane. Pike Low, Near Briercliffe, Burnley,Lancashire. Enjoy access to more than 500 places with National Trust membership. Bridestones Situated on the Cheshire-Staffordshire border, the Bridestones are a Neolithic chambered long cairn. [1] The site is protected as a scheduled ancient monument. Of the portal stones, only two remain, one of which is broken and concreted back together. These fascinating features of the landscape are all that remains of a sandstone cap of sedimentary rock that was deposited during the Jurassic period, some 150 million years ago. The area is a blend of open heather, rough pasture, wooded hillsides and grassy dales filled with flowers in summer. The site administrator provides an e-mail link to start a trouble ticket about this block. c.2.2m square x 1m high and a third chamber was noticed in 1766. Great Bride Stone (from a different sideways angle). Neolithic and Bronze Age Site Name: The Bridestones (Cheshire) Country: England County: Cheshire Type: Chambered Tomb Nearest Town: Congleton Nearest Village: Timbersbrook Map Ref: SJ9058962190 Landranger Map Number: 118 Latitude: 53.156755N Longitude: 2.142193W Condition: 3 Ambience: 3 Access: 4 Accuracy: 5 Internal Links: External Links: The Bridestones. We offer full pack-out capabilities for kitting and assembling, secured storage and weekly activity reports. Although local history records are silent over the ritual nature of these outcrops, tradition and folklore tell them as a place of pagan worship. Explore the many ways you can help to support the incredibly rich and varied heritage. Today only one main chamber 6 metres in length remains originally there would have been three chambers or compartments. Search over 1 million photographs and drawings from the 1850s to the present day using our images archive. Location of this list entry and nearby places that are also listed. This very much damaged monumentconsists of a forecourt (semi-circular) inlayout and twoentrance stones 8-9 feet high that divide the main chamber and anotherwith a hole called a porthole stone. Please do not change the subject line, nor the first few lines of the body text.Click HERE to start a trouble ticket. To get from Frankfurt am Main to The Bridestones, the cheapest transport costs only 53, and the quickest way takes just 5h 50m. The entrance was filled up with free stones and earth, supposed to be dust blown by the wind from year to year in dry weather. Bridestones, west Yorkshire (the rock-house). A second chamber in the centre of the mound was recorded as measuring Books and journalsDunlop, M, 'Trans Lancs and Ches Arch Soc' in , , Vol. Carn Euny Entrance Grave at Brane inCornwall. About Me About The Journal OfAntiquities. These native snakes are Britains only venomous species, but you can admire them from a respectful distance. Two View all posts by historyfox, Design a site like this with WordPress.com, https://www.stokearchaeologysociety.org.uk/Bridestones/The%20Bridestones%20final%20pro.pdf. Categories: Burial Chambers, The Bridestones | Tags: The Bridestones at Timbersbrook in Cheshire | Permalink. Carn Euny Entrance Grave at Brane in Cornwall. Dedicated to Bride, goddess of the Brigantine people, like her triple-aspect we find a triple-aspect to the outcrops here: to the west are the Bride Stones; to the east, the Little Bride Stones; with the Great Bride Stones as the central group, surveying everything around here. [5], While the southern side of the main chamber was originally a single, 18-foot-long stone (5.5m), it was split in 1843 by a picknicker's bonfire. The earliest account of the Bridestones comes from the Reverend T. Malbon of Congleton: an account written before thousands of tons of stone The Bridestones is a chambered cairn, near Congleton, Cheshire, England, that was constructed in the Neolithic period about 3500-2400 BC. The distinctive flat-topped hill was shaped by the massive erosive forces of meltwaters at the end of the last ice age. Part of the Alfred Newton and Sons collection. Maiden Castle Hill-Fort, Near Dorchester,Dorset. In the 1760s some of the stones were used for the nearby road (Dial Lane), while other stones were used in the building of Bridestones farm; other stones from the monument have ended up in Tunstall Park, Stoke-on-Trent. Find the travel option that best suits you on this page. As the report describes removal of stones for road-building in 1764 (the AshbourneLeekCongleton Turnpike, now Dial Lane, just south of the site), it appears that it was included by Henry Owen, editor of the second edition, and was not part of Rowlands's original 1723 edition. Dun Aengus Fort, Inishmore, Aran Islands, Co. Galway, Southern Ireland (The Republic ofIreland). Discover and use our high-quality applied research to support the protection and management of the historic environment. At over 1,400 feet above sea-level the Bride-stones on the windswept moors to the east of Todmorden and the Calder Valley,there isa mile longescarpment of Millstone Grit outcrops that stand like rocky sentinels keeping watch over the Pennine moorland. It is fascinating to think that people were here that long ago using this space as an important spiritual place and as a sacred portal to another realm. It was several days before he was able to tell his wife the true story and he finally contacted a well-known acquaintance who he could trust to investigate the goings on of that evening. farming communities and, as such, are amongst the oldest field monuments Est. People who were being married at the Bridestones were known to make their vows by putting their hands through the circular opening in the burial chamber which divided the two halves, but sadly this no longer exists, locally this became known as Bridies Wedding Ring. Recommended option. Another path connects the north-side of the outcrops from Kebs Road, and from just opposite Orchan House Farm at Fast Ends it runs in a southerly direction acrossBridestones Moor. Sinners Well / Gratton Lane Well, Endon, NorthStaffordshire, Tunstall Park Glacial Boulder, Tunstall, Stoke on Trent, NorthStaffordshire. semi-circular form with two conjectural stones completing the circle. The ancient monument called 'The Bridestones' chambered tomb is located on a sandstone ridge 800 feet above sea-level 1 mile to the south-east of Timbersbrook and 3 miles east of Congleton on the Cheshire-Staffordshire border. Legananny Dolmen, County Down, Northern Ireland, Aiggin Stone on Blackstone Edge Lancashire/Yorkshire border, Bakewell Churchyard Crosses in Derbyshire, Borrans Field Roman Fort At Ambleside In Cumbria, Chesterton Roman Fort in North Staffordshire, Clonmacnois Monastic Site in Co.Offaly Southern Ireland, Delf Hill Stone Circle on Extwistle Moor near Burnley, Dolmen De La Cous near Bazoges-en-Pareds in France, Dolmen De La Frebouchere At Le Bernard Pays De La Loire In France, Dolmen De La Pierres-Folle At Commequiers In France, Fairies Rocks at La-Roche-aux-Fees in Brittany, Grotto De Massabielle At Lourdes In Southern France, Healing Well At Lourdes In Southern France, Jeppe Knaves Grave at Sabden in Lancashire, La Cist Des Cous In Pays De La Loire France, La Grande Menhir Brise at Locmariquer in Brittany, Malham Roman Camp at Low Stoney Bank in North Yorkshire, Our Lady's Well at Fernyhalgh in Lancashire, Portfield Hillfort at Whalley in Lancashire, Roman road on Blackstone Edge at Lancashire/Yorkshire border, Roughting Linn Cup-and-Ring Marked Rocks In Northumbria, Samson's Toe At Langcliffe In North Yorkshire, San Miguel De Arrechinaga Church at Markina-Xemein in Spain, St Doolagh's Holy Well Balgriffin Co Dublin, St Govan's Chapel at Bosherston in Pembrokeshire, St Illtyd's Church at Llantwit Major in South Glamorgan, St Mary-le-Gill Church at Barnoldswick in Lancashire, St Materiana's Church at Tintagel in Cornwall, St Matthew's Churchyard Cross at Rastrick in West Yorkshire, St Warna's Well on St Agnes Island in the Scilly Isles, Sweyne's Howes near Rhossili in Gower South Wales, Taula Talaiot De Talati De Dalt in Menorca, The Burnley Colne And Nelson Upland Archaeology Project, The Dropping Well at Knaresborough in North Yorkshire, The Gloonan Stone at Cushendun in Co.Antrim, The Map Stone From Fylingdales Moor In North Yorkshire, The Masham Churchyard Cross In Wensleydale North Yorkshire, The Mousse Fountain At Aix-En-Provence In France, The Nogworth And Beth Crosses At Briercliffe In Lancashire, The Ruthwell Cross in Dumfries and Galloway in Scotland, The Shrine Of Rocamadour In Midi Pyrenees France, Trethevy Burial Chamber at Tremar in Cornwall, Underground City Of Naours In Picardie France, Winterton Roman Villa in North Lincolnshire. The Carved Stone Heads of Ribchester inLancashire. Time: Sat, 04 Mar 2023 14:32:46 UTC Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2rio's travel planner. Sadly, stones that formed the forecourt have been taken away leaving a much smaller monument. monument in 1766 shows four portal stones - two north and two south of the The Bridestones as they are today looking west towards the entrance 2 The Bridestones are located on the border between Staffordshire and Cheshire (SJ908622), three miles from Congleton and seven miles from Leek on a hill called the 'Cloud' at a height of 820 feet. Buildings Scheduled monuments Parks and gardens Battlefields Shipwrecks. Your service title . [1] It was described in 1764 as being 120 yards (110 m) long and 12 yards (11 m) wide, containing three separate compartments, of which only one remains today. The question for me is how the ancient people in England would be able to move these massive stones. Free entry to Dalby Forest when you visit car-free. Discover this 7.1-mile loop trail near Pickering, North Yorkshire. User contributions are not fact checked and do not represent the official position of Historic England. Source Historic England Archive BB98/02592. Legananny Dolmen, County Down, NorthernIreland, Aiggin Stone on Blackstone Edge Lancashire/Yorkshire border, Bakewell Churchyard Crosses in Derbyshire, Borrans Field Roman Fort At Ambleside In Cumbria, Chesterton Roman Fort in North Staffordshire, Clonmacnois Monastic Site in Co.Offaly Southern Ireland, Delf Hill Stone Circle on Extwistle Moor near Burnley, Dolmen De La Cous near Bazoges-en-Pareds in France, Dolmen De La Frebouchere At Le Bernard Pays De La Loire In France, Dolmen De La Pierres-Folle At Commequiers In France, Fairies Rocks at La-Roche-aux-Fees in Brittany, Grotto De Massabielle At Lourdes In Southern France, Healing Well At Lourdes In Southern France, Jeppe Knaves Grave at Sabden in Lancashire, La Cist Des Cous In Pays De La Loire France, La Grande Menhir Brise at Locmariquer in Brittany, Malham Roman Camp at Low Stoney Bank in North Yorkshire, Our Lady's Well at Fernyhalgh in Lancashire, Portfield Hillfort at Whalley in Lancashire, Roman road on Blackstone Edge at Lancashire/Yorkshire border, Roughting Linn Cup-and-Ring Marked Rocks In Northumbria, Samson's Toe At Langcliffe In North Yorkshire, San Miguel De Arrechinaga Church at Markina-Xemein in Spain, St Doolagh's Holy Well Balgriffin Co Dublin, St Govan's Chapel at Bosherston in Pembrokeshire, St Illtyd's Church at Llantwit Major in South Glamorgan, St Mary-le-Gill Church at Barnoldswick in Lancashire, St Materiana's Church at Tintagel in Cornwall, St Matthew's Churchyard Cross at Rastrick in West Yorkshire, St Warna's Well on St Agnes Island in the Scilly Isles, Sweyne's Howes near Rhossili in Gower South Wales, Taula Talaiot De Talati De Dalt in Menorca, The Burnley Colne And Nelson Upland Archaeology Project, The Dropping Well at Knaresborough in North Yorkshire, The Gloonan Stone at Cushendun in Co.Antrim, The Map Stone From Fylingdales Moor In North Yorkshire, The Masham Churchyard Cross In Wensleydale North Yorkshire, The Mousse Fountain At Aix-En-Provence In France, The Nogworth And Beth Crosses At Briercliffe In Lancashire, The Ruthwell Cross in Dumfries and Galloway in Scotland, The Shrine Of Rocamadour In Midi Pyrenees France, Trethevy Burial Chamber at Tremar in Cornwall, Underground City Of Naours In Picardie France, Winterton Roman Villa in North Lincolnshire. stones stood within the circle and two stood outside the circle to the east. Originally an earthen mound up to 300 feet (90m) in length running north to east covered the tomb making for a very grand burial mound. The Bridestones is a chambered cairn, near Congleton, Cheshire, England, that was constructed in the Neolithic period about 35002400 BC. When he finally came around, he found himself outstretched under a group of trees some 600 yards from where his car was left on the road. Our proprietary formula creates one of the industrys best hold for tamper-proof sealing. The The carnivorous sundew plant survives in this poor soil by capturing insects on its sticky leaves. a flint scraper. Cloud (IPV4:L1010). There is a trig point at the summit of 437 metres which provides splendid views across the upper Calderdale and South . There is no attendant lore here that relates to any of these elements. have been used for the burial of only certain privileged members of the The places on the list are protected by law and most are not open to the public. [5], Excavations of the site were done by Professor Fleur of Manchester University in 1936 and 1937, with the aim of restoring the site as much as possible to its former condition.[5]. This photo may not represent the current condition of the site, Find out more about Heritage Apprenticeships. It is apprehended the circle was originally complete, and twenty-seven feet in diameter; for there is the appearance of holes where stones have been, and also of two single stones, one standing East of the circle, at about five or six yards distance, and the other at the same distance from that. It is referred to as a burial chamber, chambered tomb and long cairn that dates back to the middle Neolithic period 2,500-3,000 BC. First described in local deeds as early as 1491, there are a great number of severely weathered boulders all round, many like frozen giants haunting a magickal landscape. If the Brigantian goddess was venerated here, the date of the most active festivities would have been February 1-2, or Old Wives Feast day as it was known in the north.. (LogOut/ Staindale, Dalby, Pickering, North Yorkshire, YO18 7LR. The chamber would have been capped by a massive stone slab which no longer exists at the site. The Bridestones are one of the few megalithic sites between Derbyshire and Wales and are well worth a visit if you can put up with incessant dog barking and the occasional Curious Cow. Known as brink-stones or edge stones in Old Norse, these natural monuments make the perfect backdrop to sit and have a picnic or to take in the panoramic views. 1989 © Crown Copyright and database right 2023. Great Bride Stone stands like an up-turned bottle. Alternatively, the Old English word for birds was briddes, the stones when in their original form could have resembled birds, giving rise to Briddes stones. The Pillar of Eliseg near Llangollen, Denbighshire (Sir Ddinbych), North Wales. Sinners Well / Gratton Lane Well, Endon, NorthStaffordshire, Tunstall Park Glacial Boulder, Tunstall, Stoke on Trent, NorthStaffordshire. There is a legend thatsays the name Bridestones came about because a Viking chieftain and his bride to be were buried here. This was reputedly caused by an engineer from the Manchester Ship Canal, who used the stone to demonstrate a detonator. Bride Stones, west Yorks (Sphinx- like formation). Brink Ends Cairn, Near Wycoller,Lancashire. There is a legend that says the name Bridestones came about because a Viking chieftain and his bride to be were buried here, however the name probably comes from Briddes Stones or even Brigante Stones from the ancient British tribe who inhabited the area in the 1st century AD. Discover fascinating rock formations hewn by the elements from Jurassic-era sedimentary rock over millennia, then spot wildlife in the surrounding Bridestones nature reserve. Search Rome2rio to see all schedules. The views from the place stretch out spectacularly over the vast Cheshire Plain. d St Johns Church and Witchs Grave at Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, NorthStaffordshire. OS grid reference: SD 9334 26750. This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. Pike Low, Near Briercliffe, Burnley,Lancashire. It was largely carted away for roadmaking that [5], The largest single ransacking of the monument was the removal of several hundred tons to construct the nearby turnpike road. Over thousands of years, the layers of hard sandstone alternating with softer calcareous layers have been eroded by wind, frost and rain. These rock forma-tions have been made by the ravages of time wind and rain over thousands of years weathering away the soft grit-stone into strange andcurious shapes, and there are indeed some strange-shaped rocks some looking like human heads and faces (the sphinx), while others look like prehistoric birds, a gianttortoise, anda bear, and theres even a huge anvil-shaped rock. National Trust members). It is Use our map search to find more listed places. The Pillar of Eliseg near Llangollen, Denbighshire (Sir Ddinbych), NorthWales. Over the last 200 years the monument has suffered from robbery of the stones. Grounds are partly accessible from Bridestones car park. the bridestones staffordshire. As one of the few types of Neolithic structures to survive as 01444899 info@futureinternationalschools.com. User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 15_5 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/605.1.15 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/15.5 Mobile/15E148 Safari/604.1 Dating from 3500 to 2400BC a long cairn is a burial chamber made of stone and associated with high status burials. And another local author, Geoff Boswell, in his book On The Tops around Todmorden, says: We know that the early Britons lived in Todmorden. accessible toilet, 85m/280ft from Bridestones car park (Forestry England). On the open moor new tree growth is controlled and you might see cattle, which are grazed to stop the land returning to the woodland it once was. Maiden Castle Hill-Fort, Near Dorchester,Dorset. There were originally four large portal stones, two which stood to the north of the entrance and two to the south.