| View previous topic :: View next topic |
Tilo Rebar
In: Sussex
|
|
 |
|
| Hatty wrote: | | ...There may be a connection with trows, boats that carried goods up and down the Severn and able to pass under bridges by dint of taking down the mast... |
Yes, and trow could have come from the OE verb...
Treowan = Trow (pronounced as in cow) means to trust in = be on the level.
Trowel = tool for levelling. The boats with take-down mast were able to level the deck to get under low bridges. It is likely that portages for heavy boats would have had to be level so that ox carts could be used to transport them across the land bridge.
"The Diolkos was a paved track-way in Ancient Greece which enabled boats to be moved overland across the Isthmus of Corinth between the Gulf of Corinth and the Saronic Gulf. The ~4.5 mile long roadway was a rudimentary form of railway, and operated from around 600 BC until the middle of the 1st century AD."
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
Hatty
Site Admin
In: Berkshire
|
|
|
|
Very interesting, about the Diolkos crossing, Tilo. Is it the only 'portage road'?
In Scotland Dorlinn names seem connected with causeways, e.g. the Doirlin, the shingle causeway at Davaar Island (Eilean Da Bharr) on the Mull of Kintyre, and a hamlet called Doirlinn overlooking Eilean Tioram further north on the west coast (three miles west of the meridian)
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Boreades
In: finity and beyond
|
|
|
|
| Hatty wrote: | | Very interesting, about the Diolkos crossing, Tilo. Is it the only 'portage road'? |
Haven't we discussed this before? I have a vague memory of somewhere else in the Western Isles, Orkneys or Shetlands where there is still an annual event of dragging a longboat across an isthmus from one sea to another. To keep alive an ancient tradition. IIRC, it was proposed this was part of a safe route from Norway to the Fairoes and beyond.
Meanwhile, the Shetlands looks like a likely spot for Mick & Hattie's next holiday
http://visit.shetland.org/up-helly-aa
Mixing it with a lot of old Guizers/Geezers.
Lerwick = Jarl's burg.
Probably the best British Viking town in the world
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Tilo Rebar
In: Sussex
|
|
|
|
| Hatty wrote: | | Very interesting, about the Diolkos crossing, Tilo. Is it the only 'portage road'? |
The Diolkos was the oldest I could find, but lots of examples of portages being used in Russia, Canada and the Great Lakes in the USA in recorded history. The Tarbert (=portage) is a good indication that they existed in Scotland too, although whether any of these singularly boring features should still exist today is open to argument.
Even the lone Greek remaining example, the Diolkos, came as a surprise to me and is sufficient evidence that efficient professionally manned portage routes could have been in business in Scotland. We know Megalithic Inc had a penchant for building the infrastructure needed to develop profitable toll businesses, such as Hadrian's Wall. In comparison, building a level portage track would have been a doddle.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Boreades
In: finity and beyond
|
|
|
|
From here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarbert
Scotland
Tarbert, Argyll and Bute the town at the northern end of the Kintyre peninsula, Argyll
Tarbert, Western Isles, a ferry port on the Isle of Harris
Loch Tarbert, Jura, on the west coast of the island of Jura
West Loch Tarbert, an inlet between North and South Harris
East Loch Tarbert also by Harris in the Western Isles of Scotland
West Loch Tarbert, Argyll in Argyll
East Loch Tarbert, Argyll also in Argyll
Glen Tarbert, between Loch Linnhe and Loch Sunart
Tarbert Hill, above the town of West Kilbride
Tarbert Bay, on the Isle of Canna
Loch Tarbert, a sea loch on the Isle of Jura
East Tarbert Bay and West Tarbert Bay on the Isle of Gigha
Ireland
Tarbert, County Kerry, a ferry port on the estuary of the River Shannon in County Kerry.
Tarbert, County Laois, a townland in County Laois
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Chad
In: Ramsbottom
|
|
|
|
We can also add Tarbet (with an r missing) which lies on a narrow isthmus between Loch Lomond and the head of Loch Long... giving access to the sea.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Tilo Rebar
In: Sussex
|
|
|
|
Good find Chad, and this snippet seems to confirm its use as a portage...
"In 1098 Magnus Barefoot, King of Norway, had his long-ship transported across the isthmus at Tarbert."
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Chad
In: Ramsbottom
|
|
|
|
At the other side of the isthmus from Tarbet, is the village of Arrochar (at the head of Loch Long).
Very interestingly, the Gaelic name for Arrochar is 'An Tairbeart Iar'.
And this is from Wiki:
| For over five centuries this area, the feudal barony of Arrochar, was held by the chiefs of Clan MacFarlane and before them by their ancestors the barons of Arrochar. The family is Celtic in the male line and native to their Highland homeland of tall peaks and deep lochs just above the waist of Scotland. The settlement was a key target for Viking raiders who took their boats 2 miles overland to Tarbet to attack the unprotected inland settlements at Loch Lomond. | |
|
| |
|
|
|
Hatty
Site Admin
In: Berkshire
|
|
|
|
The Chad Tarbet is linked by an A road (not many of them around here) to Arrochar. Just to the south of the road is an enclosure, or several linked rooms/enclosures (hard to tell as the site's completely overgrown)
| 500m E of Stuckdhu farmhouse at c50m OD overlooking the A83/Old Toll Road. A figure of eight enclosure with well-built stone dykes enclosing two mounds, apparently glacial in origin, c100m by 70m overall. Bounded on S side by old trackway and bridge across burn, on the E by the burn. At the S end beside the burn is an artificially levelled platform. Within the upper enclosed area in bedrock outcropping is a possible hut circle/circular shieling 8m in diameter. This southern mound may have been revetted along its N edge. The northern mound is oval in plan and c15m by 22m and although probably natural appears to have loose stone accumulated on it. To the E of this enclosure and separated from it by the burn is a further rectangular enclosure c38m by 29m. This enclosure contains a raised platform, 12m by 13m, in its SE corner and rig and furrow spaced 5m apart. This enclosure is possibly later than the figure of eight enclosure. |
which is known as Stuckiedhu and on a trackway that runs parallel to the A (toll) road. Possibly stock pens as this was a drovers' route. The Megalithic Portal is unimpressed http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=19425
Just north of the Crinan Canal is Loch Craignish (the meridian passes its western entrance at Craignish Point). At the eastern end, or head, of Craignish Loch is Kintraw standing stone, 'The Watch Stone', which greatly excites archaeo-astronomers it seems http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=35470
The stone is surrounded by what appear to be sheep folds
Kintraw is 2-3 miles west of Ford, a village at the head of Loch Awe and site of another standing stone.
The two places are linked by a track that joins the A816; not sure if it was a portage road but the occurrence of standing stones located at the heads of lochs may have been useful for land travellers as well as sailors. At any rate both sets of travellers used tarbert places with or without midwinter solstices and the like.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Chad wrote: | | At the other side of the isthmus from Tarbet, is the village of Arrochar |
Hunting...Auroch.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Tilo Rebar
In: Sussex
|
|
|
|
| nemesis8 wrote: | | Chad wrote: | | At the other side of the isthmus from Tarbet, is the village of Arrochar |
Hunting...Auroch. |
Or could could it be a cowdrey (=ox cart) ?
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Tilo Rebar wrote: | | Or could could it be a cowdrey (=ox cart) ? |
Clever.....
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Mick Harper
Site Admin
In: London
|
|
|
|
This 'norbert erratic' ie 'a post-glacial feature', appeared on Countryfile tonite:
The ever-credulous John Craven was agog that apparently the "geology was upside down with the older rock on top". Yes, John, geology is indeed upside down.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Boreades
In: finity and beyond
|
|
|
|
I'm surprised the ever-credulous John Craven didn't suggest it was Global Warming wot dunnit. See the retreating glaciers.
Meanwhile, my cousin MacBoreades tells me that yesterday morning on BBC Radio Scotland they were discussing "Rewilding the Highlands", by reintroducing a few missing species, like Wolf and Wild Boar. Roaming the Megalithic Highlands could get a damned sight more exciting if these proposals come to pass.
We're told here
http://www.roydennis.org/animals/mammals/other-mammals/
that
"Wild boar were driven to extinction in the UK approximately 400 years ago, through hunting and habitat loss. "
No mention of when wolves were made extinct. Any ideas?
In Megalithic times, presumably(?) with wolves and wild boar roaming the countryside(?), some long-distance travellers must had Close Encounters of The Frightening Kind? Which would surely pose the old question/joke:
How fast do you need to run to get away from the beastie?
Just a bit faster than you!
And another reason why travelling by boat across the Celtic Fringe was safer than travelling across country?
As wolves are natural predators of badgers, and human-powered culling of badgers has been a dismal failure, perhaps we need to reintroduce them in areas like Glos & Oxon as well? And then in urban areas, like Notting Hill, where foxes are becoming less of a cuddly novelty and more of a pest?
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Tilo Rebar
In: Sussex
|
|
|
|
| Boreades wrote: | | ...discussing "Rewilding the Highlands", by reintroducing a few missing species, like Wolf and Wild Boar... |
Bloody lunatics! However, should either wild boars or wolves ever become successful again in Scotland, I expect the local farmers would deal with the pests in the appropriate manner PDQ - probable making some money on the side by charging trophy hunters for the privilege of doing the dirty deed.
Sheep farmers in Sussex are starting to have problems with the high local population of buzzards, and are dealing with it their own way...
Buzzards killed in Sussex shootings
http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/10890743.Buzzards_killed_in_Sussex_shootings/
I'm sure that the actual numbers are much, much larger, as the reported incidences are only the bodies that were found rather than being collected and disposed of properly by the farmer.
Regarding the 'last wolf in Scotland', the actual date is uncertain, but somewhere ~18th century is the given period; this following a concerted campaign of bounty hunting to rid the country of these predatory pests.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
The Library Index 
FAQ 
Search
Register
Profile 
Log in to check your private messages 
Log in 
