• Contact
  • About
  • Authors
DONATE
NEWSLETTER SIGN UP
  • Login
North East Bylines
  • Home
  • News
    • All
    • Brexit
    • Education
    • Environment
    • European News
    • Health
    • Politics
    • Science
    • UK News
    • World News
    woman on boat

    Where have all the EU citizens gone, long time passing…?

    to seek asylum is not a crime

    Momentous week ahead for women trapped in detention in County Durham

    RMT official picket

    Rail strikes: is class solidarity back?

    Curfew bracelets

    Curfew bracelets

    Sign saying welcome refugees

    World refugee day 2022

    Söke

    Reflections on Söke and lessons to learn

    Chi Onwurah backs Mencap campaign

    Chi Onwurah backs Mencap “Listen to us” campaign

    Nigel Todd

    Nigel Todd remembered: a socialist legacy

    Taj mahal

    Passage to India: box set

    Trending Tags

    • Ukraine
  • Culture
    • All
    • Animation
    • Books
    • Illustrations & More
    • Music
    • Performance
    • Poetry
    • Social Media
    • Theatre
    • TV & Radio
    doctorbird

    Doctorbird (Jamaica 1998)

    Curfew bracelets

    Curfew bracelets

    Söke

    Reflections on Söke and lessons to learn

    Visitors in the former Holy Trinity Church, Sunderland

    Seventeen Nineteen: Hidden Stories in Sunderland church

  • Lifestyle
    • All
    • Fashion
    • Food & Drink
    • Health & Fitness
    gymnast

    Culture of fear in British gymnastics uncovered by the Whyte Review

    Kennedy and Rhind

    Kennedy and Rhind: more time to enjoy a North East favourite

    Hoppings

    The Hoppings is back in Newcastle!

    Chi Onwurah MP

    Chi backs watchdog for fast fashion industry

    High Force waterfall

    Feeling the full force of Teesdale at the High Force Hotel

    A group of swimmers stand in the sea at sunrise.

    Interview with cold water swimmer Sarah Rowland

    Meat feast pizza

    Bella Italia launches new menu

    Ukrainian necklace

    Ukrainian Cultural Heritage: jewellery, accessories and some morale boosting art

    Leek and mushroom bake

    Leek and mushroom bake

    Trending Tags

    • Business
      • All
      • Economy
      • Rural
      • Technology
      • Trade
      • Voluntary Sector
      Friends Action North East

      Friends Action North East: supporting people’s lives

      Söke

      Reflections on Söke and lessons to learn

      Visitors in the former Holy Trinity Church, Sunderland

      Seventeen Nineteen: Hidden Stories in Sunderland church

      Refugee week

      Sing up for refugee week in Newcastle!

      Lachlan and Ryan

      Top sports stars step in to help male suicide charity

      Older person enjoying TikTok

      Go glammas! How older people are turning to TikTok to dispel myths about ageing

      A group of volunteers in high vis jackets, with their backs to the camera, operate a table giving out food distributions.

      Charity helps feed communities amidst the cost of living crisis

      young people talking

      Counselling support for young refugees in the North East

      Russia and China flags with two people shaking hands

      Russia’s quasi-colonial dependence on China

      Trending Tags

      • Region
        • All
        • Co. Durham
        • North East
        • Northumberland
        • Teesside
        • Tyneside
        • Wearside
        RMT official picket

        Rail strikes: is class solidarity back?

        Visitors in the former Holy Trinity Church, Sunderland

        Seventeen Nineteen: Hidden Stories in Sunderland church

        Nigel Todd

        Nigel Todd remembered: a socialist legacy

        Three boys stand in front of a man. All three of them are stood in front of a fire engine.

        Firefighting Uncle helping to raise £260,000 for nephew with rare cancer

        Kennedy and Rhind

        Kennedy and Rhind: more time to enjoy a North East favourite

        Campaigning for Samuel in Loftus Market Place, 1906 - "More Boots - less Beer."

        Opposition to the first immigration bill

        dead fish

        Defra on the defensive over toxic dumping in Tees Bay

        Secret Garden

        The Secret Garden at Hexham Abbey Gardens

        empty purse

        Cost of living crisis could put thousands more North East families into deeper poverty

        Trending Tags

        • Opinion
          Titanic coming out of Southampton

          The 110th anniversary of the Titanic’s departure

          There is an England

          There is an England

          Prime Minister Boris Johnson signs the Withdrawal Agreement with the European Union"

          The parody of disinformation: Boris Johnson on Ukraine and Brexit

          Boris Johnson’s comments on Ukraine and Brexit are an insult

          TV Agency staff jumping in the air

          The TV Agency celebrates 10th anniversary with global success

          North East of County Dublin

          North East of England and North East of County Dublin: Compare and contrast

          North Sea oil rig

          Copping out of COP: Ukraine, fossil fuels and nuclear fusion

          Placard with Boris Johnson as a clown

          Dictators, media and mobility: erosion of identity, sustenance and safety

          close up on a child's eye

          Racism and misogyny where there should have been safeguarding and security

        No Result
        View All Result
        • Home
        • News
          • All
          • Brexit
          • Education
          • Environment
          • European News
          • Health
          • Politics
          • Science
          • UK News
          • World News
          woman on boat

          Where have all the EU citizens gone, long time passing…?

          to seek asylum is not a crime

          Momentous week ahead for women trapped in detention in County Durham

          RMT official picket

          Rail strikes: is class solidarity back?

          Curfew bracelets

          Curfew bracelets

          Sign saying welcome refugees

          World refugee day 2022

          Söke

          Reflections on Söke and lessons to learn

          Chi Onwurah backs Mencap campaign

          Chi Onwurah backs Mencap “Listen to us” campaign

          Nigel Todd

          Nigel Todd remembered: a socialist legacy

          Taj mahal

          Passage to India: box set

          Trending Tags

          • Ukraine
        • Culture
          • All
          • Animation
          • Books
          • Illustrations & More
          • Music
          • Performance
          • Poetry
          • Social Media
          • Theatre
          • TV & Radio
          doctorbird

          Doctorbird (Jamaica 1998)

          Curfew bracelets

          Curfew bracelets

          Söke

          Reflections on Söke and lessons to learn

          Visitors in the former Holy Trinity Church, Sunderland

          Seventeen Nineteen: Hidden Stories in Sunderland church

        • Lifestyle
          • All
          • Fashion
          • Food & Drink
          • Health & Fitness
          gymnast

          Culture of fear in British gymnastics uncovered by the Whyte Review

          Kennedy and Rhind

          Kennedy and Rhind: more time to enjoy a North East favourite

          Hoppings

          The Hoppings is back in Newcastle!

          Chi Onwurah MP

          Chi backs watchdog for fast fashion industry

          High Force waterfall

          Feeling the full force of Teesdale at the High Force Hotel

          A group of swimmers stand in the sea at sunrise.

          Interview with cold water swimmer Sarah Rowland

          Meat feast pizza

          Bella Italia launches new menu

          Ukrainian necklace

          Ukrainian Cultural Heritage: jewellery, accessories and some morale boosting art

          Leek and mushroom bake

          Leek and mushroom bake

          Trending Tags

          • Business
            • All
            • Economy
            • Rural
            • Technology
            • Trade
            • Voluntary Sector
            Friends Action North East

            Friends Action North East: supporting people’s lives

            Söke

            Reflections on Söke and lessons to learn

            Visitors in the former Holy Trinity Church, Sunderland

            Seventeen Nineteen: Hidden Stories in Sunderland church

            Refugee week

            Sing up for refugee week in Newcastle!

            Lachlan and Ryan

            Top sports stars step in to help male suicide charity

            Older person enjoying TikTok

            Go glammas! How older people are turning to TikTok to dispel myths about ageing

            A group of volunteers in high vis jackets, with their backs to the camera, operate a table giving out food distributions.

            Charity helps feed communities amidst the cost of living crisis

            young people talking

            Counselling support for young refugees in the North East

            Russia and China flags with two people shaking hands

            Russia’s quasi-colonial dependence on China

            Trending Tags

            • Region
              • All
              • Co. Durham
              • North East
              • Northumberland
              • Teesside
              • Tyneside
              • Wearside
              RMT official picket

              Rail strikes: is class solidarity back?

              Visitors in the former Holy Trinity Church, Sunderland

              Seventeen Nineteen: Hidden Stories in Sunderland church

              Nigel Todd

              Nigel Todd remembered: a socialist legacy

              Three boys stand in front of a man. All three of them are stood in front of a fire engine.

              Firefighting Uncle helping to raise £260,000 for nephew with rare cancer

              Kennedy and Rhind

              Kennedy and Rhind: more time to enjoy a North East favourite

              Campaigning for Samuel in Loftus Market Place, 1906 - "More Boots - less Beer."

              Opposition to the first immigration bill

              dead fish

              Defra on the defensive over toxic dumping in Tees Bay

              Secret Garden

              The Secret Garden at Hexham Abbey Gardens

              empty purse

              Cost of living crisis could put thousands more North East families into deeper poverty

              Trending Tags

              • Opinion
                Titanic coming out of Southampton

                The 110th anniversary of the Titanic’s departure

                There is an England

                There is an England

                Prime Minister Boris Johnson signs the Withdrawal Agreement with the European Union"

                The parody of disinformation: Boris Johnson on Ukraine and Brexit

                Boris Johnson’s comments on Ukraine and Brexit are an insult

                TV Agency staff jumping in the air

                The TV Agency celebrates 10th anniversary with global success

                North East of County Dublin

                North East of England and North East of County Dublin: Compare and contrast

                North Sea oil rig

                Copping out of COP: Ukraine, fossil fuels and nuclear fusion

                Placard with Boris Johnson as a clown

                Dictators, media and mobility: erosion of identity, sustenance and safety

                close up on a child's eye

                Racism and misogyny where there should have been safeguarding and security

              No Result
              View All Result
              North East Bylines
              No Result
              View All Result
              Home Business Rural

              In the shadow of the stones

              English Romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge visited Castlerigg stone circle in 1799 with William Wordsworth

              Summer OxladebySummer Oxlade
              24-12-2020 08:26
              in Rural, UK
              standing stones

              Illustration by Tom Owen

              Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
              ADVERTISEMENT

              Five thousand years ago, Britain looked vastly different than it does today. From the climate, to the plants and trees, to the animals and landscape, this small island located off the coast of mainland Europe, resembled little of the place we know today. When I think of our Neolithic ancestors however, I’m inclined to believe we have more in common than not.

              Imagine a crisp autumn morning, an earthy smell and frosty breeze. Now picture a bustling market, filled with people selling their unique, handcrafted items. People coming and going, the air filled with a simultaneous excitement and calm as parents explore stalls with their children, picking up items, and deciding whether to take something home. Imagine this market is situated on a hillside, with mountains encroaching on the landscape around it. Seasonal changes mean that the grass becoming sparse on the ground below you, and you’re surrounded by huge grey stones arranged into an ominous circle.

              Craftspeople are huddled around fires and stalls, while they carve wood and knap flint. You’ve travelled for miles from your summer homestead to be able to congregate with others, to browse the latest wares and exchange some gossip. You see an old friend; you share a hug and introduce them to the newest member of your family. You leave at the end of the day with an axe, which will be used to chop wood for the fires, to build a shelter you’ll return to year after year, or to cut the meat you’ll cook for your loved ones.

              On a windy mid-November morning, we pulled up on a quiet country road, stretched our stiff legs and changed into some weather appropriate footwear. As I walked from the road to the farmer’s fence, following the map that told me where Castlerigg stone circle was, I imagined the people who walked this exact journey before me. I left the warmth of the car to walk through the harsh winds for only a few metres before I was greeted with the breath-taking scenery of Thirlmere valley, where the stones are. The stones sit at what feels like the edge of the earth; mountains stand tall around you and the weather hits you like you’re standing at the precipice of something fundamental. English Romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge visited the site in 1799 with William Wordsworth and noted that “the mountains stand one behind the other, in orderly array as if evoked by and attentive to the assembly of white-vested wizards”.

              Every time I visit a stone circle, whether its Stonehenge in Wiltshire, or Long Meg and Her Daughters in Penrith, I’m taken aback by the ingenuity of our ancestors. Their ability to struggle, create and overcome in circumstances that would be seen by any as less than ideal. As well as serving as meeting grounds (or a market place in the case of Castlerigg), stone circles are undeniably a fantastic example of prehistoric public art, which is sometimes overlooked by those who study the functional uses of these sites. What is especially fascinating about Castlerigg however, aside from its dramatic location, is the sheer size of the structure. There are 40 stones in total, the tallest being 7 and a half feet high, and the circle is almost 100 feet in diameter. What the stones are there for, and who exactly put them there, are questions we’ll never be able to answer with total certainty. This makes prehistoric archaeology even more fascinating. As a student of archaeology, the scientist in me spent time being incredibly frustrated with the idea that there are things we will just never know about the ancient past. However, as I’ve grown and experienced more of my own life, I’ve been able to make connections with the humanity – with the lived experiences, with the emotions – of those who came before us, instead of being obsessed with simple truths. While still being informed by scientific discoveries being made today, it is those connections to humanity that motivates me and shapes my interest in archaeology. 

              I admit that, in the past, the belief that most stone circles have ritualistic and religious connotations has made my eyes roll. In my naïve atheistic tendencies, I believed that this was a cop-out explanation of past societies, but I can now see ritual in everyday life – from your morning coffee to simple superstitions – and divorce religion from my narrow view of the Church of England. Reading an account of Neolithic life in a book by Francis Pryor, where he mentioned finding intact cooking implements that appeared to have been purposefully deposited in pits around communal structures, the mention of ritual made my brain question it immediately. Maybe there was another reason? Maybe they were moving on and didn’t want to carry a particular implement to another location? I thought of students throwing away perfectly good microwaves when they go home after finishing their degrees.


              Later on, I was driving with a friend when I noticed her salute a magpie – which was something I’d seen her do a thousand times. We laughed when we both realised what she’d done, and when I pressed her, she said she instinctively did it to avoid bad luck. I thought back and remembered bringing home a new pair of school shoes as a child, putting them on the table without thinking and my mam shouting at me to move them quickly as she warned it would bring us bad luck. Neither my friend nor my mam are religious. Neither go to church or even believe in a Christian (or otherwise) god. Now I think about all the weird and wonderful things humans do that don’t have clear explanations, and it makes me feel more connected to the people who lived here 5000 years ago.

              It feels strange to think of mass congregations at a time when weddings are cancelled and funerals are livestreamed; at a time where we’re all experiencing loneliness and alienation like never before, as we head in to winter months facing uncertainty over lockdown restrictions. This year has seen the cancellation of cultural festivals and major religious holidays have been adapted and celebrated in new ways. In the case of Eid, Muslim families took to local parks to exchange gifts and see their loved ones as meeting in households was banned. Some people donated the money they would have used for a large gathering to local charities.

              At the time that Castlerigg was in use, it will have most certainly have been a meeting point for communities on important occasions, perhaps seasonal holidays such as the winter and summer solstices. Just like on Christmas and Eid, families will have met there and exchanged items with those who lived far away from each other. Perhaps they shared food and told stories to children, passing down traditions and teaching them about their gods. As Christmas looms and I think of how this year’s celebrations will look, I wonder how journeying to the circle must have been something they anticipated – and how much they would have planned ahead.

              When the holiday season comes around, I think about the words and comfort, the excitement and the anxiety of extended families all in the same house. I imagine someone my age, back then, preparing for the trip to the circle, and what she might be thinking or feeling about it all. I think about the people that haven’t made it to Christmas, and how they’ll be honoured across the country. I think about how our ancestors honoured their relatives no longer with them.

              Coronavirus and lockdown measures have changed 2020 in a lot of different ways, but they haven’t altered basic human experience. Technology has been adapted to ensure we can still contact the people we love, and we’ve had parties and conferences online. Thanks to social media, people are more connected than ever. This year will be very different, but as humans we will be able to overcome the adversity we’re facing, and in the process we’ll invent new traditions and rituals along the way.

              Tags: Culture
              ADVERTISEMENT
              Previous Post

              The ballad of father Boris

              Next Post

              25.12.20 A Hymn to Science

              Summer Oxlade

              Summer Oxlade

              Related Posts

              Söke
              Culture

              Reflections on Söke and lessons to learn

              byBill Corcoran
              June 23, 2022
              Renault Twizy
              Environment

              Driving in style with my Renault Twizy

              byCarol Westall
              May 20, 2022
              Hannah Hauxwell in documentary Too long a Winter
              Rural

              Hannah Hauxwell: How an isolated daleswoman became a national icon

              byJames Rippon
              May 1, 2022
              Rural festival
              Rural

              Hocktide: women turning the world upside down at Easter or is there a darker side?

              byDavid Walsh
              April 20, 2022
              Titanic coming out of Southampton
              UK

              The 110th anniversary of the Titanic’s departure

              byJames Rippon
              April 10, 2022
              Next Post
              Photo by BARBARA MUNIZ on Unsplash

              25.12.20 A Hymn to Science

              Want to support us?

              Can you help North East Bylines to grow and become more sustainable with a regular donation, no matter how small?  

              DONATE

              Sign up to our newsletter

              If you would like to receive the North East Bylines regular newsletter, straight talking direct to your inbox, click the button below.

              NEWSLETTER

              LATEST

              woman on boat

              Where have all the EU citizens gone, long time passing…?

              June 27, 2022
              to seek asylum is not a crime

              Momentous week ahead for women trapped in detention in County Durham

              June 26, 2022
              RMT official picket

              Rail strikes: is class solidarity back?

              June 26, 2022
              gymnast

              Culture of fear in British gymnastics uncovered by the Whyte Review

              June 25, 2022
              doctorbird

              Doctorbird (Jamaica 1998)

              June 25, 2022
              Curfew bracelets

              Curfew bracelets

              June 24, 2022

              MOST READ

              woman on boat

              Where have all the EU citizens gone, long time passing…?

              June 27, 2022
              to seek asylum is not a crime

              Momentous week ahead for women trapped in detention in County Durham

              June 26, 2022
              RMT official picket

              Rail strikes: is class solidarity back?

              June 26, 2022
              gymnast

              Culture of fear in British gymnastics uncovered by the Whyte Review

              June 25, 2022

              BROWSE BY TAGS

              Beach Brexit Business castle leazes climate activism Co. Durham cost of living crisis Culture defra democracy ducklings Economy Education Environment fire and rescue firefighter Food & Drink food poverty Health Health & Care Home Affairs just stop oil Lifestyle Local Lockdown Northumberland Peace Performance Politics rescue Science Social Media Teesside TV & Radio Tynemouth Tyneside Ukraine volunteer Wearside

              North East Bylines is a regional online newspaper that supports citizen journalism. Our aim is to publish well-written, fact-based articles and opinion pieces on subjects that are of interest to people in the North East and beyond.

              Learn more about us

              No Result
              View All Result
              • Contact
              • About
              • Letters
              • Donate
              • Privacy
              • Bylines network
              • Shop

              © 2022 North East Bylines. Citizen Journalism | Local & Internationalist

              No Result
              View All Result
              • Home
              • News
                • Brexit
                • Education
                • Environment
                • UK News
                • Transport
                • World News
              • Politics
              • Opinion
              • Lifestyle
                • Culture
                • Music
                • Poetry
              • Business
                • Economy
                • Technology
                • Trade
              • Donate
              • Newsletter sign up
              • Boriiis Cartoons
              • Authors

              © 2022 North East Bylines. Citizen Journalism | Local & Internationalist

              Welcome Back!

              Login to your account below

              Forgotten Password?

              Retrieve your password

              Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

              Log In