Posted 11 years ago
vetraio50
(756 items)
The post card collection that I have been working though recently has focussed on the Abbeys of Yorkshire. The cards were collected by Clara and Septimus Miller while on a world tour in 1906. Looking at the cards you see that these people had a taste for Norman architecture and while moving around Yorkshire they came across sites and sights that caught their eye and bought a postcard ... or three or four! They then went into a large Art Nouveau postcard album as an aide-memoire.
This card, however, is a bit unusual.
It has the theme of the 'Sacred' and of 'Stone', but it is pre-Christian.
It is the only card from the set that has a Druidic theme.
It is entitled "The Druids' Altar, Brimham Rocks" and is part of the Valentine series no. 2700. The Valentine Series is a well known series of real life photographic postcards published by J. Valentine of Dundee, Scotland and London, England for the tourist market.
Ordnance Survey (Os) grid reference SE2085 6458 is a site about 2 miles to the north of Summerbridge in Nidderdale, north Yorkshire: Brimham Moor.
The Druids' Altar is one of a large number of outcrops of millstone grit eroded by the elements over the last 18,000 years or so. They are notable for the grotesque shapes that we see today. The huge rocks have gradually formed themselves into pinnacles, buttreses, tors and crags – some of them being 50 feet high and weighing up to 200 tonnes. The most spectacular is Idol Rock! aka ‘The Druids Idol’ or ‘The Druid’s Writing Desk’ which sits or pivots on a lump of rock only 1 foot in circumference, looking like it could fall over at any moment!
But since Victorian times other formations have been given names relating to the Druids. On one of the rocking stones apparently there are some prehistoric cup-marks near its base, which would suggest that Neolithic tribes inhabited the area and probably recognised it has being a sacred place.
The site is now owned by The National Trust Estate.
Many thanks MOON!
Kevin, very cool!
Awesome!!!
Fascinating, Kevin, thanks !
Many thanks MOON, SEAN, PHIL, GARY, LEAH 'n TONINO too!
many thanks VALENTINO!
Many thanks AGHCOLLECT!
I wonder how many sacrifices were made on those stone the first thought that come to me to be honest. Have a great day
Many thanks, ZOWIE!
Many thanks KAREN!
Many thanks MIKELV!
Many thanks DON!
Many thanks AIMATHENA!
Many thanks BRACKEN3!
Many thanks VANSKYCOCK!
Thanks for the show you do not often see things about the Druids like this well I don't. It's all overcast up here but I think it will be a day or two before we cope it again, at least it's dried out a little. Looking on the weather map it seems to have a bit coming in from out to sea.
Manythanks ZOWIE 'n ANTIQUES IN NJ!
It's warm and humid here today ZO, anything could happen.
Sydney is getting used to freak storms that seem to come and go in an hour.
Many thanks INKY too!
Many thanks ANTIQUES IN NJ!
Many thanks BRACKEN3 'n BRATJDD!
Many thanks GEO26E!
Many thanks NUTSABOTAS!
Yeah it really has done a turn around since I lived down that way. Once you could go by the seasons & be pretty well spot on it doesn't seem to be like that anywhere any more. Take care kev I'm glad to see you shortened it the way I normally do my name that is. My aunt is out at Penrith & it seems it hard to tell what the weather will be from one day to the next lately. Be careful & have a great day to you & yours.
Thanks ZOWIE. Wet one here today!
And here mate has been for weeks more often then not & it looks like a lot more to come. I'm glad the cyclone t.c. gillan has gone back out to sea at a category 5 glad it didn't hit seems to be getting stronger. Time for a break
My favorite motorcycling territory as a younger man. Took the wife there on occasion, sometimes en-route to the Lake District (by car with the missus). The place does not look much on a card, but the walks around there are amazing (for England).
Thanks for your comments and memories CHARGREAVES! The bike riders have taken over the whole area these days!
Many thanks HO2CULTCHA!
Many thanks ANTIQUEROSE!
Many thanks NH10 !! !! !! !!