Mitchell's Fold
Encyclopedia
Mitchell's Fold is a Bronze Age
stone circle
in South-West Shropshire
, located in the village of White Grit
on dry heathland at the south-west end of Stapeley Hill
in the civil parish
of Chirbury with Brompton, at a height of 1083 ft (330m) o.d.
It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument (number 107448) in the guardianship of English Heritage
.
Its doleritic stones came from nearby Stapeley Hill. Many of them are now missing and others are fallen. One example is that “This circle was the site of vandalism by a local farmer in the summer of 1995 when several stones were uprooted by a mechanical digger. The stones were promptly righted and "planted" again and the culprit punished. Ongoing unsympathetic use by both local youth and townie pagans, such as the creation of numerous fire pits and the leaving of litter and broken glass after the festivals, does nothing for the atmosphere of this site.” '
In the beginning there may have been some thirty stone pillars. The survivors that still stand range in height from 10ins to 6 in 3 in (1.91 m), and stand in an ellipse 89 ft (27.1 m) NW-SE by 82 ft (25 m) The tallest is at the south-east end of the major axis, standing, perhaps by coincidence or design, close to the line of the southern moonrise. This pillar and a companion have been taken to flank an entrance about 6 ft (1.8 m) wide.
Aubrey Burl
has stated in his 2000 book 'A Guide to the Stone Circles of Britain, Ireland and Brittany' that "There was a claim for a central stone and a very dubious eighteenth-century report that 'there was a stone across your two Portals, like those at Stonehenge
, and that the stone at eighty yards distance was the altar.'" but that the "probability of a trilithon
, otherwise unique to Stonehenge, at Mitchell's Fold, like an identical claim for Kerzerho
in Brittany
, should be regarded as rumour rather than reality."
As with most sites of this type, its true history is unknown. However, there is a traditional folkstory that a giant whose marvellous cow gave unlimited amounts of milk used the circle until a malicious witch milked the cow using a sieve until it was drained dry, as a result of which it fled to Warwickshire
where it became the Dun cow
.
As a punishment, the witch was turned into stone and surrounded by other stones to prevent her escaping. What became of the giant is unknown. Local Folklore also suggests this is the actual place where King Arthur withdrew Excalibur from one of the stones in the circle and then became king of the Britains.
Burl goes on to state that "An intriguing fact does exist however. Aerial photographs have revealed mediaeval ridge-and-furrow ploughmarks not only running up to the ring but also through it as though this 'prehistoric' megalithic ring might postdate the Middle Ages! It does not." In the Middle Ages the whole area was simply thoroughly farmed.
In recent times, referred to as Yrvasnth (pron. Eer-Vasin-Ta), the site has been home to Germanic pagan revivalism and ritual.
, less than half a mile to the east of the Fold. So this area is a concentrated area of activity. Nearly all the latter's stones were blown up in the 1860s; now there is only a collapse of stones. When the last stone was uprooted in 1870 charcoal and bones were seen in its hole.
The circle is 6 miles (9.7 km) north of Bishop's Castle
, 1 miles (1.6 km) north of Corndon Hill
over the Welsh border in the small village of White Grit
and within a few miles of the Late Neolithic-Early Bronze Age picrite stone axe factory of Cwm-Mawr. To the south-east is a weathered cubical block on a small cairn
. Along the path leading from the Fold which crosses Stapeley Common, home to the Cow Stone http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/3375, or single standing Stone - Menhir
and the Stapeley Hill Ring Cairn
http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/4489 http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=10620.
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
stone circle
Stone circle
A stone circle is a monument of standing stones arranged in a circle. Such monuments have been constructed across the world throughout history for many different reasons....
in South-West Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, located in the village of White Grit
White Grit
White Grit is a small, scattered village beneath Corndon Hill in Powys, Wales, directly on the border with Shropshire. The nearby village of Priest Weston despite being in England actually lies to the west of White Grit....
on dry heathland at the south-west end of Stapeley Hill
Stapeley Hill
Stapeley Hill is a sacred saddleback hill in South-West Shropshire, near the village of Priestweston.The Hill is home to Mitchell's Fold and along the path leading from the Fold which crosses Stapeley Common, home to the Cow Stone , or single standing Stone - Menhir and the Stapeley Hill Ring...
in the civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
of Chirbury with Brompton, at a height of 1083 ft (330m) o.d.
It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument (number 107448) in the guardianship of English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
.
Description
As with most sites of this type, its true history is unknown. The name of the circle may derive from 'micel' or 'mycel', Old English for 'big', referring to the size of this large circle.Its doleritic stones came from nearby Stapeley Hill. Many of them are now missing and others are fallen. One example is that “This circle was the site of vandalism by a local farmer in the summer of 1995 when several stones were uprooted by a mechanical digger. The stones were promptly righted and "planted" again and the culprit punished. Ongoing unsympathetic use by both local youth and townie pagans, such as the creation of numerous fire pits and the leaving of litter and broken glass after the festivals, does nothing for the atmosphere of this site.” '
In the beginning there may have been some thirty stone pillars. The survivors that still stand range in height from 10ins to 6 in 3 in (1.91 m), and stand in an ellipse 89 ft (27.1 m) NW-SE by 82 ft (25 m) The tallest is at the south-east end of the major axis, standing, perhaps by coincidence or design, close to the line of the southern moonrise. This pillar and a companion have been taken to flank an entrance about 6 ft (1.8 m) wide.
Aubrey Burl
Aubrey Burl
Harry Aubrey Woodruff Burl MA, DLitt, PhD, FSA, HonFSA Scot is a British archaeologist most well known for his studies into megalithic monuments and the nature of prehistoric rituals associated with them. Prior to retirement he was Principal Lecturer in Archaeology, Hull College, East Riding of...
has stated in his 2000 book 'A Guide to the Stone Circles of Britain, Ireland and Brittany' that "There was a claim for a central stone and a very dubious eighteenth-century report that 'there was a stone across your two Portals, like those at Stonehenge
Stonehenge
Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about west of Amesbury and north of Salisbury. One of the most famous sites in the world, Stonehenge is composed of a circular setting of large standing stones set within earthworks...
, and that the stone at eighty yards distance was the altar.'" but that the "probability of a trilithon
Trilithon
A trilithon is a structure consisting of two large vertical stones supporting a third stone set horizontally across the top . It is commonly used in the context of megalithic monuments...
, otherwise unique to Stonehenge, at Mitchell's Fold, like an identical claim for Kerzerho
Kerzerho
Kerzerho lies approximately 8 km northwest of Carnac in the Erdeven commune and in the region of Brittany, France....
in Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
, should be regarded as rumour rather than reality."
Folklore
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
where it became the Dun cow
Dun Cow
The dun cow is a common motif in English folklore. "Dun" is a dull shade of brownish grey.-Dunsmore Heath:The Dun Cow of Dunsmore Heath was a savage beast slain by Guy of Warwick...
.
As a punishment, the witch was turned into stone and surrounded by other stones to prevent her escaping. What became of the giant is unknown. Local Folklore also suggests this is the actual place where King Arthur withdrew Excalibur from one of the stones in the circle and then became king of the Britains.
Burl goes on to state that "An intriguing fact does exist however. Aerial photographs have revealed mediaeval ridge-and-furrow ploughmarks not only running up to the ring but also through it as though this 'prehistoric' megalithic ring might postdate the Middle Ages! It does not." In the Middle Ages the whole area was simply thoroughly farmed.
In recent times, referred to as Yrvasnth (pron. Eer-Vasin-Ta), the site has been home to Germanic pagan revivalism and ritual.
Other nearby prehistoric sites
The only other known stone circle in Shropshire is the Hoarstones, only 1½ miles northeast of the Fold, and the WhetstonesWhetstones (stone circle)
The Whetstones are, or were, a stone circle beneath Corndon Hill on the border of Powys, Wales and Shropshire, England. They lie immediately to the west of the village of White Grit and close to Priestweston...
, less than half a mile to the east of the Fold. So this area is a concentrated area of activity. Nearly all the latter's stones were blown up in the 1860s; now there is only a collapse of stones. When the last stone was uprooted in 1870 charcoal and bones were seen in its hole.
The circle is 6 miles (9.7 km) north of Bishop's Castle
Bishop's Castle
Bishop's Castle is a small market town in Shropshire, England, and formerly its smallest borough. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 1,630. Bishop's Castle is east of the Wales-England border, about north-west of Ludlow and about south-west of Shrewsbury. To the south is Clun...
, 1 miles (1.6 km) north of Corndon Hill
Corndon Hill
Corndon Hill is a hill in Powys, Mid Wales, whose summit rises to 513 m above sea level.It is surrounded on three sides by the English county of Shropshire and forms a prominent landmark in the Wales-England border...
over the Welsh border in the small village of White Grit
White Grit
White Grit is a small, scattered village beneath Corndon Hill in Powys, Wales, directly on the border with Shropshire. The nearby village of Priest Weston despite being in England actually lies to the west of White Grit....
and within a few miles of the Late Neolithic-Early Bronze Age picrite stone axe factory of Cwm-Mawr. To the south-east is a weathered cubical block on a small cairn
Cairn
Cairn is a term used mainly in the English-speaking world for a man-made pile of stones. It comes from the or . Cairns are found all over the world in uplands, on moorland, on mountaintops, near waterways and on sea cliffs, and also in barren desert and tundra areas...
. Along the path leading from the Fold which crosses Stapeley Common, home to the Cow Stone http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/3375, or single standing Stone - Menhir
Menhir
A menhir is a large upright standing stone. Menhirs may be found singly as monoliths, or as part of a group of similar stones. Their size can vary considerably; but their shape is generally uneven and squared, often tapering towards the top...
and the Stapeley Hill Ring Cairn
Cairn
Cairn is a term used mainly in the English-speaking world for a man-made pile of stones. It comes from the or . Cairns are found all over the world in uplands, on moorland, on mountaintops, near waterways and on sea cliffs, and also in barren desert and tundra areas...
http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/4489 http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=10620.