Pewsey Church

Joined : 15 Jan 2008 Posts : 850 Location : Surrey

Other sites/blogs I have seen. Use this Church as a example of of a Church Christianising Pagan Stones...

Must admit it had me thinking for a while... (Bad habit. Bad, bad habit)

First I noticed that this part of the Church is in a different style to the other side (It's from a differant time frame)
Next, I think that the banking on the left has been pulled away from the Church to expose the Footings (I have a feeling the drainage channel has a connection to this)
Finally I have read that there was a Saxon Church on the site before this one and the Sarson stones were part of the foundations..

Anybody have anything else ???

Tony

Subject: Re: Pewsey Church Fri Jul 18, 2008 1:43 pm

I have loads of similar photos.
Yatesbury for one.
You have to be carefull.
Too many people jump to the conclusion that just becuase there are stones in the footings that it must have been built on a pagan stone circle.
In places like Yatesbury there are a lot of stray single stone burials found in the surrounding fields.

Have you seen the group of stones near the river at Pewsey called The Grove?
PeteG

Joined : 15 Jan 2008 Posts : 850 Location : Surrey

Subject: Re: Pewsey Church Fri Jul 18, 2008 2:15 pm

From Pewsey church walk downhill to the river.
Over the bridge you will see a line of stones near the riverbank.
Behind these is footpath leading to a jumble of stones in the wood.

PeteG

Joined : 15 Jan 2008 Posts : 850 Location : Surrey

Any history or story behind them Pete..

Aren't they a long way from home ?

Tony

Subject: Re: Pewsey Church Fri Jul 18, 2008 2:57 pm

lots of speculation but nothing provable.
They could heve been part of a stray sarsen drift.
There are several around.
Because the woods are known localy as The Grove people have gone a bit mad with ideas.
To me it looks like the remains of a long barrow.
PeteG

Joined : 15 Jan 2008 Posts : 850 Location : Surrey

Thanks for the info..

I will definitely give it a look, see..

Tony

Joined : 22 May 2008 Posts : 26

Pevesner says of Pewsey church....that its late Norman with four bays, their foundations mighty sarsen stones.. He also goes on to mention the pagan saxon cemetery 1 mile ssw. he talks of 60 burials, the cemetery overlies an earlier I/A settlement.
Then there is also Martinsell Hill, I/A hillfort, by Oare. If you park near the layby at Oare, cross the road, down a green lane with cottages, you come to a Saxon road, it runs under Martinsell Hill.
Seen the Grove stones they are very interesting, given that there is iron age and Saxon settlement round Pewsey, plus plenty of water, so perhaps there was an earlier bronze/neolithic history as well...

Joined : 15 Jan 2008 Posts : 850 Location : Surrey