Following the dyke to the south-west and turning to the left
where it disappears, we find a circle of seven stones, into which
Mr. Cowper dug, and found a rough pavement of cobble-stones at a
depth of two to three feet resting upon the natural rock. Many
cairns are passed on going a few steps eastward to strike the
main line of the dyke, which runs down into Bull Haw Moss, making
a curious fold or fork at the farther side of the valley, and
then climbing the steep bank and running over the top due south,
until it loses itself among a group of cairns in which Mr. Cowper
found prehistoric interments. The dyke is altogether over a mile
long, partly a stone wall, partly an earthwork. Antiquaries have
been much divided over its possible use and object; the late W.
Jackson, F.S.A., thought it might be a kind of deer trap. The deer
would be driven from the south-west along the moorland valley, and
_cornered_ in the fork of the wall.
From the southern extremity of the dyke a path leads down to the
road from Broughton Mills to Torver. Two miles south-west along
this road, and between it and Appletreeworth Beck, Dr. Kendall of
Coniston has noticed a similar dyke. The name of a neighbouring
farm, Burnmoor, suggests the recognition of "borrans" or stone
heaps of more than usual importance. In the Burnmoor above Eskdale
are important stone circles.
Torver Station is rather more than a mile from the point where we
struck this road, and Coniston 2-1/2 miles more by road or rail.
* * * * *
Coniston is a good centre for further excursions in search of
moorland antiquities. From Woodland station a day's round might be
made by Broughton Mills to the cairns and enclosures on the south
side of Stickle Pike and above Stonestar; across the Duddon to
the ruins of Ulpha Old Hall, Seathwaite, the home of "Wonderful
Walker" (born at Undercrag, 1709; died at Seathwaite, 1802, in the
67th year of his curacy there); then back by Walna Scar, passing
ancient remains of undetermined age. The first group is found
by turning to the right below the intake wall until a stile is
reached, below which, and beyond, are traces of rude building. On
rejoining the road up Walna Scar, a gate is seen across the beck;
through it and about a quarter of a mile horizontally along the
breast of the hill are extensive ruined walls, and many outlying
remains on a shelf of the mountains about 1,000 feet above the
sea. Hence the way to the top of the Scar is plain, and Coniston
is about an hour's easy walking by a well-marked path from the
summit.
Swinside Circle is about 4-1/2 miles from Broughton station, and
is little inferior to the great circle near Keswick. On digging it
we found nothing at all; we learnt, however, that the place was
not used for interments or sacrifices, and its origin remains a
mystery.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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