Mysterious Britain & Ireland

Category: Ancient Sites

Ancient Sites / Wells

Broad Well (aka Brade Wyll, Boiling Well, Laughing Well), Alton Priors

It has been suggested that Alton Barnes may have derived its name from its proximity to this holy well or sacred spring, which appeared in Saxon Charters as Bradewelle as early as 825AD. In ‘A History of the County of Wiltshire: Volume 10 (1975)’ Broad Well receives three mentions which are quoted below.

Ancient Sites / Stone Circles

Sanctuary (aka Hakpen)

The ancient site known as the Sanctuary can be found on Overton Hill (aka Hakpen Hill) at the start of the Ridgeway footpath.  Dating from 3000BC it is the site of a stone circle which marked the end of the West Kennet Avenue.

Ancient Sites / Chalk Hill Figures

Alton Barnes White Horse

The Alton Barnes white horse dates from 1812 and can be found on a slope facing southeast between Milk Hill (one of the highest points in Wiltshire) and Walkers Hill, nearly a mile north of Alton Barnes. Measuring 160 feet by 166 feet, the horse was commissioned by Robert Pile from Manor Farm in Alton Barnes and designed by John Thorne (Jack the Painter).

Ancient Sites / Early Christianity / Standing Stones

All Saints Church, Alton Priors

The Grade II listed All Saints Church in Alton Priors dates from the 12th century. According to ‘A History of the County of Wiltshire: Volume 11’ (1980) ‘The church of ALL SAINTS, Alton Priors, is built of freestone, rubble, and red brick and has a chancel, nave, and west tower. The chancel arch survives from the 12th-century church.

Ancient Sites / Roman

Caer Leb

Caer Leb is a rectangular shaped earthwork with double banks and ditches. It measures approximately two hundred feet by one hundred and sixty feet, so it is quite a large site. A 3rd Century brooch and a 4th Century denarius along with some Roman pottery and Iron Age quern stones have been found at Caer Leb.

Early Christianity / Legends

St Canna’s Church, Llangan

The current church is thought to have been on the site of the original chapel founded by St Canna. It was rebuilt in 1820, but many references from the late 19th century refer to it as being dilapidated and unused. I am unsure of its recent history at the moment but what I am interested in is a legend attached to its construction.

Ancient Sites / Early Christianity / Wells

St Canna’s Stone (aka St Canna’s Chair) & Fynnon Ganna (Canna’s Holy Well)

St Canna (Born 510AD) founded churches at both Llangan and Llanganna, though she is thought to have maintained her residence at Llangan (Llang-gan) in Carmarthenshire (not to be confused with Llangan in the Vale of Glamorgan). It is here in Llangan that we find her church and records of a holy well and a cubical shaped stone inscribed with the name ‘Carina’ that were associated with the saint.