{continuing the ‘occasional series’ I am also writing on StDominicksBlog For previous posts on the history of this area see St. Dominick History tab under ‘History – local and everyday’ Topic}}
The original of this project map was created by the late John Dyke, an artist and, during the second world war and before his retirement from the NT, a cartographer, who used to live in Bohetherick.
On this map he included the streams and the river and dotted in the tracks that we believed would have been there by 1485, as they went from farm to farm or from these to the Mills, Church or the Manor houses. This was then shaded to show the hills in the manner used on very old maps, so that hills appear in profile even though the map is in plan-view.
However, in prehistory – of course – there was no such designated area as our Parish, but what there most probably was were the streams and the river. From countries, to counties to parishes, natural features, such as rivers and streams have been used to delineate borders, and so it is with St. Dominick parish – and it is that which gives it its shape and the slightly odd pointed end.
If you look at a reasonable large size ordnance survey of the area you will see that there are two main streams issuing into the Tamar, either side of our parish. One comes out beside Cotehele quay, the other at the far side of Halton Barton and Strawberry Hill, before Pentille. If you follow these up – you will see the parish boundary follows them as far as they go to at least one of the their higher sources (streams often having a few springs converging on them) From the highest point of each is a short run on up – and across what is now the A388 to join with the rising of two separate springs which themselves converge – and this is the odd pointed bit that just takes in Westcott. A rough sketch is shown below:
At one time it was a ‘fun’ and ‘educational’ event to ‘Beat the Bounds’ where ‘everyone’, especially the young* were taken around the whole parish boundary (*to teach them where the boundary lay). I understand there are many in the parish who took part in the last one held here – and have heard tales of this, especially concerning Westcott. Do comment if you have a tale to tell!
Setting this area in its larger pre-historic setting, by pulling our focus out a just a little, we find the Neolithic Henge (around 2500 BC) known as Castlewich Henge, situated between Castlewich and Westcott, and identified in 1951. This is not a henge like Stonehenge, but circular a bank and ditch henge, the ditch being inside the bank, of some 90m external diameter, and showing no signs of occupation (no signs of buildings within at anytime) and is therefore most probably associated with ritual or trade use in Neolithic times.
Above this, on the other side of the A388, is Balstone Down Quarry (in the triangle of trees between the A388 and the smaller road that cuts though to Callington) which was the site of Neolithic excavation and manufacture of greenstone axes – considered a Neolithic ‘axe-factory’.
Greenstone axes were prized in Neolithic times, a fine-grained dense stone it polished well and held an edge – and, for some reason, green-coloured hard stone, of any mineral composition, was popular across the Neolithic world. Some were for use but some are believed to have been used as ceremonial axes; given as gifts or deposited as votive offerings. Fifty-six greenstone axes, found in various places across the southern half of Britain, have been identified (by mineral analysis) as having come from ‘the Callington area’ and so most probably from the Balstone Down Quarry. There are only five greenstone quarries known of in Cornwall, only this one is near Callington and all the others further west – and producing a different quality of greenstone. (1)
That greenstone axes from this area were traded, and therefore found distributed across the country, bolsters the opinion that the henge may have been used as a site of trading, especially as a Neolithic ridgeway runs close to both these areas (quite likely part of the A388 follows this ridgeway)
A ridgeway was the Neolithic highway, going, literally, along the higher ridges where possible (safer to travel than the densely wooded valleys) from settlement to settlement. With the river offering a means of travel, this ridgeway is also believed to have headed down to the Tamar, quite possibly to the Halton Quay area, as travel by river was faster, safer and associated with trade. (2)
So, what of Neolithic evidence found within our ‘parish’ boundary, seeing as it is evidenced close by? Interestingly, the evidence within the parish is not of greenstone axes, but of a number of small flint tools discovered in the Ashton area. The picture below these is a drawing made by Mary Martin from the originals. (Copyright Mary Martin and reproduced here with permission) *when I have access to my stored papers I can replace this mono-chrome version with the original colour version.
I am not surprised that these were found in the vicinity of Ashton – as this is an area particularly well-endowed with springs – a pre-requisite for any early settlements. It is also closer to the recognised Neolithic features described above – henge, quarry (axe-factory) and ridgeway, – than the bulk of our parish area.
# Stepping out of the Neolithic: There are at least six springs in the Ashton area. Five of these had been turned into ‘captured-spring wells’* at sometime in history and given a little ‘well house’ – unfortunately there’s no date-line for this – but medieval is suggested (Noted by the Cornwall Archaeology Unit – referring specifically to Cornish Holy Wells “The numerous holy wells in Cornwall may be a reflection of a prehistoric, pagan, reverence towards water spirits and other natural forces. Many natural springs were provided with a well house or covering during the mediæval and later periods.” (3). The CAU only seem to consider ‘holy wells’ but there are many, many more ‘domestic captured spring wells’ that are totally disregarded and just disappear through lack of recognition or care)
*This is where a spring is dug out, a slate open box made, or carved rock basin placed, to contain the water and a little stone ‘well house’ made over it (back, sides and a roof, sometimes with a little slate shelf and usually a door to keep out animals and detritus). Water could then be dipped from this well, the excess water running over and out, making a small stream.
Four of these were visible roadside in Ashton until quite recently (when the falling of a hedgerow tree destroyed what was left of the little well-house of one and the other, basically one wall and a roof, just subsided into the stream), one is in the grounds of a cottage, one is semi-filled-in and hidden by undergrowth. The best condition and most visible is that beside Ashton Barton (the ‘manor house’ for the later Manor of Ashton) Photo below – if you zoom in you can see the well-water in the ‘box’.
REFERENCES
(1) https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10816-019-09438-6Schauer, P., Bevan, A., Shennan, S. et al. British Neolithic Axehead D(2) Movement and mobility in the Neolithic. Editors: Jim Leary and Thomas Kadoristributions and Their Implications. J Archaeology Method Theory 27,
(2) Movement and mobility in the Neolithic. Editors: Jim Leary and Thomas Kador Click for link
(3) Cornwall Archaeology Unit – Holy Well
LINK cornwall-and-scilly-historic-environment-record/access-to-monuments/find-by-period/find-monuments-by-period/mediaeval/holy-well
Did you ‘Beat the Bounds’ back in the day? Do tell your tale in the comments!
Did you already know of Castlewich Henge and the greenstone axe ‘factory’ at Balstone Down?
Had you noticed the well-houses in Ashton – and in many other parts of St. Dominick too?
Have you got one in your grounds, or in the lane outside locally?
Do SHARE and COMMENT – I love to hear from you. Xx Ann 🙂
ps If you are reading this on email and would like to comment just click onto the title and it will take you to the actual blog – so you can comment there.
If it is the first time you have written a comment don’t worry if it doesn’t appear immediately, your first comment has to be verified (to keep the spam-bots out) and I do this personally – so I am sure to see your comment – thanks for reading – Ann
Remember – reviews of books are a great way to say ‘thank you’ to an author if you like what they write,
Thank You