Purification Pools at Saveok
Saveok Purification Pools:
Saveok Mill, Greenbottom, Cornwall, England
Located on the small local farm of Saveok Mill called “Saveok Water Archaeological Site”, resident Jacqui Wood discovered very curious archaeological features in her backyard when clearing the ground for a metal-work furnace on her land as one of her experimental archaeology projects. One of the phases of the site, was the uncovering of sacred stone-lined purification pools that had a plethera of ritual offerings within them such as cloth, heather branches, a cauldron, clothing, shoe parts, pins, finger clippings, and hair. This votive pool was found to have been filled in during the mid-18th century. The silt appears to have been imported into the site from elsewhere. This site phase appears to be a Neolithic ritual area was a series of Spring pools that may have been utilized as ‘purification pools’ or ’sacred wells/springs’ through the ages. This natural spring line were large rectangular pools stone-lined with white quartz cores. As of this writing, there are at least two such pools on the site. Patterns of the stone lining, pool contents, and the seasonal filling of the second pool appears to have religious or ritualistic usage. Both of these features are very unique in Cornish archaeology - the only other such find was under the Maeshowe monument in Orkney that had a similar stone lined drain. Since anti-witchcraft laws were in place since 1541, their participation in these activities would have definitely remained hidden, for at this time the King James version of the Bible at the time declared into law that “thou shalt not suffer a witch to live“. [Exodus 22:17] The stone-line spring may have been utilized as a ‘holy well’ by these residents as well as its prehistoric use as such. The spring was packed full of ‘offerings’ dating to at least the 17th century including 125 strips of cloth from dresses and clothing, as well as pins, remains of a cauldron, cherry stones, human hair, shoe parts, imported heather branches, and nail clippings - all very commonly used offerings to sacred springs and wells. Modern day applications of these elements can be found existing in sacred wells and springs throughout the Cornish landscape today. Pins and cloth are common offerings to wells. Heather branches are associated with luck. The scraps of clothing could potentially have been remnants of ‘clotiers’ that are found around most of the wells throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland perhaps from a tree that was alongside the spring or just offered into the pool directly. (see modern example in article on “St Madron’s Well” located 25 miles from this site) This Well and/or Spring had sometime after the time of Cromwell had been filled in and destroyed in order to hide the practices that were taking place on this site since at least Neolithic times. The death penalty for the practice of Witchcraft officially ended in 1735 and by that time, evidence of this ritual site was covered over, and later residents of the site would have not been aware of what lie beneath. Over 128 pieces of fabric, varying from different weaves, thickness, and color were found in the votive pool. There were over 48 leather shoe parts found in the votive pool from sandals to shoes. Shoe offerings are notably in history to be associated with female genitals and could have been deposited for fertility offerings. Heather branches found offered into the pool are potentially good luck offerings done by gypsies. Six delicate pins were also found in the votive pool.
Saveok Water Ritual Offering Pits
Offering Pits at Saveok Water Archaeology Site:
Saveok Mill, Greenbottom, Cornwall, England
Within the last 10 years, one of the world’s best archaeological examples of Ritual Witchcraft has been exposed in Cornwall, England. This site, Saveok Water Archaeology, has several site features suggesting ritual offerings, purification pools, and spellcraft dating as early as the mesolithic upwards to offering pits from the 1500’s to early 1900’s. Some of the practices on the site took place during conservative religious periods that outlawed the practice of Witchcraft, killing of swans, or Pagan faith and ritual. This didn’t seem to affect the religious patrons to this site as offerings and practice appears very abundant on these grounds. Prior to these finds, some of the only remains of witchcraft in England were witch bottles. Located on the small local farm of Saveok Mill called “Saveok Water Archaeological Site”, resident Jacqui Wood discovered very curious archaeological features in her backyard when clearing the ground for a metal-work furnace on her land as one of her experimental archaeology projects. One of the phases of the site, discovered in 2003, in areas EF and Area L appears to have had ritualistic use by means of offering pits (upward of 35) primarily swan-feather lined with imported pebbles or additional elements in them that date from the late 1500’s to the 1640’s onward. Use of such offering pits during a period of turmoil in England when Cromwellian Puritans destroyed much of pre-Christian Pagan England along the countryside would not only have been extremely dangerous to practice, but simply unheard of for the time period as the practice of witchcraft often led to a death sentence. These offering pits are believed to be evidence of Cornwall Witchcraft practice throughout the ages. While lineage or written evidence for the site is lacking, the remains are vast and tie into much of the lore, practices, and belief systems utilized by Paganism in the area - standing as the most common-sense theory at this point in the investigations. These practices may or may not have been done by the former 17th century residents who built the dwellings that currently exist on the site. But some of the offering pits were certainly dug during their occupation. Ethnographic discussions with locals suggests that some of the land’s residents, the Burnett’s, were reputedly witches. Since anti-witchcraft laws were in place since 1541, their participation in these activities would have definitely remained hidden, for at this time the King James version of the Bible at the time declared into law that “thou shalt not suffer a witch to live“. [Exodus 22:17] The death penalty for the practice of Witchcraft officially ended in 1735 and by that time, evidence of this ritual site was covered over, and later residents of the site would have not been aware of what lie beneath.
The presumed ritualistic “offering pits” are generally 40 cm sq. x 17 cm depth earthen dug pits that were primarily carefully lined with the intact pelts of a swan and other bird remains such as claws and beaks from different species. Some of the pits had other animal elements including pigs, dogs, and cats. One was lined with the skin of a black cat and contained 22 eggs - all with chicks close to hatching, as well as cat claws, teeth, and whiskers. Another had a dog skin, dog teeth, and a baked pig jaw. Another pit had a mysterious 7 inch iron disk with a swan skin on one side and animal fur on the other. Based on ritualistic comparisons from Celtic Paganism, Witchcraft, Santeria, and Voodoo - such offering pits are common practice for fertility spells, sacrifice, and magical intentions. The abundant use of swan feathers, suggest fertility in this case, and based on local folklore could have been offering pits to the Goddess Brigid (now the Catholic St. Brigid) as per interviews with local witches and folklorists determined due to Brigid’s association with swans and fertility magic. According to local folklore and beliefs - the swan feathers associated with fertility were possibly offered her to promote conception. If conception took place - then 9 months later the person would return to empty the pit. This is the current explanation for some of the empty pits that were found. Some of the pits also contained leaf parcels of imported stones that have been traced to Swanpool Beach which is approximately 15 miles away from the site - a area famous for its population of swans. Not only were these practices at this time dangerous because of Cromwell, but the act of killing a swan would have been risky throughout English history as swans belong directly to the Crown. In addition within these feather pits were found over 57 unhatched eggs ranging in size from bantams to ducks that were flanked by the bodies of two magpies. Magpies are birds very tied to Cornish folklore and also seen as taboo to be utilized in such a way. These organic remains had incredible preservation on this site due to the Spring’s water-logged ground and mineral content. Radiocarbon dates of some of the swan feather fits date to 1640. The cat pit dates to the 18th century and the dog pit dates to the 1950’s. The combination of the holy well/spring, remains of the cauldron, ritual offerings to the well, swan feather lined offering pits, and other ritualistic evidence strongly suggested that this site was a ritual place for Cornish Witches. If this is the case, then Saveok Mill serves as one of the world’s best examples of sites of this kind since much of Witchcraft practice through the ages prior existed only in witches bottles and remains found in Salem, Massachussetts in the New World. Much of this fabled history, ressurrected by modern day Witches or continued by family tradition witches in the local area, has been buried in secrecy and buried underneath intentional cloaks of mystery. Until the modern era of the practice, written records of this religious movement and/or practice was next to non-existent.
More Information:
Saveok Water Mesolithic Lithics
Saveok Mill Lithics:
Saveok Water Archaeological Site, Greenbottom, Cornwall, England
During my June 2010 visit to Saveok Water Archaeological Site in Cornwall, England - I had the pleasure to peruse the lithic collection from the site. Excavation owner and director, Jacqui Wood has begun to do some intriguing investigations into the habitation patterns of this area of Cornwall. Many of the lithics have been found in Area: Oak where a shallow lake was believed to have let out. Several flint blades were located in this area. There have been over 29 worked pieces of flint found on the site as of this writing. Most of the blades are largely narrow and microlithic. Most of these are believed to date around the Late Mesolithic (8,000-3,500 BCE). Jacqui Wood’s Flint Analysis can be found here: http://www.archaeologyonline.org/Site%20-%20Report%20-%20Flint.html. Other debitage and larger stone tools also have been uncovered as pictured below. Check the Saveok Water Archaeology Site Website for details in the near future.
Preserved Animal Tracks at Saveok Water Site
Animal Tracks along the River @ Saveok Water Archaeological Site
Saveok Mill, Greenbottom, Truro, Cornwall, England
During my June 2010 visit to the Saveok Water Archaeological Site in the Area B3 were discovered very well-preserved (petrified?) hoof prints along where the river bank used to run on the site hundred to thousands of years ago. In this area were numerous types of animal prints superimposed on top of each other. Excavating in this area a peat deposit over a constant spring line that was never affected by the climate, presumably deposited clay over the tracks mixed with sand preserving the prints. The main hoof prints are believed to be bovine such as Auroch or primitive domestic cattle ranging around 17 cm in diameter. There is also presumed to be horse and deer prints as well in this collection. You can read more about this at the Saveok Archaeological Site.
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The Orkney Hood
The Orkney Hood Reconstruction by Jacqui Wood:
During my visit to Saveok Mill, I was enlightened by one of Jacqui Wood’s Experimental Archaeology Projects … when she was commissioned to create a replica/reconstruction of Britain’s earliest textile clothing that was found - The Orkney Hood. You can read Jacqui’s write-up about her project here: http://www.archaeologyonline.org/Orkney%20Hood/Orkney%20Hood%20Main%20Page.htm.
The Archaeological Remains of one of Britain’s oldest textiles, named “The Orkney Hood”, after the parish in which it was found (St. Andrew’s Parish Orkney) in 1867 serves as an example of some of the best preservation of textile in existence. Found preserved in peat, was this unique garment with radiocarbon dates for the garment was approximately 1595 + B.P. i.e. AD c. 250-615. A very common garment for its time, The Orkney Hood was a fringed woolen cloak that had remained in the National Museum of Scotland for almost 83 years until it was examined by A. S. Henshall who suggested that it was a Iron Age or Viking hood based on the woven bands of fringe found on the garment. The preservation was unique and amazing. Henshall’s theory also lined up with the radiocarbon dates. He suggested Scandinavian origins. This find was contemporary with the Iron Age site of Minehowe. This particular garment piece was believed to have been constructed for a child.
After Jacqui Wood’s 2001 Experimental Archaeology lecture in Orkney, she was commissioned by the council to ‘reconstruct’ this garment so that they could present it in the museum and understand better what the garment looked like. Jacqui researched the design, the weave, the dyes, fibres, and construction. Utilizing her local Wool Marketing Board Wool Sheds, she examined a large range of colors from Shetland Fleeces, and then travelled to Ediburg to study the hood in detail. She returned to Cornwall to begin the commission. She created a simple warp weighted loom with which she would do the weaving. She created a 2/2 herringbone twill weave with the loom to replicate the original cloth construction utilizing Tablet Weaving. She based hers on the tableet excavated in Denmark (1888) that dated to 200 BCE. She constructed the narrow tablet woven band on the hood using 6 tablets at 2 cm width. For the Broad Band with Fringe she utilized 50 tablets to create a maximum 6 cm. width weave mixing light and dark brown to create the striped band pattern. She then began to Assemble the hood from the three woven parts. She Finished a beautiful reconstruction of this very old Orkney garment that now sits in the museum. The reconstruction took approximately 5 1/2 months to complete from start to finish (230 hours). (see: http://www.archaeologyonline.org/Orkney%20Hood/Pictures/The%20Hood.htm for photo of the reconstruction).
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Chun Castle
Chûn Castle
Near Pendeen, Cornwall, England
The Chûn Castle is an Iron Age hillfort on the summit of Chûn Downs holding a stronghold with secure views of the north and northwest, onwards to the Atlantic Coast and south towards Mounts Bay. it is roughly 84 meters in diameter with stone walls up to 2.7 meters high and is formed of two concentric rings of granite. There are stone gateposts flanking the entrance. To the west is a chocked well with steps descending down into the water. Pottery found on site suggests the main period of operation was from 3rd century BCE until 1st century CE, with possible re-occupation in 5th-6th century CE. Other evidence shows it was built around 2500 years ago. The fort is circular with two very impressive stone walls and an external ditch. In the interior of the circle fortifications are the remains of several stone walled round houses, of course in ruins, by later activity. One of these is an oval shaped roundhouse that is believed to be post-Roman occupation. The only entrance is a stone-lined passage through the large inner ramparat on the west side with an offset opening through the outer rampart, which is believed to have held a defensive function. A furnace was discovered on the northern edge containing tin and iron indicating that mineral processing was carried out here in the Iron Age. The entrance was set in line with the inner one and the entranceway aligned 250 meters towards the Neolithic chamber tomb known as Chun Quoit which was present long before the stronghold was created. Nearby to the east is the Romano-British courtyard house village of Bosullow Trehyllys which may have been contemporary with the fort. Chun Castle was probably utilized to protect the mining resources and the prehistoric trackway known as Old St. Ives Road.
Chun Quoit
is a neolithic standing structure which also serves as a bronze age burial mound. The dolmen burial chamber stands on bleak atmospheric moorland slopes about a mile from the sea by Great Bosullow. It consists of a huge capstone (3.3 x 3 meters) with a cupmark standing at about 2 meters height and supported by four standing stones to create a closed chamber. The only access to the interior of the grave is through a hole in the lower right side of the South by southeastern base slab. This monument was probably covered by an earth mound.
- http://www.historic-cornwall.org.uk/a2m/iron_age/hillfort/chun_castle/chun_castle.htm
- http://www.stonepages.com/england/chuncastle.html
- http://www.cornwall-calling.co.uk/castles/chun-castle.htm
Men Scryfa
Men Scryfa Standing Stone:
Near Madron, Cornwall, England
The Men Scryfa Standing Stone is a standing engrave stone sitting in the middle of a field not far from the infamous Men-an-Tol holey stone monument and the Nine Maidens stone circle. Its early origins is unknown just like with all the other standing stones. “Men Scryfa” translates to “Stone with Writing” as the stone bears early Christian inscription “RIALOBRANI CUNOVALI FILI” which translates to “Rialobran, son of Cunoval” according to some translators and “Royal Raven Son of the Glorious Prince” by others. This is a commemoration of the death in battle of a royal warrior or gravestone epitaph. Rialobran is thought to be a local king or warrior. The raven is a bird of carrion that is linked with death and the battlefield, assessed with the magical power of such things for those that worshipped it; also representative of the Irish Goddess Morrigan, the Goddess of War and Death. Celtic legends links the name Bran (as in RialoBRANi) to the ancient British warrior king, the keeper of the cauldron of immortality, whose decapitated head continues to have powers of speech. The story of RIALOBRANI is about an invader who attacked the Glorious Prince, seized his lands and occupied the Lescudjack hillfort at Penzance, sending the defeated royalty fleeing the area around Carn Euny or the hillfort of Caer Bran (the Raven Castle). The Royal Raven then supposedly tried to reclaim his territory and a great battle took place in result - killing Rialobrani / Ryalvran and burying him by this stone that was supposedly the same height as the deceased. There was legends of gold buried beneath it as well - though some farmer dreaming of a crock of gold dug a pit around the stone causing it to collapse and not finding any gold. The monument was re-erected at a recent date. The Latin dates to about 500 CE and it was found that the stone marks a grave. Whether the stone itself was erected earlier than that, we don’t know but is presumed to have been reused by the inscribers. It stands 2 meters high and probably dates from the Bronze Age for the stone carving/shaping/erection itself.
9 Maidens Stone Circle
Nine Maidens Stone Circle:
Near Lanyon Farm and Madron, Cornwall, England
Not far from the Ding Dong Mine and Men-at-tol lies two stone circles next to one another. The one on a small hill-rise I could not determine the name of, but the one elevated a bit from the boggy areas around the shafts of Ding Dong is the “Nine Maidens” or “Boskednan”. This circle is in poor condition but considered a very magical place to most of its visitors. It is believed there were upwards of 22 Neolithic stones originally, though only 6 remain completely standing, and only 10-11 can be sighted. The circle is approximately 22 meters in diameter. The row measures 80 meters in length and varies in stone sizes from .6 meters to 2 meters. All of the stones are aligned to face the northeast, towards the stone that has been labelled “The Fiddler” which lies about 730 meters from the stone circle. It is believed that the original circle included the fiddler at one time. The remaining 10-12 stone’s current location is unknown to this day. In 2004 this circle was partially restored. The common belief is that the Nine Maidens was used for Pagan rituals. The stones are aligned to the four cardinal points (North, South, East, and West) suggesting they may also have been used as some agricultural calendar. This is also Cornwall’s only known Neolithic structure. There is much folklore and legend around the circle - many of which are Christian and designed to ward people away from the circle. The most popular of which is that once nine maidens were cast into stone because they engaged in dancing on this spot during a Sunday. The fiddler who is also encased in stone is the musician who chose to play for them. Tales of bad luck to visitors of the Circle may have also been the Church’s method to lure people away from it. Some say from a distance the stones are like 9 white maidens swaying and dancing in the sunlight everyday at noon. Another legend states that the assembled crowd were 17 brothers turned to stone for dancing. Another belief is that there is a curse placed on anyone who interferes with the stone circle. What we do know is that it is a cairn circle or kerbed cairn that stands in an area of a scattered rockfield below a tor. There are sixteen stones in the area, one uprooted outside the circle, one buried, and two leaning flat with just the tops visible. Reports through the years have stated from 10-16 remaining stones. You can look at these pictures for the number I saw on my 2010 visit. In 1985 a horror film called “The Circle of Doom” was shot here, and they had erected an additional stone for the circle - but the legend of the curse for any to interfere with the circle was believed to have struck and the sole copy of the finished film was lost in the post. St. Michael’s ley-line passes through the circle narrowing from a width of 7 meters to a point here. Burials are believed to reside below. The other circle has roughly 6 stones remaining.
- http://henge.org.uk/ancient-monument-directory/nine-maidens-stone-circle/
- http://www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk/nine_maidens.htm
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boskednan_stone_circle
Ding Dong Mine and the Moor
Ding Dong Mine and the Bogs
Near Madron, Cornwall, England
As I was searching for the Nine Maidens Stone Circle i soon found myself in a bog and a mine field. Not exactly the mine field one would think when one states such a thing, but rather fields of pit mines that were no longer in use or drained. This is known locally as the Ding Dong Mining Area. The Ding Dong mine at the center of all the semi-roped off shafts and pits that looked alot like sunken depressions or sinkholes. This enormous shaft mine is a historic landmark of the area. After stumbling off the proven footpath, I realized I was wandering around animal paths and trails until they vanished in the bog and I rather found myself waist deep in prickly bog plants and no stone monuments in sight. The Ding Dong Mine in this area is a landmark often used to find Men-at-Tol and Nine Maidens Circle in Cornwall as its massive tower can be seen on the horizon. It is an old mining area in the Lands End granite mass located approximately 2 miles south of St. Just to Penzance roadway. No one for sure knows why it is called “Ding Dong”, but one suggestion is reference to it as such in Cannon Jennings book on the history of Madron, Morvah, and Penzance that refers to the “head of the lode” outcrop of tin on this hill. In Madron there is a “Ding Dong” bell that was rung to mark the end of the last shift for the miners each day. In 1714, the Ding Dong Mines consisted of actually three separate mines - “the Good Fortune”, “Wheal Malkin”, and “Hard Shafts Bounds”. By the 18th century there were at least seven mines and it is believed the name “Ding Dong” was not used until the turn of the 18th century. By 1782 there were 16 working mines in the area. Ding Dong made the headlines in 1796 for copyright infringement as a 28 inch cylinder inverted engine designed by Edward Bull was put into Ding Dong as he utilized their methodology to create his own engines and claimed as his own. The one erected at Ding Dong during this year was with a conventional Boulton and Watt engine inverted by Richard Trevithick and William West. The Ding Dong mine was in its final form by 1820 as they erected a new ‘fire engine’ and by 1834 had two pumping engines and two winding engines. By 1850 the mine was exhausted with mining moving around the area tapping what was left. With 206 in employ, the Ding Dong mine survived the depression in tin prices that was caused by the American Civil War although manpower decreased to a crew of 121 from the 206. The mine stopped production by 1877. It was briefly re-opened in 1911 when tin prices rose and the dumps were explored for any remains. This lasted from 1912-1915 as they found 51 tons of tin concentrate left, but when metal prices dropped again - they closed. Since that time, three other attempts were unsuccessfully made to re-open the mines.
Men-At-Tol
Men-At-Tol
Near Madron and Lanyon Farm, Penwith, Cornwall, England
The infamous holey-stone known as “Men-an-tol” is located in tip of Cornwall near Madron and Lanyon Farm. This is one of England’s most highly photographed megalithic sites. The name “Men-An-Tol” means “holed stone”. Its purpose is unknown, but theorized to be a Druid ritual site, A Faerie Portal, A calendar, A gateway to the Otherworlds, A burial site, A ritual site, as well as a half a dozen other suggestions … but the truth is, its purpose still remains a mystery. There are only four stones remaining that are known parts of the monument - two upright stones with the holed stone inbetween them, and a fallen stone at the foot of the western upright. It is believed, especially from antiquarian illustrations, that through the ages, these stones have been moved around and re-arranged at various times. In the 18th century, William Borlase describes the layout as triangular. During the 19th century, JT Blight proposed that the site is the remains of a stone circle. If this was the case, the holed stone would probably be aligned along the circumference of the circle and have a special ritual significance by providing a lens through which to view other sites or features, or as some propose, a window into other worlds. Archaeological theory proposes it as a component of a burial chamber or cist dating from the Bronze Age but lacks but since no extensive excavations have been conducted. WC Borlase in 1885 discovered a single flaked flint. Holed stones are rare in Cornwall, and outside of this site - there is only the Tolvan Stone near Gweek. All the others are much smaller with holes less than 15 cm in diameter, too small for a human (adult or infant) to pass through. There is much folklore surrounding the ‘men-at-tol’ as well as traditions. The site is known for curing many ailments, especially rickets in children, by passing the sufferer through the hole. It is also utilized in rituals and rites to travel between various worlds. There is believed to be a faerie or piskie guardian who lives here that makes the miraculous cures. It is believed that changeling babies were brought here and passed through the stone in order for the mother to get the real child back. Local legends state that if at full moon a woman passes through the holed stone seven times backwards she would soon become pregnant. For centuries children with rickets were passed naked through the hole to heal them. The circular stones line up exactly with the center stone at Boscawen-Un. It has been known as a alternative cure for ’scrofulous taint” or the “Kings Evil”. Men-At-Tol was also legendary for fixing back problems. This mere fact gave it the name “Crick stone”. Some saw the site as a protection against witchcraft and ill-wishes, while others feel it can be utilized for augury or fortune telling. With the three upright granite stones - the round stone in the middle holed out with two small standing to each side in front and behind the holey stone, form a three-dimensional “101″.
- More Information: http://www.historic-cornwall.org.uk/a2m/bronze_age/stone_circle/men_an_tol/men_an_tol.htm
