[Stones] The Great Bank / Devil's Church [Tan Hill]

[Ric]

--- littlestone <littlestone at supanet.com> wrote:

> but there is no 'mound' here - show me "the north
> side" of 'Silbaby' ~ it does not exist?
> 
> That's because it may have been filled in Ric.

an archeological north-south trench here would settle
the question?

> 
> ...via the droves which lead to Tan Hill (fair),
> which is the origin of this livestock fair, only
> discontinued in the CE 1930's.
> 
> Interestingly, I remember reading somewhere that the
> Tan Hill Fair (after it ceased being held on Tan
> Hill) was moved to the field between Silbury and the
> Swallowhead for a couple of years before then being
> entirely abandoned.> 

ironically, the demise of Tan Hill Fair, an
institution probably rivalling the ritual scouring of
Uffington White Horse for longevity, was entirely due
to the rise in engine power: the droves and slopes
which are no problem for pedestrians, sheep, cattle
and horses were the undoing of motor vehicles in the
1930's - they just couldn't get up there; yes, they
did try to revive the fair, but the critical momentum
had obviously gone - a crying shame in view of local
lore and the possibly great antiquity of this
gathering;

there was a feature on Tan Hill called the 'Devil's
Church' - no-one knows what this was, but i have seen
it clearly marked out, in plan, on a map; sounds
suspiciously like the remains or memory of a pagan
shrine to me [cf. 'Waden Hill' placename]?

Ric