I came across this in the file of ancient reprints. It's a translation of an article written by OT Jones in 1966 -- and it describes how the bluestones - Stonehenge connection was initially made by the geologists.
It all started on a grand day out in the summer (one presumes) of 1908, when Thomas, Cantrill, Strahan and Jones made a jolly train expedition to Rosebush railway station, walking from there to Crymych along the Mynydd Presely ridge before taking an evening train home from Crymych railway station on the "Cardi Bach." They obviously looked at a lot of rocks on the way. DC Evans was obviously their guide, and I have read elsewhere of his role in supplying material later on for HHT to look at.
Between that first trip and the serious work on the bluestones in 1918, ten years elapsed, and the First World War disrupted everything. Maybe it was the end of the war that provided the impetus.
Note that Jones, in his Welsh-language article, calls the stones "Cerrig Llwydion" -- not bluestones but GREY STONES.
So did the "Cardi Bach" train emanate from Cardiganshire? I know it well, it used to be 'Me and Mrs Jones' at Llanbadarn Fawr, near Aberystwyth. Her husband's name was Arthur, you know, perhaps a descendant.....you never know.......
ReplyDeleteI reckon you should invite Michael Portillo and his pink trousers up, Brian, to do one of his railway progs in your area. In actual fact, you know, he's got a Series on the Railways and World War One repeated, at least over 'ere Across the Border. Very good, if you ask me.
Different railway line, Tony. The Cardi Bach ran from Whitland to Cardigan, via Crymych. The line through Llanbadarn was the main line between Aberystwyth and Shrewsbury -- the old map of railways was VERY complicated.....
ReplyDeleteLovely sense of history in the making. Feels like an Edwardian Alpine route from Rosebush to Crymych facilitated by different train lines. I bet there is a railway buff who could work out the train times.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was at Sheffield I often followed a route that started by bus dropped off on the Woodhead Pass, down the Derwent Valley,along Ladybower Reservoir and into the Hope Valley, before catching the train at Hathersage back to Sheffield.
Dave
I know it's different railway lines, Brian! When I said "I know it well", I was referring to Cardiganshire as a whole.
ReplyDeleteThese days I pass through Whitland on my rail trips to Fishguard and Goodwick.
Mrs Jones' boarding house was quite close to that railway from Shrewsbury - I have very sad memories of a fellow student's death on that line a few weeks after Term started.
Dave, I originate north of Sheffield, at Stocksbridge,a steel town right on the edge of that part of the Peak District National Park. My later school days were towards the south of that Park, in N Derbyshire. Consequently, I know the Hathersage line as well as the Woodhead Pass. No wonder at all I became a Geographer and a fan of geomorphology.
I know Stocksbridge well, having had some connections with a car repair place there.
ReplyDeleteThe peaks were such an easy place to get to from Sheffield with a huge variation in landscape all round. Part of my studies were on post glacial environment at Skipsea mere in Holderness, that was a truely unique landscape to go into from the hills around Sheffield. But then again, this is only part of that unique place called Yorkshire!
I did put my foot in it before I went there, by saying 'I was going up to the north'. I was corrected by a Kentish man saying 'Sheffield is not north'.
Dave
Samaritans campaign, 'Small Talk Saves Lives', aimed particularly at preventing suicides on railway lines. Mentioned on Radio 4 News today at 5 o'clock with a case study.
ReplyDeleteNot too sure what the Kentish man meant, Dave! I consider Sheffield up t' North! However, when my family moved to Chesterfield, around 10 miles south, that town sported on its signs: Chesterfield: the Centre of the Industrial Midlands. Certainly, I was taken to task for my flat vowels in pronunciation by fellow - schoolmates. Quite a culture shock. But I stuck by my Yorkshire Roots [what a cricketer!].
ReplyDeleteIsn't Skipsea well known, archaeologically speaking, for having a rather ancient rounded hill, altered by Man long ago? Jim Leary led a project nationally.
By the way, folks, the new [female] actor playing Doctor Who comes from not that far north of Sheffield, near Huddersfield. She is plugging her roots incessantly on the Show.
Just discovered that Jim Leary was appointed new Lecturer in Field Archaeology at York University on July 1st, Dave. Jim has worked a lot with David Field, well known figure in this Blog's Posts regarding Stonehenge, Salisbury Plain and Avebury/Silbury.
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