Beacon Hills of the Thames Valley

Home	Calendar	.	National
Gloucs	Oxford	Chilterns	Herts
KennetW	KennetE	Windsor	London
LandsEnd	Exmoor	Mendips	.

Hills & Beacons of the Thames Valley

London	.	London	Calendar	.
TQ2783	London	Primrose Hill The Gorsedd of Bards established here in 1792	.	.
TQ2786	London	Parliament Hill Stronghold for parliamentary troops in the civil war.	.	.
TQ2887	London	Highgate Hill Turn again, Whittington, thrice Lord Mayor of London	.	.
TQ4376	Greenwich	Shooters Hill (132m) :Highest Point in South London. It was once the haunt of highwaymen. May Day 1515 was celebrated by Henry VIII and Queen Catherine going a-Maying on Shooters Hill. "Bringing home the May" was greatly enjoyed by Henry. ". . . the King and Queen accompanied by many lords and ladies rode to the high ground of Shooters Hill to take the open air on May Day. They were met by a company of 200 archers dressed in green and by Robyn Hood. The noble company were given a display of fancy shooting and entertained to a woodland feast. (The proceedings were watched by an enormous crowd, said to have numbered twenty-five thousand people.)"	.	.
.	.	.	.	.

Herts	.	Hertfordshire	Calendar	.
TQ3894	Chingford	Pole Hill :Nothing to do with Maypoles (it was in Chingford St Paul's parish) but being on the Greenwich meridian it was used by astronomers at the Greenwich observatory to set their telescopes bearings to true north.	.	.
TL3411	Little Amwell	The Beacon:Prominent beacon on early maps of Christopher Saxton, John Speed & co. Saxton's survey of the 1570's involved observations from beacon hills, castles, church towers and other high places to which he was permitted access by authority of Queen Elizabeth I.	.
TL0930	Hexton	Wayting Hill: Francis Taverner, Lord of the manor in the early 17th century wrote an account of Hock Tuesday when the women of Hexton wrestled with the men to bring down an ashen pole from the hill and set it up at the cross by the Town House door. There followed a feast and the gathering of money for charity and church funds.	.	.
.	.	.	.	.

Windsor

Windsor Forest

Calendar

SU8063

Finchampstead

The Ridges

SU8671

Binfield

Cabbage Hill : On the evening of June 3 2003 a crowd gathered to watch the lighting of a beacon to celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee. Entertainment included the national anthem played on electric guitar!

3Jun

SU8756

Farnborough

St. Michael's Abbey: Benedictine Monastery situated on densely wooded hill. You may certainly hear some Gregorian chant on this hill but definitely no dancing or may games.The church, in whose crypt lies Napoleon III and the Empress Eugenie, is in the Gothic style. The creatures which peer out from its walls give the very unsettling impression that they are about to leap onto you.

SU8774

Binfield

Hawthorn Hill : See Legends

SU8786

Marlow

Winter Hill: Local beauty spot with views across the Thames into Buckinghamshire.
Quarry Wood: was the inspiration for the Wild Wood in The Wind in the Willows when the author lived in nearby Cookham Dean.

SU9972

Runnymede

Cooper's Hill: Overlooks Runnymede. On a clear day you can see Wembley Stadium from here.

SU8746

Farnham

Crooksbury Hill: Viewpoint overlooking Waverley Abbey

SU8639

Churt

The Devil's Jumps: When the Devil seized mother Ludlam's cauldron, he made 7 great leaps and a hill arose where ever his boots touched the ground. He dropped the cauldren on Kettlebury Hill and disappeared into the ground at the Devil's Punchbowl (Hindhead). Mother Ludlam then took the cauldren to Frensham church and placed it there for safety. (The cauldren is thought to have been used for brewing the church ales in reality) On Whit Tuesday the country people would gather to dance on the highest, eastern hill. The stories about the witch and the devil may be an example of old church customs (such as the church ale) being demonised after the reformation.

WhitTue

TQ0248

Guildford

St. Martha's Hill : Situated along the Pilgrim's Way from Winchester to Canterbury. People from the neighborhood of Guildford would make a pilgrimage to the hill on a Good Friday. "Thither from all the countryside youths and maidens, old folks and children, betake themselves, and gathered together on one of the most beautiful spots in Surrey, in full sight of an old Norman church which crowns the summit of the hill, beguile the time with music and dancing." There was said to have been a maze here at one time.

Martha subdued the terrible "Tarasque" dragon by sprinkling holy water over him and binding him fast with her girdle. A church was built on the spot and the city of Tarascon (France) developed around it.
< Left: Pilgrims & dancers make their way to St. Martha's church.

GoodFri

TQ0267

Thorpe

St Ann's Hill (Eldebury Hill): Armada Beacon replica. Lit on 19th July 1988 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the sighting of the Spanish Armada. The 31st Dec 1992 to mark the advent of the Single European Market. The 8th May 1995 for the 50th anniversary VE day celebrations and on the 3rd June 2002 for the Queen's Golden Jubilee.
In medieval times a fair was held here on the feast of St. Anne (26 July)

Near the top of the hill is a clear spring where nearby use to lie the Devils Stone which was said to be unmoveable and to have treasure hidden underneath - this was obviously false since the stone has obviously been removed! Another spring in Monk's Grove was valued for its medicinal properties.

19Jul

Chilterns

Chiltern Hills

Calendar

TL0019

Dunstable

Dunstable Downs: 19th July 1988 400th anniversary of sighting of the Spanish Armada. Beacon lit after receiving signal from Windsor Great Park

19Jul

SU7093

Christmas Common

Watlington Hill with 18th century white mark in the shape of a spire. Designed by local squire Edward Horner who wanted the Norman church of St. Leonard to appear as if it had a spire when viewed from his home.

SU7297

Aston Rowant

Beacon Hill Nature reserve.

SP8203

Whiteleaf

Whiteleaf Cross: A festival used to be held when the cross was scoured. A festival was also held on VE day when the cross was revealed again (all chalk figures had to be covered up during the Second World War since they could be used by enemy aircraft for navigation)

SU8493

High Wycombe

Desborough Castle: Medieval ringwork now covered by trees. Excellent views of High Wycombe, West Wycombe Hill (see below) and the Chilterns.

SU8294

West Wycombe

West Wycombe Hill (From Desborough Castle) Topped by the 18th century church of St. Lawrence with its golden ball. The Dashwood Mausoleum is the white building in front of the church. Beneath the hill are the "Hellfire Caves" with a delightful Cafe and Gift Shop! Link

SP8306

Ellesborough

View over Aylesbury Vale from Beacon Hill

Ellesborough: Church of St. Peter & St. Paul.

Beacon Hill Ellesborough

Beacon Hill on a frosty winter's day.

TL9616

Ivinghoe

Beacon Hill :Merry making would take place here on Palm Sunday. Also known as Fig Sunday and it was popular to eat figs or fig puddings at these gatherings. The flower is the Pasque Flower which blooms around Easter and is said to mark the sites of battles with the Danes.

PalmSun

KennetE	.	Kennet East	Calendar	.
SU3086	Uffington	Whitehorse Hill : Sports and games were held on Whitehorse Hill when the hill figure was scoured. The first recorded event was in 1755 and the last in 1892. Events included: backsword play (basically fighting with sticks), chasing a cheese down the hill, wrestling, various races, climbing the greasy pole, catching a greased pig, "jingling matches" and "grinning through a horse collar" Click for more	.	.
SU3561	Inkpen	Inkpen Beacon, Combe Gibbet & Walbury Hill	.	.
SU4557	Burghclere	Beacon Hill	.	.
SU4585	East Hendred	Scutchamer Knob : marked by a tumulus along the Ridgeway. A place where local people held fairs and gatherings.	.	.
SU1274	Broad Hinton	Hackpen Hill : The White Horse on this hill is said to have been cut in 1838 to commemorate the coronation of Queen Victoria. A story tells how a shepherd lost his way here and found himself inside a Fairy Hill where he was shown strange underground places and heard music.	.	.
SU1476	Wroughton	Barbury Castle	.	.
SU2079	Liddington	Liddington Castle: Inspiration to the young Richard Jefferies who was to write of it later in his autobiography : "There was a hill to which I used to resort at such periods. The labour of walking three miles to it, all the while gradually ascending, seemed to clear my blood of the heaviness accumulated at home. On a warm summer day the slow continued rise required continual effort, which carried away the sense of oppression. The familiar everyday scene was soon out of sight; I came to other trees, meadows, and fields; I began to breathe a new air and to have a fresher aspiration...."	.	.
.	.	.	.	.

Oxford	.	Oxfordshire	Calendar	.
SP2020	Wyck Rissington	Wyck Beacon: said to be the grave of a highwayman from Westcote village.	.	.
SU5692	Long Wittenham	Wittenham Clumps: Tree topped hill much loved by the artist Paul Nash. The following poen by Joseph Tubb was inscribed on the nearby Poem Tree: As up the hill with labr'ing steps we tread Where the twin Clumps their sheltering branches spread The summit's gain'd at ease reclining lay and all around the wide spread scene survey Point out each object and instructive tell The various changes that the land befel Where the low bank the country wide surrounds That ancient earthwork form'd old Murcias bounds In misty distance see the barrow heave there lies forgotten lonely Calchelms grave Around this hill the ruthless Danes intrenched and these fair plains with gory slaughter drench'd While at our feet where stands that stately tower In days gone by uprose the Roman power And yonder, there where Thames smooth waters glide In later days appeared monastic pride Within that field where lies the grazing herd Huge walls were found, some coffins disinter'd Such is the course of time, the wreck which fate And awful doom award the earthly great.	.
SU2694	Faringdon	Badbury Hill. Known locally as Badbury Clump, its woodland being carpeted with bluebells in the Spring. It is an Iron Age Hill Fort but is associated with the legendary Battle of Mons Badonicus where King Arthur defeated the Anglo-Saxons	.	.
.	.	.	.	.

KennetW	.	Kennet West	Calendar	.
SU0764	Devizes	Tan Hill A fair was held here on St. Anne's Day 6 August. There used to be a White Horse cut into the hillside near the site of the fair and also a small stone circle nearby.	6Aug	.
SU1068	Avebury	Silbury Hill :On Palm Sunday local people would climb to the top for cakes, ale and merry making. Legend says that King Sil is buried here on horseback in a golden coffin or that the Devil dumped his shovel load of earth here. He was on his way to smother Avebury but met a cobbler with a sack of shoes and asked how far it was to Avebury. The cobbler told the Devil that he had worn out the sack of shoes walking from there, so the Devil gave up and dumped his load.	PalmSun
ST8951	Westbury	Westbury White Horse: The present shape of the horse was cut in 1778 (by a Mr G. Gee!) although the first mention of a horse on this site was in 1742. In the late 1950's it became a concrete horse (painted white) to reduce maintenance and was concreted again in 1995.	.
.	.	.	.	.

Gloucs	.	Gloucestershire	Calendar	.
SO8914	Brockworth	Cooper's Hill : Cheese Rolling: Late May Bank Holiday Monday Web Site	LstMonMay	.
SO6921	May Hill	May Hill: The tall coppice of trees on the top is said to have been planted for Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee. The name refers to the May games which used to be played on the hill. The local youths formed 2 teams one representing winter and the other spring. They took part in a mock battle, with spring always winning of course, bringing down with them flowers and greenery and singing "We have brought the summer home". (F.D. Fosbrooke 1807) The hill also has its ghosts and secret tunnels! Morris dancers can be seen at dawn on May Day.	1May	.
.	.	.	.	.

Mendips

Mendip & Quantock Hills

Calendar

ST5239

Glastonbury

Glastonbury Tor No Ordinary Hill ! You could devote a whole web site to this.... and someone already has: glastonburytor.org.uk

ST3530

Burrow Mump A chapel dedicated to St. Michael belonging to Athelney Abbey stood on the summit before the mid 13th century and was rebuilt several times before people gave up and built a church at the foot of the hill in 1838. It was garrisoned by Royalist forces in 1642 and 1645 during the civil war and by the King's Army in 1685 during Monmouth's Rebellion. There were 4 shops below the hill in 1539 and an inn by 1657 variously known as the Anchor, the Burrow Inn, the Bell and since 1826 as the King Alfred

ST3251

Brent Knoll. An annual 5.5 mile race is held to the top and back on the last Sunday in November

LstSunNov

ST1241

West Quantoxhead

Beacon Hill View towards Minehead >
The Quantocks

The Quantock Hills. Watercolour by Richard Waite

Exmoor	.	Exmoor	Calendar	.
SS8941	Exmoor	Dunkery Beacon	.
SS9047	Selworthy	Bossington Hill and Selworthy Beacon (from Porlock Bay)	.
ST0435	Nettlecombe	Beacon Hill	.	.
ST0733	Elworthy	Elworthy Barrows	.	.
.	.	.	.	.

LandsEnd	.	Lands End & The Lizard	Calendar	.
SW6840	St. Just	Carn Brae : Midsummer Eve is the Feast of St John (Goljowan - Johns Feast) and it is time for the lighting of the Midsummer Bonfires. The first fire use to be lit on Garrack Sans (Holy Rock) Sennen from where the chain of fires spread. The custom was restored by the Old Cornwall Movement in 1929. Mounts Bay was alight with fires and young people danced "thread the needle" through the streets of Penzance. Further festivities followed 5 days after on St Peter's eve. Today the fires begin on Carn Brea and continue to Kit Hill on the eastern border of Cornwall.	23Jun	.
SW5129	Mounts Bay	St. Michael's Mount	.	.
.	.	.	.	.

National	.	Other Sites in England & Wales	Calendar	.
SX0790	Trevalga	Firebeacon Hill	.	.
SX37711	Callington	Kit Hill: Eastern-most beacon lit in the chain starting at Carn Brae on Midsummer Eve. It was said that the signal from Cornwall could reach London in 20 minutes if an invasion should take place.	23Jun	.
ST6601	Cerne Abbas	Cerne Abbas Giant. According to folklore this represents a Danish giant who led an invasion of England, but as he slept on the hillside, villagers cut off his head and drew the outline around where he lay. He sometimes rises on dark nights and goes down to the stream for a drink. Historically he is first mentioned in 1751 when it was suggested that he was cut in the mid 16th century. Above his head is a small Iron Age earthworth known as the Frying Pan or Trendle. On May Day the village maypole was erected here.	1May	.
TQ4805	Alciston	Firle Beacon	.	.
TQ5403	Wilmington	Long Man of Wilmington. It was said that the Giant on Firle Beacon threw his hammer at the Wilmington Giant and killed him. Others say that a shepherd killed him by throwing his dinner at him. The sun cast a shadow on the hill and the monks from Wilmington Abbey cut the outline. The Long Man Morris Dancers dance here each May Day morning at 0530 BST.	1May	.
TL4953	Wandlebury	Wandlebury Hill Fort Situated in the Gog Magog Hills SE of Cambridge it can boast an old tale about a dark night-rider who no mortal could defeat and rumors of a mysterious lost hill figure. During Anglo Saxon times it was known as "Wendlesbiri" and was an important meeting place for 9 "Hundreds". In the 1730s a racing stable and substantial house were built on the site obliterating many of the earth works although the outer ditch still remains.	.	.
TQ3312	Westmeston	Ditchling Beacon	.	.
SU8736	Hindhead	Beacon Hill	.
SO7645	Malvern Hills	Worcestershire Beacon	.	.
SN9921	Brecon	Brecon Beacons	.	.
SU2002	Burley	Burley Beacon	.	.
SU5243	Micheldever	Popham Beacons	.	.
TG1841	Cromer	Beacon Hill & Church Tower Beacon	.	.
TF0662	Dunston	Dunston Pillar Land Lighthouse Built in 1751 to guide travellers between Lincoln and Sleaford. Even had a Bowling Green and Assembly Room for travellers to enjoy on route. The lantern was replaced with a bust of George III in 1808.
.	.	.	.	.