Shango is often called the God of masculinity and the Spirit of Mankind. In the folklore of the Yoruba, Shango and Oya fight together. They are the thunder and lightning during a storm. He is the beloved son, sacrificed and reclaimed. He is warmth of the flame, the sacred, the spark of the human spirit. Shango is social organization, government, and justice. Shango is courage, vigor, and physical strength.
Shango controls the electromagnetic spectrum. He can fire blasts of electricity and has the ability of flight. Shango also has the ability to focus this energy in his hands to create two machetes known as the "double-headed ax of Shango." Shango's fighting style is similar to Eshu's (since they are brothers) and complementary of Oya's. When Shango fights with either one, the duo (or trio as the case may be) is nearly undefeatable.
…And we serve them. They are the shadow government. They are the Illuminati. They are the Quaballah. They are the Deitis.
When the Earth was newly formed, a nomadic race settled on this heavenly body. As sentient life began to rear its ugly head, these beings decided to leave well enough alone and let nature take its course. The beings, known as the Orisha, didn't want to interfere with the process of evolution. The Orisha were a race of beings that had complete control of their molecular structure and eons ago, decided to abandon corporeal form. They had, in fact, become the essence of the soul… pure energy.
As time passed, it became clear that a grubby little monkey-type creature would become the dominant species. The Orisha watched this little animal with great interest for one day; they would have to make their presence known to the little beast that would become Homo sapiens. Their mission was to guide Humanity to enlightenment, to have Humanity take its place in the pantheon of the divine.
When Humanity evolved to the point where the Orisha felt that they could handle the knowledge of another race, they made their presence known. Adopting a shape familiar to Man (often an idealized version of the human form or an animal), they approached Humanity in the hopes of establishing a sense of friendship and community. Humanity's reaction was the last thing the Orisha expected. No, Humanity did not attack the Orisha but rather fell to their knees and worshipped them. The Orisha were more beautiful than what Man had ever known. They had abilities that Humanity never thought would possess themselves. Therefore, these beings could be nothing but divine. The Orisha became the basis for all world mythology.
So, for untold millennia, the Orisha became divine. Some of them did not want to be worshipped so they cast aside their physical form and returned to a state of energy. Others, however, decided to keep their physical forms and interact with Man … sometimes with intentions that were far from beneficial.
This new offshoot of the Orisha called themselves the Deitis, created a spiritual engine called the Elysium that collected the energy derived from the essence of worship. This energy had become the foodstuff by which the Deitis needed in order to survive. Without it, the Deitis would perish. The Deitis began to create realms of power. These realms had been placed all over the planet from Olympus to Valhalla, Neopolis to the Happy Hunting Grounds, and Nirvana to Heaven. The Deitis began to grow cold and cruel, and they began to torment man.
…But that was not to be.
Eight of the Deitis emerged from the ruins of the war. They were able to adapt to the petty desires of Humanity. They manipulated us, tempted us, and took us off of the path of enlightenment. Because of this, they were able to control us. They stopped us from reaching our true potential. We were supposed to be gods. They, the Deitis, denied us of our glory.
Meanwhile, the Orisha, weakened by the Great Conflict, did not leave, but rather found refuge in the Land of Folklore and the Garden of Dreams. They learned to hide in plan sight, to adapt, adjust, and transform in order to survive. They were still being worshiped (though not to the degree that they were during the Alphanic Dynasty). They still had the ability to possess their devotees from time to time. They knew that the Deitis survived as well and had grown strong. They also knew that the Deitis were choking the life force of this planet, perverting the original mission of the Orisha. So they made their own plans. They would combine their essence with seven souls still in the womb. They would become the synthesis of mortal and Orisha thereby becoming even more powerful because, unknown to the Deitis, the power of a mortal's soul is infinite. It just needs a catalyst and an Orisha's energy would do just nicely.
Who controls the eight immortals but the number seven?
← More Epic Black Cosplayers!


Is it still too soon to be talking about The Red Viper's gruesome death on "Game of Thrones"? Probably, but that isn't stopping Pedro Pascal.
Oberyn Martell's real-life counterpart is currently making his rounds at Comic Con with the rest of the "GoT" cast and while it's the actor's first time attending the San Diego convention, Pascal said the welcome he's gotten from followers of the show has been mind-blowing -- not literally though. "Every time I go outside, people start cheering," Pascal told Mashable, after just having fought his way through a crowd of over overzealous fans. "This is my life now."
Pascal made his mark on the show after bringing the suave and revenge-driven Prince of Dorne to life and while we definitely echo what every fan has told him since his big fight with The Mountain -- "You should have just killed the guy! Why didn't you stop talking and kill the guy!" -- Pascal says he was prepared for what was coming before he even took the role.
"I knew what was coming because you have to protect yourself emotionally," the actor admitted. But being prepared didn't help as much as he thought when the end finally came. "I fell in love with the character," Pascal said. "He broke my heart."


House of Waterford 12 Handmade Wedge Cut Crystal Footed Tripod Bowl. ADD ITEM TO MY WATCHLIST. Are accessories such as belts included? Some items which are designed with belts or other accessories may not include those pieces. If you do not see the accessory in the photo, it is not included. What are the measurements of this item? Because sizing varies by designer, please refer to the designer's website for sizing guidelines. We apologize for the inconvenience, but due to the overwhelming number of requests we receive to do this, AND the large number of items we have for sale, we cannot provide any additional measurements.
This item is authentic and has the Waterford name etched on the crystal. Condition: This item is new and in perfect condition. The original box is included, but may show minimal signs of wear. Dimensions: 12"H x 11-3/4" diameter.
You are allowed a maximum of 10 days to pay, from the time you win your first item. The item "House of Waterford 12 Handmade Wedge Cut Crystal Footed Tripod Bowl" is in sale since Saturday, December 8, 2018. This item is in the category "Pottery & Glass\Glass\Glassware\Waterford".


Product Overview Description 27" Top Load Washer with 4.5 cu.ft. Capacity Towers of towels, piles of sweatshirts, and a mountain of jeansE Go for it. The ultra large capacity (4.5 cu.ft.) tub lets you do more laundry in fewer loads.
Appliance: Model LG TOP LOAD WASHER WT7840CW My Repair & Advice Conducted research on web, and via direct contact with AppliancePros where a diagnosis of replacing the water inlet valve and cleaning the sensor tube would "most probably" (80%) handle the issue.
¹ Based on manufacturers published specs of top load washers with a width of 29 inches or less. ² Compared to an LG top load washer without TurboWash. Based on AHAM-HLW-1-2010 test protocol. Cotton / Normal or comparable cycle at default settings, 8 lb. loads.
The LG smart washer brings time- and energy-saving innovations to the classic top-load washer design. SmartThinQ Technology lets you control and monitor your washer from anywhere via your smartphone. A wide variety of cycles help you customize each load for excellent results.
This LG top load washer from RC Willey is the perfect solution to your laundry day. With a white finish, this washing machine has a large 4.5 cubic feet capacity and is EnergyStar qualified.
LG brings time- and energy-saving innovations to the classic top load washer design. With the largest capacity top load washer in its class, now you can wash a king size comforter and full set of bedding in a single load.
Conventional top-loading washers -- With the opening on the top of the washer, top-loaders are somewhat easier to load than a front-loading washer. Most top-loaders allow you to fill the tub with enough water to cover the clothing.
Sep 07, 2018· LG was ranked highest in customer satisfaction with top-load clothes washers, 2 years in a row. Get it All Done In Less Time Ultra-large capacity (5.0 cu.ft.) means you have the room to do more laundry in fewer loads.
Jul 26, 2018· LG was ranked highest in customer satisfaction with top-load clothes washers, 2 years in a row. Get it All Done In Less Time Ultra-large capacity (4.5 cu.ft.) means you have the room to do more laundry in fewer loads.
Explore the best LG washing machines online on popular shopping sites. Say, you are looking for an LG front load washing machine. Now, all you have to do is apply the relevant filter to narrow down your options for LG front load washing machines on these sites. You can shop and compare LG washing machine prices right on these sites conveniently.
Many top loader models in India still rely on a traditional agitator–the rod (usually made of plastic) that extends from the bottom of a washer to the top of its tub. Agitator is an old feature left over from the last generation of washer machines.
6 Kg Top Load Washing Machine Price In India Top load washing machines are not only affordable in comparison to the front-load machines but also very convenient to use. Due to its popularity, many brands like Samsung, IFB, Whirlpool, etc. have focused more on producing top-load units.


I gave him the footage straight from XDCAM Transfer as mov files. He called me up the next day saying is trying to edit it on Premiere CS4.
I have now sent him the original BPAV folder from the camera but my question is (as a FCP user) will he be able to import the footage from there.
I am trying to provide him for the quickest solution for this problem, as he's already waiting to start the edit.
Any help you be greatly appreciated.
Premiere Pro CS4 should handle the BPAV.
BTW NEVER give the .mov to anyone unless they explicitly say they're using FCP.
BPAV are your camera masters and it's the "universal" you can distribute.
In fact FCP itself can save the edited sequence as XDCAM EX .mp4 if a non FCP person needs to work on your master.
Thanks Craig, Yes It was a mistake on my part, I just presumed.
Double click in the project media window. Browse to the BPAV folder. Import whatever files you want.
Actually, importing the entire BPAV folder is the best way to go in PPro. Premiere Pro can grab everything in the folder that it needs and it will simply leave whatever it doesn't need behind.
There will be a dialog that will come up and say something about the files it can't load...just click OK and get on with it.
The media will simply come up as a bin folder in the Project Panel and they start cutting it. There just isn't much to it.
...certainly no log and capture or rewrapping steps to worry about.
Well, Sony has workflow for CS3 online. A little behind the times me thinks but thought I'd point you to it.
Adobe Premiere workflow video. Maybe this will help for the visually minded.


text:
Q: Should we add placeholders for referencing upvotes, downvotes, views, etc. of a question/answer? Often when writing meta posts, you are referencing values such as upvotes, downvotes, and views from other questions. This results in lots of "at the time of writing" and "currently", rather than their exact current values.
A potential solution would be to add some way of referencing these values, using some formatting, e.g., maybe $stackexchange.codegolf.q.231022.views would return the number of views from Recursive Z-matrix, format in reference to Unix-based variables.
Another potential formatting option: %se.codegolf.q.231022%.getViews, which would return the same as the other. Also an option, you could have after getViews (if you use the get one), could be replaced with getViews(), and maybe even a time period within the parenthesis (as in programming getters).
Other variations are of course possible, and would make sense as well. Whatever would make most sense to the community as a whole.
Also, you could replace views or getViews with upvotes, getUpvotes, or upv/getUpv, and similar for downvotes (dnv, etc.).

A: Live updates would have the risk of drastically changing posts and potentially invalidating existing answers.
As a silly example, a users might ask

Why does nobody look at my question, it only has 1 view

Over time this could become

Why does nobody look at my question, it only has 10000000000000000 views

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


I am a graduate student at the University of Michigan in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences. In 2015, I graduated from the Macaulay Honors College at Queens College with a B.S. in Environmental Science. I completed a senior thesis entitled "Anthropogenic Effects on Sedimentation in the Harlem and East Rivers," investigating the anthropogenic actions that halted the deposition of coarse material in these urban estuaries. I am interested what controls carbon dioxide emissions in the Arctic.


Get ready to adopt a new furry friend and make a homeless pet's dream come true, thanks to the BISSELL Pet Foundation.
'Empty The Shelters' on October 6, 2018, will be held in more than 100 locations across the country and parts of Canada!
Click here for a list of participating shelters in Michigan.
The event covers all adoption fees for cats, and covers some fees for dogs.
In addition to waiving the adoption fee, you will also receive a leash, toys and treats for your animal, plus spay/neutering and vaccination guaranteed.
Where are BISSELL Pet Foundation's shelters? What animals does BPF have for adoption?
BISSELL Pet Foundation does not have a shelter or animals available for adoption. We are a funder only.
Can you help me find a specific breed of pet?
We are a small team, and unfortunately, do not have the resources to assist with individual requests. However, there are many breed-specific rescues that can be located by a Google search for "[breed] rescue, [state]." You can also work with your local humane society or animal shelter for assistance locating the type of pet you are looking for.
What breeds are available for adoption?
Almost every breed you can think of can be found for adoption!
Do I have to pay for anything during EMPTY THE SHELTERS?
You are not required to pay any adoption fee during EMPTY THE SHELTERS. However, you are responsible for paying any dog licensing fees (varies by county).
When is the next EMPTY THE SHELTERS in my state?
Why do some participating locations not include puppies and kittens?
Each participating shelter chooses which pets it will have participate in Empty the Shelters; we do not limit due to age, breed, etc. Because older dogs and cats are often overlooked for puppies, many shelters choose to use this event to bring exposure to the dogs and cats that have been with them the longest – giving the older pets the chance to find their forever home.
Some locations will have puppies available, but you would need to contact them to find out. Puppies tend to go quickly though at all locations, so I would encourage you to adopt early if you are considering a specific puppy!
When you consider that the puppy you adopt from a shelter is already spayed/neutered, micro-chipped, and up-to-date on vaccines, it's actually a really great value for the price of the adoption fee.
What is the adoption process? Where can I fill out an adoption application?
You must contact the participating shelter to complete their adoption application. You do not need to register with BISSELL Pet Foundation, just the shelter.
Where can I see what pets are available for adoption?
Please visit the website of the participating organization to view their available pets – a list of participating locations can be found at bissellpetfoundation.org/ets.
Event time varies by location – visit bissellpetfoundation.org/ets to view locations & event times.
Some shelters say "pre-approval only" – what does that mean?
"Pre-approval" means you must complete an adoption application and be approved to adopt prior to EMPTY THE SHELTERS. Please contact the organization you wish to adopt from for more information.
Do I need to complete an adoption application for each location I go to?
We encourage you to apply at each shelter – each location can have a different application process, and you'll want to make sure to fulfill those requirements so you'll be all set for the event.
As fellow animal lovers, we absolutely share your concern for ensuring all adopted pets find their loving, forever homes! Each participating shelter completes the same adoption process as they would any other day – the only difference is that BISSELL Pet Foundation will sponsor the adoption fees. We encourage the shelters to be as thorough as possible when completing adoptions to ensure that each pet is going into a safe home.
We have done studies on past events, and have found that more than 95% of pets adopted during Empty the Shelters are still in their homes 6-15 months later – this is an even better rate than some shelters see on a normal day! Our goal with these events is to encourage pet owners to choose adoption first and provides an opportunity for the public to visit shelters and rescues that they may not have previously.
What are rental checks and vet checks?
Rental checks are the process of confirming if your landlord will allow you to have a pet in your home. If you are a homeowner, some shelters/rescues will ask for proof of home ownership. This is to ensure that your pet will not be returned due to rental restrictions.
Vet checks are the process of confirming that your current pets are up-to-date on vaccines, and/or that you have a veterinary relationship in place to ensure that your newly adopted pet is kept happy and healthy.


text:
Introducing Portsmouth FC Women
Gig Review: Fun Lovin' Criminals at The Engine Roo...
Interview: The Wild State
Gig Review: Fun Lovin' Criminals at The Engine Rooms
Tier 2 Music & Bands
As we neared the Engine Rooms, we could hear the faint sound of a deep bass thump, which instantly brought me back about 20 years, as I could just about make out some old school hip hop from the late 90's! Once we got into the venue, it was clear that DJ Mateo had been busy getting the crowd warmed up and they were loving every minute of it! He was expertly throwing tunes around on his decks, going from House of Pain to the Jungle Brothers to some very nice bootlegs of some classic soul tunes! It reminded me so much of the little tucked away clubs during my university days, but with a distinctive American slant to it. I'm sure if he had played all night, the crowd would have been content, but he brought his set to a close with the Oasis classic, Wonderwall, which had every single person singing along with broad smiles over their faces. This was already turning out to be a great night!
During the stage being set up, some classic tunes from the 90's kept the crowd bouncing and the energy that had been built up in the room. The house lights dropped to a huge round of applause and noise and two thirds of the Fun Lovin' Criminals came onto the stage. They started with some intro music, but where was the main man? Then we see Huey being helped onto stage, complete with crutches and a leg cast! My initial thought was how was this going to impact on how the gig would be and his presence on the stage, but as he was being helped to the stage and onto his big red leather chair, all of those thoughts faded as he just appeared to take ownership of the whole front of the stage, with an unflappable calm.
They burst into their first couple of songs, which the crowd loved, before breaking into King Of New York, which seemed kind of apt with Huey sat upon his throne! The band then paused to speak with the crowd, where an explanation that "motorbikes hurt" referring to the leg in the cast, which was all given with a big broad smile and an ability to laugh at his own misfortune! Before they started again, Huey let the crowd know that "Tonight's performance is sponsored by co-codamol and Remy Martin!" before they got straight back into some more songs from their new album as well as their most recent back catalogue. This was going to be an interesting night!
Huey and the band managed to turn the Engine Rooms into what felt like a cozy little underground club somewhere in the heart of Brooklyn, with strains of hip-hop, metal, blues and soul all featuring throughout their set. Most of that is down to just how quintessentially New York the group is, taking all the best parts from over there and transporting them to the south coast. They took us through a tour of their back catalogue, going through songs which have been influenced by his checkered past where he avoided jail by enrolling with the Marines, before he turned his talents to music.
Throughout the evening, he inserted a number of interludes to regale us with little anecdotes and stories to add a little more to the proceedings, or just to let us know what he was thinking. Some of the stories were very profound, while others went off on a wondrous tangent, but all brought a smile to everyone's faces and laughter rung out through the venue!
Looking around at the crown, the majority looked like they would have known the FLC for a number of years, so were there to hear some of the classics. Whether they spotted this or not, I don't know, but the keyboard player just came out with "They want to hear Scooby Snacks!", so with no further introduction necessary, they went straight into their best-known song. The crowd started bouncing around from the first couple of chords, throwing themselves fully into it, singing along to all the choruses while Huey was on point with rapping his way through the rest, but with a laid back style unique to him.
It was so effortlessly cool, he just oozed charisma which made his performance amazing, even though he was stuck in his chair! They closed the set soon after, but the crowd managed to get him back out on stage for an encore, despite him struggling to get around! Their performance of Barry White was just sublime, with Huey's voice doing the late, great man justice. They rounded off the night with another of their classics "The Fun Lovin' Criminal" which had the whole crowd bouncing and singing along to the dulcet tones of the trumpet.
There was not one moment where you looked around the crowd and didn't see everyone with a great big grin on their face and thoroughly loving every minute. I'm not convinced Huey will remember every minute of the night, but I'm sure that everyone who went will!!
Website: funlovincriminals.co
Facebook: facebook.com/funlovincriminals
Twitter: twitter.com/funlovincrims
Instagram: instagram.com/funlovincrims
Words and photos from Jon Gray
Fun Lovin' Criminals, Gig Review, Huey Morgan, Jon Gray, The Engine Rooms
Gig Review: Emeli Sande at the Portsmouth Guildhall
Portsmouth Creates Officially Launches with Light & Projection Artwork & Plans for 'We Shine' Event for 2020
Gig Review: Metronomy at Southampton's O2 Guildhall

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Axbridge Archaeological and Local History Society
AALHS Board
Category: Past Events
What's in a Sherd – a talk by David Dawson
By Madeleine Roberts
What's in a Sherd.
The autumn programme started this year with a talk from our president David Dawson. David's research into the analysis of excavation pottery has the potential to revolutionise our understanding of the past and it is no wonder that his talk drew an audience from a wide area.
David started by describing in simple terms how to process excavation finds before turning to the more complex matter of identifying the form and fabric of a pot. These two elements of the process can help to determine not only age and function but also where a pot was made and how far it has been traded. Context, he emphasised, is everything. Without this it is impossible to make a valid interpretation.
Since the 1960s, the main method of identifying the fabric has been the 'eyeball method' preferably with the aid of a magnifying glass, although David rarely seems to need this. The late Professor D. Peacock of Southampton University improved on this method by taking thin sections which could be examined under a microscope and, while this was useful for identifying the temper or inclusions, it did not help greatly with the identification of the clay matrix.
The Peacock method was followed by the I.C.P. method or Inductively Coupled Plasma method using Atomic Emission Spectroscopy. This method does identify the minerals even those in the clay matrix but it presents the results as a list of tables which are not always easy to interpret.
The latest advance which David has been spearheading is called Quemscan and is being developed in conjunction with the Camborne School of Mines. Quemscan is an automated scanning system which has been used to analyse rock samples from the moon. The technique produces a visual map of what is in a sherd picking up the matrix as well as the inclusions and it also produces pie charts showing the percentage of every mineral that is present.
Results to date have shown some interesting correlations between the pottery found in Westbury-sub-Mendip and variously Wells, Chewton Mendip and Hope Wood, Ebbor Gorge. Common types appear to have been traded widely while others were made locally from local clay and local temper much as still happens in Africa today.
David also took the long view of pottery manufacture commenting on the Ceramic Revolution that took place between 1450 and 1650. During this period, ceramic imports increased bringing new forms and functions as well as new types of decoration. It is also possible that potters came too, fleeing religious persecution at home. Whatever the cause, forms and glazes diversified at this time and the country potter flourished until, in the nineteenth century, the process became industrialised and brick and tile manufacture evolved to meet the needs of a housing boom.
We have been privileged to hear David talk about this development while still in its early stages and shall wait with eager anticipation the further insights that are sure to emerge as more results become available.
Posted in Past EventsLeave a comment
Visit to Banwell Bone Caves
By Elizabeth Friend
The last summer visit on July 9th was to the Banwell Bone Caves.
Starting with a lecture on the history of the caves, we were then gi ven a guided tour of the cave where bones can still be seen. These Pleistocene animal bones were discovered in the early part of the 19th century on land owned by George Henry Law, the Bishop of Bath and Wells and, although many of them were removed, some are still carefully stacked around the walls of the chamber.
At the time of their discovery there was great excitement as Bishop Law was convinced they provided evidence of Noah's flood but it's now agreed that they are of animals from the Ice Age thought to have fallen into the cave when the ice melted about 80,000 years ago. The bones are all of various animals similar to those that can be seen in the Arctic today including reindeer, bison, bear, and wolf.
Bishop Law employed William Beard to manage the caves and it was he who kept the caves open for several years after the death of Bishop Law.
We then walked around the grounds to see the Banwell Tower and the various follies which were built by Bishop Law and which have been carefully restored by the Banwell Caves Heritage Group which has worked hard to restore the site.
It is now classified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Special Area of Conservation (SAC). .
The caves are not open to the public except by arrangement but well worth a visit.
Their website is banwellcaves.org.uk
Visit to Stoney Littleton long barrow
Members had an excellent visit to Stoney Littleton on 17th June 2017.
Entrance to the long barrow
David Roberts led the walk and gave us a detailed history of the long barrow and went the extra mile by providing detailed notes. This is a brief summary of those notes.
Long barrows were constructed as earthen or drystone mounds with flanking ditches and acted as funerary monuments during the Early and Middle Neolithic periods. They represent the burial places of Britain's early farming communities and, as such, are amongst the oldest field monuments surviving visibly in the present landscape.
Where investigated, long barrows appear to have been used for communal burial, often with only parts of the human remains having been selected for internment. It is probable that long barrows acted as important ritual sites for local communities over a considerable period. Some 500 long barrows are recorded in England. As one of the few type of Neolithic structures to survive as earthworks, and due to their comparative rarity, their considerable age and their longevity as a monument type, all long barrows are nationally important.
© English Heritage
Stoney Littleton is a Neolithic chambered barrow of the Cotswold Severn type. The defining characteristic of these barrows is their trapezoidal shape. Another common feature is a "forecourt area". It is orientated NW-SE and is about 30m long, 2m high and 12.5m wide at its widest point. It is believed to have been formerly much higher.
The internal arrangement comprises a passage, with three pairs of side chambers and an end chamber. The length of the passage is about 13m and the height varies from 1.2m to 1.8m.
The first recorded opening of the barrow took place in about 1760 when the farmer, who owned the land, forced an entry through the roof to obtain stone for road mending.
The barrow was excavated in 1816 by John Skinner, accompanied by his brother Russell, Sir Richard Colt Hoare and his steward and surveyor Philip Crocker and a labourer Zebedee Weston, who probably undertook the heavy work.
They discovered human bones within the chamber and these are recorded as:
Leg and thigh bones and smaller fragments
From the east innermost side-chamber: four jaw bones, the teeth perfect; the upper parts of two crania (middle aged male and elderly female); leg, thigh and arm bones and vertebrae
From the west central side-chamber: fragments of earthenware vessel with burnt bones; bones of two or three skeletons.
Some of these bones are now in the Bristol Museum
The mound was restored by T.R. Joliffe in 1858, and further work as carried out on the site in 1938 by the Ministry of Works. There were later surveys in 1989 and 1995. Excavation and conservation work took place in 1999 and 2000.
Despite erosion over time, excavation and reconstruction, Stoney Littleton long barrow survives well and is now subject to statutory protection. It is to the credit of English Heritage that the barrow remains accessible to the public.
A tablet at the entrance records the Joliffe restoration:
"THIS TUMULUS, -DECLARED BY COMPETENT JUDGES TO BE THE MOST PERFECT SPECIMEN OF CELTIC ANTIQUITY STILL EXISTING IN GREAT BRITAIN HAVING BEEN MUCH INJURED BY THE LAPSE OF TIME, – OR THE CARELESSNESS OF FORMER PROPRIETORS, WAS RESTORED IN 1858 BY MR.R.T.JOLIFFE, THE LORD OF THE HUNDRED; THE DESIGN OF THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE BEING PRESERVED, AS FAR AS POSSIBLE, WITH SCUPULOUS – EXACTNESS."
The report of the Annual meeting of SANHS in 1857 states that, by means of a pecuniary grant, the Society was instrumental in carrying out timely preservation of the monument. It is unclear whether this report relates to the Joliffe restoration or was additional.
Christon Church
Christon – the Church of St Mary the Virgin
The summer programme began on Sat urday May 20th with a visit to Christon Church. Christon is a small village on the southern slope of Mendip and at the foot of Flagstaff Hill. It looks across the Lox-Yeo valley to Crook Peak and as people gathered many commented on the stunning setting and how tranquil and peaceful the valley must have been before the coming of the motorway.
The tour of the church of St. Mary the Virgin was led by the Reverend Ken Brown, former rector of the parish, who endeared himself to us early on by denying all responsibility for the wet weather with the observation that 'Weather's management, I'm only sales'.
Sales or not, he made an excellent tour guide, pointing out among other things, signs of Saxon herringbone masonry possibly dating from about 1050 AD and in the entrance the superb late Norman arched door opening with dog-tooth decoration and a Greek key-pattern design. See photograph.
Internally there is a 3-cell church: a nave, a bell tower and a chancel with the bell tower being the central cell. Between the nave and the bell tower and again between the bell tower and the chancel are further Norman arches both with the characteristic zig-zag decoration and the Greek key-hole design.
Medieval glass survives in the south window of the bell tower and four magnificent dragons, one at each corner of the tower, support the heavy groins of the vault above.
The chancel has been divided into two by a reredos to create a small vestry under the east
window but Reverend Brown unlocked the door into the vestry so that we could see the original altar with its painted panels. See photograph.
After the visit we sheltered in the porch until the rain had eased and then set off to explore the earthworks on Flagstaff Hill. We walked up the hollow way that is Flagstaff Road noting the house platforms, then out onto the hillside itself where early trackways were followed and field systems explored. The medieval ridge and furrow on the top of the hill was located and lynchets found on the north side of the hill that preserve early strip fields that may date from the Iron Age.
Detailed examination of the many house platforms and trackways was curtailed by the arrival of a new wave of rain and a hasty retreat was beaten leaving people to comment that a return would be welcomed but in better weather.
Some additional material by Elizabeth Friend. Stained Glass windows – Joseph Bell studio, Bristol.
West window
According to the pamphlet available in the church, the stained glass in the west window in the nave depicts Faith, Hope and Charity, as shown by the emblems held by the figures, and is the product of the Joseph Bell studio in Bristol. From the same studio on the opposite north wall is a post-war memorial window depicting sergeant Durrant, a bomber navigator who was killed in a raid on Kiel canal. He is shown in full kit with a map of the German port below. His mother served as a VAD in London.
The east window is a memorial to the Reverend Septimus Pope which is dated 1878 and is another product of the Joseph Bell studio
medieval glass
In the south wall there is a small window of medieval Somerset glass. The eagle and book depicted there is the emblem of St John the Baptist.
Joseph Bell (1810-1895) founded his studio in the 1840's and it continued to be run by his son (Frederick Henry Bell 1847-1899) and grandson (Frederick George 1878-1967) until 1923. Each generation was involved in the design and painting of the glass, with additional artists brought in to design and make commissions. Joseph Bell & Son was later sold to Arnold Robinson, who had already undertaken commissions for the firm. After his death in 1955, Basil Barber, who had previously worked as chief cartoonist for Ninian Comper and had joined the studio in 1953, ran the firm until Geoffrey Robinson, son of Arnold Robinson, took over the firm in 1959. The studio closed after Geoffrey Robinson's retirement in 1996.
Hidden Wedmore
On Wednesday 19th April Hazel Hudson described to us some of the many discoveries in the field of archaeology and local history that have taken place in the parish of Wedmore. She herself has been involved in and often instrumental in the discovery of many of them since her first encounter with archaeology as a sixth former at Sexey's Grammar School, Blackford in the 1950s. However, taking a chronological theme, she began her talk with the discovery in 1893 of dinosaur bones in the late Triassic deposits being quarried on the hill top close to the Mudgley Road. These bones proved to be unique in that they predate the more well known dinosaurs of the Jurassic and also in that they represent two dinosaurs that have not, as yet, been identified anywhere else in the world. They have been named Avalonia sanfordia and Picrodon herveyi after the men who discovered them. These bones are now on display in Taunton Museum and must surely be worth a visit.
Following this, Hazel described the discovery at Heath House of a variety of artefacts – two Bronze Age Palstaves, three Bronze Age torques and a number of amber beads. The last of these, the beads, must have come from the Baltic. Moving into the Neolithic, a trackway across the levels has been found near Blakeway Farm and this trackway c. 2500BC, made of hazel rods, shows the first evidence of coppicing yet to be identified in the country.
More than twenty sites have been located from the Roman period and Roman field patterns have been observed on the levels between the Isle of Wedmore and the Mendip Hills. Roman salt pans with their accompanying briquetage have also been found in the Westhay Moor area to the south of the Isle of Wedmore.
Evidence of the Saxon period is less clear but in 1853 Tucker Coles discovered a Saxon pot in St Mary's church yard containing over two hundred silver pennies. Declared treasure trove, most are now in the British Museum but a small number can be found in Taunton Museum. The coins were minted in Lincoln and have been attributed to the reign of King Canute. In 1989, a Saxon ring dated to 5-600 AD was also discovered near the Cheddar Road. The ring consisted of strands of copper alloy wire twisted together. Hazel has a copy which she wears regularly but the design is so charming that gold copies are now made in Wedmore.
Moving to the Norman period, the area seems to have been favoured by the church hierarchy. The site of a Bishop's Palace has been located and excavated in Blackford and it has been suggested that it was demolished in the late 1300s because it was thought to have been too sumptuous. A grand religious establishment has also been found at Court Garden in Mudgley. First recorded in 1176, it is believed to have been built in the 1100s and to have belonged to the Dean of Wells. Pottery has been found on the site from the twelfth through to the fifteenth centuries. A piece of slate has been found that has musical notation inscribed on it, possibly dating from the 1400s. Is this another first for the area, I wonder?
Other exciting locations include Fernhall Farm, Mudgley, which has shown evidence of occupation from the Mesolithic through to the Present Day and the Old Vicarage, Wedmore, with evidence from the Roman Period onwards. Gog's Orchard, Wedmore, has produced evidence dating back to the Iron Age including a Roman burial from the 2nd or 3rd century with, as a result, the need for the housing development there to be built on concrete rafts to preserve the archaeology beneath.
Finally, Hazel described a number of details about St. Mary's Church, Wedmore, many of which had been first noted by Jerry Sampson. She concluded her talk with the observation that the site of the Manor House next to the church was most probably the location of King Alfred's court in Saxon times.
But, perhaps our own thoughts at the end of her talk must have been to wonder at the extent of Hidden Wedmore that she had revealed to us and to speculate on the excitement and fun that she must have had over the years in helping to uncover it.
Madeleine Roberts
Family History – Fact or Fiction
On 15th March, Pat Hase gave an extremely entertaining talk on how to set about doing family history and some of the problems and pitfalls one might encounter.
She began by warning members it could become obsessive but could also be exciting and lead to a better understanding of social history.
She explained that one of the main difficulties with research was deciding what was fact and what was fiction. Her own grandfather told her wonderful tales when she was a small child, but few of them seem to have been rooted in fact and even when they were, they were much embellished. She thinks that many people start their research hoping they will be related to royalty or money but are more likely to uncover a child born out of wedlock, a death in the workhouse or another so-called scandal.
She told a delightful tale of a couple who got married, went abroad for their honeymoon and came back 6 months later with a baby. The explanation given by the mother was that it was hot overseas and things therefore happened more quickly!!
She warned that people should not believe everything they read on the internet. Americans are particularly guilty of passing on misinformation apparently! People have built their whole family tree on spurious information. One had traced his family back to a Princess Margaret who had apparently married an agricultural labourer (which seems unlikely) and another reported family history of the Puddy family had traced their family back to a John Puddy who, it turned out, actually died aged 5 years.
She showed a photograph of herself as a baby taken in August 1939 pointing out that photographs can be a very useful source of information, not only about your own family, but also about social history as well.
She suggested that people should start with themselves and work backwards and that is was wise to follow the female line. After all, as she pointed out, the man named as a father on a birth certificate might not always be the father of the child! Interestingly it is now possible to get DNA testing done and this is always done on the female line. She also stressed the importance of speaking to relatives and friends as there are often things that your family didn't bother to tell you but which friends of theirs sometimes know.
The 1939 register, taken as war began, is another important source of information giving, as it does, the ages and occupations of everyone at a certain address at that date. Anyone still living has been redacted from the register. As evidence of the usefulness of this she explained that on the register her grandfather's date of birth was the 14th November, which is what he had been told, yet his actual birth certificate stated the 21st November. It turned out that, as births had to be registered within a certain time, his hadn't been done within that period and so, to get round this, the registrar had simply added a week to his date of birth. This, not surprisingly, caused him much annoyance when he had to wait an extra week to get his pension.
Pat went on to encourage people to collect family memorabilia; diaries, family bibles etc. but there was a caveat to this. Apparently the Hase family bible has many wrong entries. It turns out that it had been copied by someone who had made mistakes in doing so. Her message, therefore, was to use original documents wherever possible as transcriptions might have errors. Surnames, for example. can vary. Researching the Hase family she has seen umpteen variations of the name. So beware.
Civil registration of births, marriage and deaths started in 1837 and the registration district was the Poor Law District so, for example, the Axbridge registration district actually includes 38 parishes.
Before 1837 you have to search Church records, which give baptisms, marriage and burials. Again, Pat made the point that baptisms do not always follow shortly after births. Some people were christened as adults and sometimes several children were baptised at the same time.
Another thing to be aware of is that between 1754 and 1837 marriages were required to be in church so many of those between non-conformists might appear to be childless, but this could be because the children would not have been baptised in the Church of England.
A useful source of information, she explained, are the census returns, which were done every 10 years from 1841 although a few were done earlier than that. In the 1841 census the information contained is, owever, limited. It doesn't give the relationships between family members, where they were born and adults were told to approximate their age to the nearest 5 years (although they could give their right age). Again there was a warning; the census returns can contain errors especially regarding age. This may be due to the person lying or transcription errors. Giving the example of her husband's grandfather, he appeared to age very rapidly from 1841 to 1851 and on his death certificate in 1859 he had aged considerable yet again!. Transcription errors also often occurred on death certificates. On that of one William Hase, his wife appeared to have a different surname, but this was a simple error made by the person making the record.
Regarding where people lived, it is useful to look at the tithe apportionment maps which are available at the Record Office and which give the names of the landowner and the occupier of the land by tithe number around 1840. The Genealogist website has this information but you do have to pay for it.
Pat recommended drawing out your family tree to help see where people fit together. For families in this area she said that people did not always get married in the Parish of the bride and that some people got married in Bristol churches.
Newspapers are another source of information and the Western Gazette in now available from the Newspaper archive. She found some interesting accounts of the Hase family causing a disturbance in the papers and was quick to point out that she only married into this family!
She ended by going back to the tales her grandfather told her as a child. Apparently the Long family (her own family) was very important in Bristol; her great grandfather watched the riots in Queen Square, her great great grandfather owned a coal mine and her 3x grandfather owned 150 houses used on the London Stage Coach run. Going back another generation her 4x grandfather had entertained Garibaldi in his house when he visited Bristol.
On investigation it turned out the coal mine was actually sand pits and Garibaldi only stopped in Bristol for 10 minutes when the train stopped at Temple Meads.
Despite all her many warnings, her final message was to enjoy doing your family history but don't believe everything you find.
Pat can be found every Saturday afternoon at Weston Town Hall and is happy to help anyone with their research, and their website www.wsmfhs.org.uk has lots of information on it to help as well.
The Winscombe Project
On January 18th, Theresa Hall gave a very detailed and interesting illustrated talk about the Winscombe Project which was started by Mick Aston.
She began by explaining the differences between this project and the one previously done by them at Shapwick. In contrast to Shapwick, which was a nucleate settlement ie one village, Winsombe was an area of dispersed settlements. The medieval records show there to have been between 18 and 22 difference hamlets and a landscape which was more pastoral than arable. Although Shipham is listed separately in the Domesday book, it is thought that it was originally part of Winscombe since Shipham church paid money to Winscombe church every year in lieu of burial rights.
Theresa went on to explain the topography and geology of the area. Half of Winscombe is nestled within the Mendips and is a mix of different topography namely marsh , highlands, and some arable farm land. In terms of the Geology there are two ridges of limestone hills, Mercian mudstone and ridges of Dolomitic conglomerate which run east to west through the valley and there is marshland in the north. There are several routes through the Mendips and it is probable that Winscombe was one of the main ones and therefore of importance.
Pre-history and history: Looking at what they found.
A Paleolithic axe was found at Sidcot Playing Fields, which was about 250,000 years old. When, what they thought was a Neolithic hand axe was found in a garden in Sidcot about a foot below the surface, they were quite excited but, on examination by the Stone Axe group , this was found to be an adze and there were no adzes in Neolithic times. Even more intriguingly, it turned out that this one came from Polynesia. A second one was then found near Sidcot school with some medieval pottery nearby, but this was another Polynesian tool. They can only surmise that perhaps the school had a sort of cabinet of curiosities which was then broken up and dispersed.
They have found some Neolithic bits and pieces, but nothing really exciting.Nothing was found from the Bronze Age and little from the Iron Age, although they did find a possible iron age shard in Barton. Since the Banwell Hill Fort dominates the area they had expected to have found more than this and although it is thought that there may have been hut circles in the area they have, so far, got no evidence for this.
Wint Hill is near the parish on the north side of the valley and the major Roman find there is the Wint Hill Bowl dating back to the 4th century, originating from Cologne, which was found in the 1950's. There are photos of the excavation in KJHL. The photographs show some skeletal remains, which were rumoured to have been put down a well by a suspicious farmer. Some of these bones are conserved in the museum and carbon dating suggests that some were from 430-610 and some from 660-810. They had presumed the bones were Roman but they are later than that and extend over a considerable time. It is suggested that they may be part of a Dark Age cemetery and that there might have been a monastic site in the vicinity of Banwell before the Saxon Minster was there, so there may have been a cemetery of an earlier British site on the hill . When the Church was built in Banwell the cemetery would then have ceased to function.
Roman remains associated with that settlement continued down the hill into the valley and were discovered when a pipeline was put in. There were several Roman buildings going down the hill alongside the pipeline and there are also bits of Roman pottery found at Barton and on the site of Star Villa, which is now in Shipham parish. On the Sandford side of the hill not much has been found but some fields have the name Blacklands which is a name associated with Roman times. They conclude that the Roman were in the area, but can not be more specific than that.
Winscombe is first mentioned when King Edgar (959-975) granted 15 hides at Winscombe to Aelfswith. She was the wife of Aeltheah who owned much of the land in Wessex, and was a kinswoman of the previous King Eadwig, In other words they were an important and wealthy couple. Although they might never have gone to Winscombe they could have had an estate there which they could have used if the King was travelling around his kingdom and was, for example, visiting Cheddar or Banwell. Aeltheah had a brother who was a monk at Glastonbury Abbey and the couple gave lands to the Abbey which included Winscombe, so that from this time Winscombe belonged to Glastonbury Abbey. The Domesday map shows the Banwell estate which belonged to the Bishop of Wells and it is thought that Winscombe was perhaps carved out of this estate. Theresa said that there is evidence that this estate changed ownership several times.
There are no parish boundaries for Winscombe and no charter boundaries although there are two nearby. Compton Bishop has one granted from the 10th century and Banwell from 1068. This latter included Sandford, yet Sandford was part of the Church lands belonging to Winscombe and therefore belonged to Glastonbury. They think that this might perhaps be because Harold had seized Banwell (which belonged to Wells) and he might have arbitarily decided to take Sandford as well, but it does go back into the hands of Glastonbury later.
At Domesday, much of Winscombe belonged to Glastonbury but there were also people holding knights fees. There is an area around Woodborough of 2 1/2 hides belonging to Roger de Courseulles who also held Shipham. In the north of the parish in an area around Shipham and an area around Nye there is 1 hide and 1 virgate of land held by Ralph Tortemain or Crooked Hands, who held other lands as well. Another half a hide for land at Barton was held by a man called Pipe and, as this is the only land that he owns at Domesday, it is thought he was maybe living there. Both Roger de Courseulles and Ralph Tortemain had their main residences elsewhere.
In 1197 following the death of the Abbot of Glastonbury, Bishop Savaric takes over Glastonbury Abbey as well as being Bishop of Wells. Although this had been allowed by the King the monks were, apparently, not happy. In 1215 they went to the Pope and petitioned for the lands to be given back to them and the Pope agreed. Despite this the Bishop decided to keep four estates at Blackford, Winscombe and 2 others. Later, Bishop Jocelin re-arranged the cathedral Chapter and he gave Winscombe to the Dean and Chapter of Wells and it stayed with the Dean and Chapter until the 18th century when parts began to be sold off. Had it stayed in the hands of Glastonbury then it would have gone into private hands at Dissolution.
Following the retention of land by Bishop Savaric the monks of Glastonbury continued to take court action against the Bishop over the lands he had retained. This is evidenced in an account of a duel recorded by John Seldon who wrote a book in 1610 about dueling in which he quotes a deed which refers to the battle between the Abbot and the Bishop over the land. The Abbot appointed a fighter to act on his behalf who was given 10 marks of silver with a further 5 more promised if he won the battle. The account states that on the day of the duel the opponents were barelegged, bareheaded and bared to the elbow and held a red staff of an ells length. We don't know who represented the Bishop nor do we know who won but it was presumably the Bishop's man as Winscombe remained with the Dean and Chapter.
There was one tenant of Roger de Courseulles in the 13th century, Henry Lovestheft, who belonged to the Bishop's Court and he apparently gave some land away to Woodspring Priory, some to Minchin Buckland and some for the building of St Augustine's Abbey in Bristol. Although he was only the tenant of the land one can only assume that he did this with permission.
A lot of work was done by Maria Forbes and Mick Aston.
Various surveys were translated including surveys of the Parish dated 1572 and 1650 of the Dean and Chapter lands. A survey of the Manor of Sandford which was done in 1540 for the Seymours was translated with the help of Frances Neale. Martin Ecclestone also translated the Court rolls and Compotos rolls
Within the Compotos Rolls and court rolls from 1360-1540 there are all the inhabitants on Dean and Chapter land listed by their status. These followed a pattern, so every year you can follow the inhabitants through time ie 1290-1640. The place they lived in is appended to the names of the people so that many of the people listed can be traced through time. As Theresa pointed out, this is easier where there are separate hamlets rather than a village. They hope that test pits on these houses might reveal status changes through looking at the pottery that comes out of the pits
She then went on to describe some of the articles that have been written about the project, which include one that Mick Aston wrote about farming within the Parish and one about the woodland. There is an interesting reference in the woodland records which states that in 1342, 5s 6d was paid for the bark of 16 oak trees which went to St Cuthberts Church in Wells and there are references to this being carted there. This wood can now be found in the chancel roof of the church.
They also looked at various maps of the Parish although there are not a huge number of them. There is a 1792 map of Winscombe made by William White for the Dean and Chapter of Wells. Interestingly this has lots of blanks on it which refer to the parts that the Dean and Chapter didn't own. These are the areas which equate to those held by the Knights at Domesday so, for example, an area of Sandford which is blank is thought to be the lands held by Ralph Tortemain.
Theresa showed a map of Sandford, done by Mick Aston which shows the land not owned by the Dean and Chapter. This was land owned by individuals who clearly had strips of land intermingled with strips belonging to the Church. Theresa pointed out that this might be important in understanding the development of the parish.
Edward Seymour the brother of Jane Seymour, owned Sandford Manor which was part of the Cheddar Estate. He had to go to law to get it, however. It had been previously been owned by the Lisle family and, at this time, held by Arthur Plantagenet the illegitimate son of Edward IV. Apparently Edward thought the land was rented by Arthur who thought differently and the matter went to Cromwell to adjudicate. It took 8 years to settle with Cromwell deciding in favour of Edward once Jane became queen.
Theresa showed a slide of Nye Farm which is on one of the islands in the marsh which belonged to Edward Seymour. There was a moated site at the end of the island which was the main residence of whoever was renting Sandford manor. They have found some earthworks at this site which they will investigate in due course.
A map found in a house in Wells shows Woodborough Common with winding gears drawn on it and it is thought that this was drawn up for the Dean and Chapter when they gave the right to mine to someone who lived in Shipham. They have found some lead weights there of the sort associated with mining.
Theresa showed more maps drawn by Mick Aston. One of the green shows a tiny remnant of land which has been cut off by railway line and appeared not to be owned by anyone. This has now been claimed by the Parish Council and now forms a little orchard garden.
There was also a map of the Lynch from the air. They have found evidence of burials at the western end and at the centre of the Lynch there was a windmill dating back to the 13th century. Various other aerial maps have been done.
Another map drawn by Mick Aston is a reconstruction, which shows how meadowland could have been reclaimed from the marsh.
Building surveys were done by The Somerset vernacular group, which has looked at more recent houses. As well as vernacular building there are a lot of Victorian villas, probably because Winscombe was thought to be a healthy place to live. Of particular interest is West End Farm in Barton which has a cruck beam that dates back to 1278. This is the date of the first the compotos rolls and it is thought that this is the earliest vernacular building in Somerset still lived in.
Geophysics has been done and James Bond has done earthwork surveys.
They have done little field walking because of the amount of material it creates although they did look at a field at Max Mills and found some Roman bits.
Test pitting was the main technique they used..
At Tower House they found a lot of roof tiles. In the historical record this area is called Ford and there was free tenant called William Ford recorded, who farmed there.
They have done a total of 189 test pits of which 29 were in Sidcot. They have found some medieval bits from the central area and some smithing remains outside the meeting house. There were 2 smiths in the parish, one in Winscombe and one, who was a free tenant, in Sidcot.
29 have been done in Barton, the main arable area, but these have not revealed very much and not as much as in farms in the hamlets. An orchard site in Barton has revealed some jars and some Saintonge ware which is an import from France and usually only found in cities or on manorial sites, not in rural areas
Other test pits were done at the Lynch around the site of an old windmill.
At Woodborough Mill they have found some medieval material. The Mill was owned at this time by Henry Lovestheft who gave some land to the Church and was allowed in return to get the right to take the water from a spring which, when diverted, added to the water going to his mill. This water would have gone naturally to Max Mill. There was a 17th century court case because the owner of the Mill had a tenant at the time who had allowed a wall to fall into disrepair and this meant that the water then went to Max Mill. Although the people at Max Mill were quite happy about this there were clearly several arguments and threats of violence over the water, which culminated in the court case. Although we don't know the result of the court case we can assume that Woodborough Mill won as they had the documentary evidence to support their case
Theresa went on to talk about the settlement of Wyke, the site of which is unknown. Mick thought he'd identified it in one of the fields in the Parish and they have done 3 test pits there. Although they have found no pottery, one pit showed evidence of something industrial and was, perhaps, an iron working furnace.
The Court area. In the test pits they have found fine ware from the 13th and 14th century, and coarse ware at the farm end. Outside the court they found no pottery. In the compotos rolls the people who have tenements are nearly all cottars so were presumably servants of the Court rather than farming for themselves.
To finish, Theresa described a Christmas card sent by James Bond to Mick Aston which imagined them in the future doing some penetrating analysis from their armchairs based on the whole landscape being digitised thus saving them all from going out into the cold and wet. An interesting thought!!
There are a lot of articles written about the Winscombe project written by Mick Aston and ones published by SANHS.
This is a link to Mick Aston's site
There are also several articles published by SANHS – just go to the SANHS site and put winscombe project in the search box
Liz Friend
Have I Got (Old) News For You
Written by Madeleine Roberts:
On Wednesday February 15th, John Page gave us a fascinating insight into the history of local newspapers. He based his talk largely on original copies stored in the Old Court Room in Axbridge and he covered the period from 1725 to the 1970s. The papers he had researched included the Weston-super-Mare Gazette, the Axbridge and Cheddar Gazette, the Bath Chronicle, the Cheddar Valley Gazette, the Isle of Wedmore and Mendip Journal, the Weston Mercury, the Somerset Mercury, the Central Somerset Herald, the Westonian and the Mendip Gazette. The Mendip Gazette was the only one of these to be published in Axbridge. In 1946 it was based at the Old Angel on the Square.
John explained that the size of the papers was determined by production costs and that following the imposition of a newspaper tax in 1712 which placed a charge of 1 penny on every sheet whatever the size, it was cheaper to produce a small number of large sheets than a large number of small sheets. As a result newspapers began life on a grand scale and gradually reduced in size as time went on.
Tax was also a contributory factor in determining the size and number of advertisements in the papers as each advertisement was subject to taxation.
Pictures had their own restrictions as, before daguerreotype was invented in 1839, illustrations could only be produced from engraved line drawings. None-the-less, whatever the difficulties and whatever the tax, advertisers were at the forefront of pictorial innovation. Significant among these were Bryant & May whose match boxes were decorated with quite superb line drawing portraits of famous people. Engraved drawings continued for some considerable time and in 1855 the technique was used successfully to portray the assembled delegates at the Vienna Conference.
Apart from describing the evolution of the papers, John selected a number of incidents that he hoped would interest us. The earliest of these was the story of Mary Norwood of Axbridge who had been seduced by James H—LL, a shoemaker also of Axbridge. Encouraged by him on the promise of marriage and assisted by two others, Samuel W—ks and Charity A—s, Mary had poisoned Joseph, her husband of 15 years, by putting poison in his milk. She was tried and found guilty and on May 9th 1765 she was executed. Large numbers gathered to watch as she was dragged through the town tied to a hurdle, after which gruesome event she was hanged and then tied to a metal post and burned. It was reported that many in the crowd found the incident too horrible to watch and looked away. What happened to her accomplices is not reported.
Bull running and bull-baiting had long been the customary way of celebrating November 5th in Axbridge and when in 1835 the Cruelty to Animals Act forbade bull-baiting, there were many in the town who resented it. The situation was not helped by the fact that the Mayor and assembled company continued to enjoy their own celebrations by holding a lavish dinner. So, in November 1838, Peter Fry compensated the masses for the lack of bull-baiting by providing a hog's head of cider in the market place for everyone to share. It would be interesting to know how long this continued and when it died out.
In the 1840s, the railway reached the area and train timetables became a feature of the local press. The visitors who arrived on the trains were also a source of interest and lists of their names were commonly included in the local papers.
The middle of the nineteenth century was a time of great scientific enquiry and John had found an article that asserted that earthquakes could unquestionably be attributed to fluctuations in the air pressure pressing down on the crust of the earth. If only it were so simple!
Moving into the twentieth century, John had discovered that there had once been regular flights from Weston-super-Mare airfield across the Bristol Channel to Cardiff and back – much quicker than going by car.
In 1957, one forward looking council vowed to keep an open mind about the viability of a nuclear power station in Somerset. They were not so clear, however, about where the proposed location was to be. The article suggested that it might have been at Hinkley Point or possibly Inkley Point or even Hunckley Point.
Another local council was also forward looking. Cheddar Parish Council found no objection to a cable car being built in Cheddar Gorge. This suggestion was however later turned down by Axbridge Rural District Council only for the idea to surface again in our own times.
In 1968, the Rector of Axbridge, Kenneth Davis, unearthed the ancient Axbridge fire engine and this was subsequently restored at a local school. It is now proudly displayed in King John's Hunting Lodge.
And finally it is worth commenting on the flowering of photography. By the middle of the twentieth century, photography had become an important reporting tool. On November 3rd 1972, a photograph of Anne Everton, a former secretary of the AALHS, appeared in the local press as she conducted an archaeological excavation at Oliver Cottage in Axbridge. Perhaps a copy of this should be kept for our own records as Anne was such a driving force in the Society for so long.
Group photographs were also used in 1974 to report the success of local youth activities. Kings of Wessex pupils who had gained their Duke of Edinburgh Awards were pictured as were Axbridge Brownies.
John's talk highlighted the wealth of material in the Old Court Room that is available for research purposes and any member who is interested in gaining access should contact the Museum Trust.
The Lost Cave of Hutton
The Search for the Lost Cave of Hutton – written by Madeleine Roberts for Retrospect (with some additional references and illustrations by EF)
At the Society's November meeting Alan Gray, chairman of the Axbridge Caving Group, captivated his audience with his enthusiasm for the underground world that is the Mendip cave system. Alan attempted to unravel some of the mystery and confusion that has grown up around one particular cave on the western edge of Mendip, namely Hutton Cave in Canada Coombe.
Discovered by ochre miners in the 1650s it was not until a hundred years later that the Rev. Alexander Catcott, vicar of the Temple Church in Bristol, showed an interest and discovered in the cave what he reported to be a veritable charnel house of bones. The discovery and the realisation that many of the bones were from animals that came from more tropical regions than Somerset led Catcott to speculate that the bones might have been deposited as a result of Noah's flood. He held to the belief, current at the time, that the world was only 6000 years old and his discoveries led him in 1761 to publish his 'Treatise on the Deluge'.
William Beard
Much later in the 1820s this treatise was to arouse the interest of the Rev. David Williams of Bleadon and, together with William Beard of Banwell Bone Cave fame, he explored the area. Bones were collected from a cave and reported to include elephant tusks and the bones of tigers, hyaenas, wolves, bears and horses. In 1824 when ochre mining ceased, the entrance was back-filled, although Rutter reported on its existence in his 'Delineations of Somerset' published in 1829.
Hutton Cavern published in Rutter
The site of the cave was therefore lost among the more than fifty ochre pits in Canada Coombe until 1970 when the Axbridge Caving Group took an interest. The 1970s saw the ACG opening up Bleadon Cavern and several new entrances to it and then, in 2007, a second cave, Upper Canada Cave, was discovered.
In 2012, with the permission of the land owner, Bernard Cole, a mini digger was brought in to speed up the process and this led to the discovery of a further complex of passages. The question remains, however, whether the original cave has been rediscovered or not. Reports of the early visits are not always compatible with each other or with modern observations of the cave system and Alan is now wondering whether there were in fact not one but two caves. He tentatively suggested that Bleadon Cavern might be the cave visited by Catcott in the eighteenth century and Upper Canada Cave as the lost Cave of Hutton visited by Williams and Beard in the nineteenth century.
Alan Gray in Upper Canada Cave
The puzzle is not helped by the fact that none of the original bones have been located. We know that Catcott's bones were bequeathed to Bristol Library, from where they were later moved to Bristol Museum. Sadly these bones did not survive the German bombing raids of World War 11. The fate of the bones collected by Williams and Beard is unknown but they may have graced the cabinets of Victorian collectors and be still in existence somewhere but unprovenanced.
To add to the confusion, some two hundred bones have been collected in recent times but all have been identified as being horse bones of no great age. It seems unlikely that if the original bones were as numerous as described by Catcott that they would all have been removed. Certainly in the case of Banwell Bone Cave large numbers remain to delight us to this day. Further questions now arise from these more modern horse bones – how did they get there, when and why?
Alan's enthusiasm for the subject has not yet run its course. He has further underground passages to explore and lines of enquiry to follow up before he commits his pen to paper and writes another book. It was presumably all the narrow passages left to explore that caused him to decline the offer of home-made cake later in the evening. What dedication!
After his talk Alan showed us a short film, a fly-over of Mendip and North Somerset, locating all the known caves and features of archaeological interest in the area. It was a fascinating film giving us a bird's eye view of the beautiful landscape that we all know so well and in which we are privileged to live.
Additional Notes: The bones found by Williams and Beard are in fact in the SANHS Quaternary Mammals collection
Catcott's description of the bones he found is in a footnote starting on p.360 in his Treatise on the Deluge:
Rutter's book is available from local libraries.
Maps of the various caves can be seen at the Mendip Cave Registry
Various articles have been written about caves at Hutton and Bleadon some of which are listed below:
Darkness Below UK
Article on Banwell Bone Caves by David Bromwich published by SANHS – linked here
Bristol Exploration Club
UBSS
Witch Marks
Witch Marks (Denny Robbins) –Magical & Ritual Marks from the Middle Ages & Tudor Times.
Denny Robbins gave a fascinating illustrated talk about ritual witch marks in vernacular buildings. The following is taken directly from her notes, which she kindly gave me with some additional links and illustrations.
From the late medieval period there was strong belief in the damage that witches, either in human form, or through animal familiars, could bring to households. Such beliefs were particularly strong in rural populations from the mid C16th through to the mid C18th and peaked in the C17th.
The first specific law against witchcraft was only introduced under Henry V111 in 1542. James 1 was pre-occupied with witchcraft and wrote a treatise about it.
According to Denny, the use of such ritual protection began to be studied in the 1980's. It should be remembered that rural populations were largely illiterate and inscribing a mark or symbol somewhere in the house enabled them to engage in a protective act.
The marks are small and feint and are, therefore, very difficult see, which is why they are assumed to be for protection since they have no decorative or practical purpose. They are referred to as apotropaic or evil averting and are commonly found at points of entry in buildings such as doorways, windows and chimneys and have even been found underground.
Denny described the various marks with slides: Scratched letters known as Marian symbols relating to the Virgin Mary have been found. These are either conjoined V's representing Virgo Virginum (Virgin of Virgins) which appear as W's and also as an inverted W ie an M.
A WP symbol was found at Long Hole in Cheddar. The P symbol could stand for Pace (Peace) and be a plea to bring peace to the house. P was also a symbol which had good luck associations in pre-Christian times. The other letter which is seen inscribed is I which, it is believed, represents the letter J and is often followed by H – the letters IH are the first two letters of the Greek form of Jesus. IHC and HIS are common Christograms (symbols for Jesus Christ)
St Andrews Cross and butterfly shapes. These have often been considered before as builders marks but now have been found underground which means they can't be. In a magical context this shape cannot be inverted or turned back on itself thereby destroying its function or even possibly creating evil.
What is interesting is that the direct link with Mary must have ceased after the Reformation and it is notable that both the domestic and the ecclesiastical versions survived without being defaced. Why then did the original affiliation to the Virgin not pose a problem for the Puritans Denny asked.
Denny showed a slide of symbols found in Wookey Hole Cave. The Witch's Chimney contains the largest concentration of ritual protection marks discovered in any cave (40 plus). For an account of these see "Ritual Protection Marks in Wookey Hole and Long Hole, Somerset, by C.J. Binding and L.J. Wilson (2010) here
A slide was shown of the sarcophagus of Bishop John Harewell in Wells Cathedral which contained over 530 ritual marks
There is an excellent account of these in "Summary of Graffiti and Ritual Protection marks on the Sarcophagus of Bishop John
Harewell in Wells Cathedral (2015)" here
Another slide was of circular marks. She explained that the hexafoil or daisy wheel is also frequently seen and is considered to be a reference to the sun and perhaps to the Virgin Mary. It has been found as part of the decoration at Housestead Roman Fort at Hadrian's Wall. As few rural vernacular buildings pre-date the C15th there is no way to establish its use until that time although, by the C11th it was a feature of church decoration associated with fonts and baptisms. The shape is usually incomplete and therefore imperfect which might, she suggested, be a gesture of respect for the deity who could, of course, create perfection. It is seen as a protection against evil and as a good luck symbol and is often found in food preparation areas.
Another slide showed a hand and a letter M found at the Church of Holy Rood in Ampney Crucis.
As well as ritual marks there are sometimes ritual deposits found in middens. These have been found in animal housing and under threshing floors and are also found in America and Australia and, as such, are thought to be part of the cultural baggage of convicts and settlers. She suggested that there are also C19th middens containing hand-written notes, letters, trade receipts etc. which may have marked a significant period in the life of the occupants of the house.
Bellarmines or witch bottles which stem from the C16th and C17th. have been found beneath hearths and beneath walls and floors, Those considered to be "true" Bellarmines are pot-bellied bottles of stone-ware with a mask depicted on them but later ones were also made of glass. The contents (hair, the magical metal iron in the form of iron pins or nails, urine and sometimes fabric ) all appear to constitute some form of a spell. One was found at Hymerford House in East Coker which dates from the C15th and was discovered at the threshold of the house. An article in the Times from 2005 recorded the finding of a glass witch bottle containing foul smelling contents at a National Trust site in Dorset buried in a stone wall. It is believed to have been placed there in the C18th during an outbreak of foot and mouth disease and parish records confirm that there was an outbreak of "distemper" during the 1700's.
Over 1,200 shoes have also been found either within or near the hearth, 40% of which belong to children. These are often well worn and frequently repaired. Denny suggested that the value of such items derives not from the material or original function of these but rather in their prolonged use. As she pointed out, they are the only object that retains our shape and perhaps, therefore, our personality. http://www.apotropaios.co.uk/concealed-shoes—an-article-by-june-swann.html
Dead cats have also been found in roof spaces, under floors, between lath and plaster panels and in sealed cavities. Several of these had their legs bound, some were artificially posed in aggressive postures and some were accompanied by rats. According to Denny these were probably placed as foundation scarers or vermin scarers and by 2004, 100 such finds had been recorded in England and 50 in Germany. Horse skulls have also been found.
Candle marks: the majority of these are found in principal bedrooms or in servants quarters in attics and rarely in ground floor room and so are assumed to be sleep-related. As Denny pointed out, any noise in walls or ceilings above the bedrooms might have been interpreted as a witch's familiar having entered the house. These finds are rare and confined to high status houses in the East of England.
Denny then showed slides of ethereal marks, which have been drawn with carbon from candle flames. These include symbols and letters and sometimes even names. She described a house near Bury St Edmunds, which has an almost completely marked ceiling over the kitchen chamber which contains the name Sarah Sugate. Records show that a Sugate family was living in the house during the second half of the C17th and the owners of the house, Robert and Mary Sugate, had a daughter Sarah. Sarah left the house on her marriage and so there is no knowing what had happened in the room to cause anxiety in the room. Denny postulated that perhaps she was given to sleep walking and would go through that room when she did so. In the C17th sleepwalkers were often thought to be possessed – could this be why there the marks are there she asked?
Gridiron marks have also been found and Denny explained that the gridiron was occasionally used to make "music." She showed a slide of a painting by the Dutch painter Jan Steen in which a form of rough, rhythmic music is being played on a variety of instruments including a gridiron. Such music was intended to drive away sprits and witches. In the illustration (left) the man "playing" the gridiron is on the left with a funnel on his head.
Burn Marks. For a long time such marks were thought to have ben made accidentally, but it is now believed that they were made deliberately as some form of "inoculation" against fire and were placed on strategic timbers during construction. They appear to start in the late C16th and decline in the C18th and seem to be confined to northern Europe. Denny suggested that, as this is where and when, the Protestant Reformation took place, the burn marks may, in part, be a response to the loss of magic (both Christian and secular) which were suppressed by the Reformation. Single marks are also seen and these are in low visibility locations especially on roof structures and may be the ones most likely to be apotropaic. Single marks in high visibility locations are thought to be discrete blessings and are often found on moveable objects such as beds. The reason that these are regarded as having been made deliberately is that they are all between 3 and 6cm in depth and taper in shape and are usually seen at the shoulder height of a person when standing or kneeling.
Burn marks have also been found associated with other symbols and marks – there are examples in Europe of burn marks and horse-shoes being positioned over house entrances and some have been found close to Marian symbols.
It was a very interesting talk and so inspiring that a few people went home and were later seen prowling about their houses with torches searching for marks! Fortunately no-one thought they were burglars and called the police!!
In addition to the links above there is a lot of other material – these are just some references I have come across
http://www.oldhouses.com.au/docs/ritual.html#cats
Timothy Easton, 'Scribed and Painted Symbols', in Paul Oliver (ed), Vernacular Architecture of the World, 1997/8 (four vols), CUP.
Timothy Easton, 'Ritual Marks on Historic Timber', Weald and Downland Open Air Museum Magazine, Spring 1999, pp22-30.
Brian Hoggard, 'The archaeology of counter-witchcraft and popular magic', in Owen Davies & Willem de Blecourt, Beyond the Witch-Trials, 2004, Manchester University Press, pp167-186.
http://www.apotropaios.co.uk/ritual-marks.html – Brian Hoggard's site
Ralph Merrifield, 'A Charm Against Witchcraft', Country Life, June 23rd 1955, pp1612-3.
Ralph Merrifield, The Archaeology of Ritual and Magic, 1987, Batsford, London.
Relativity by MagikPress.


for the UP kernel; and RedHat 9 & Fedora Core 1 using the SMP kernels.
is useless, however, some keystrokes seem to interfer with the mouse.
(USB mouse works always fine). The system further boots and runs normally.
atkbd.c: Unknown key pressed (raw set 0, code 0x0 on isa0060/serio0).
Copyright 1985-2003 Pheonix Technologies Ltd.
Copyright 1995-2003 Tyan Computer Corporation.
I have the same issue on my Intel Dual Xeon box with Hyperthreading.
So it appears as four processors.  Works fine with the UP kernel.
required anymore in the future, however, I can live with it!
kernel takes over from grub.


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