Oct 19, 2012 wayland s smithy is one of my favourite places. Waylands smithy buckland church of england primary school. Enjoy these are just 15 photos of wayland s smithy. A neolithic chambered long barrow, it was once believed to have been the home of wayland, the saxon god of metal working. If this is the case then the symbolic import of a bent tree next to the cross could not be clearer the irminsul has fallen, christ is triumphant. Remembering a visit to wayland s smithy in october 2018. An english tradition connects wayland with a stone burial chamber near white horse hill, berkshire, known as waylands smithy. I followed this west for about a mile to another neolithic chambered long barrow known as waylands smithy.
Its a nicely recreated preserved long barrow burial mound, in a clearing of beech trees. Disabled ramblers at waylands smithy after rambling from ashdown house. In an agreement with the staked plains baptist association and the people of plainview, dr. Back in the days before christianity came to these shores, the saxon bards would delight in standing before a blazing fire to tell elaborate tales of their gods and heroes. Wayland the smiths tale was first written down in an old norse poem from the thirteenth century, the volundarkitha, which tells of the exploits of volundr the norse form of wayland. Waylands smithy one of the real ancient places in the world waylands smithy is a neolithic long barrow and chamber tomb site located near the uffington white horse,and uffington castle, dating from around 3700bc at ashbury in the english county of oxfordshire. Waylands smithy is a splendid long barrow which adjoins the ridgeway, and is a short walk from the white horse and uffington castle. Wayland the smith is even credited as the first shadowhunter weapons maker, famous for forging a number of legendary blades, including cortana and excalibur.
Ive only seen it on a sunny day, but the atmosphere was powerful and evocative there was a sort of stillness to it, even though the wind was rippling through the beech leaves. Sutherland a legendary master blacksmith wayland the smith has different names in the folklore of many other cultures. History the burial chamber underwent two distinct phases of construction, identified during excavations in the 1960s. The saxons living in the area in the first few centuries ad would have had no frame of reference with which to understand the lives of the bodies buried inside three thousand years before.
The workshop supported the required creative coursework element of their english gcse and was based around the ancient burial mound of waylands smithy on the ridgeway. Returning at daybreak, he might find the horse shod and the money gone. Aug 24, 2009 as i walked the chalk track up to waylands smithy, such thoughts came back to me like a muchloved song. The name of waylands smithy has been linked to the long barrow since at least ad 955, when it was referred to as welands smithy in a saxon charter. Jul 14, 2016 a legendary master blacksmith wayland the smith has different names in the folklore of many other cultures. The site was built in two phases, a timber oval chamber was constructed c. Waylands smithy is a neolithic long barrow, a burial site, dating from 36003400 bc and built in two phases. Weland does as he is bidden but in revenge kills the king. Not knowing who had built it, they imagined it was the work of one of their gods, wayland the smith. Aug 01, 2008 waylands smithy is one of the most impressive and atmospheric neolithic burial chambers in britain. Waylands smithy is a neolithic long barrow and burial chamber in oxfordshire, england which dates to the 4th millennium bce. They do this with continue reading tolkien at easter. The smithy is a neolithic tomb technically a chambered long barrow, similar to the one at west kennet and it is located about a mile and a quarter to the west of the ramparts of uffington castle, along the route of the ancient ridgeway. Waylands earliest history is detailed in the pulitzerprize winning book the puritan village by sumner chilton powell.
As i walked the chalk track up to waylands smithy, such thoughts came back to me like a muchloved song. Waylands smithy swindon monument, landscape company. Mythology tells at this place lived a ghostly smith, and. Mountains and rivers explorations by colin mathers page 4. Wayland s smithy is a famous stone age monument on the berkshire downs, found near the white horse of uffington and uffington castle. This is the waylands home page, wherin you can go through the portal to a variety of alternate universes. Shoutouts, and the long barrow of wayland smithy duration. This is a completely different and benign experience to my memories. Wayland the smith appears in the comic series injection from warren ellis and declan shalvey. Waylands smithy ashbury 2020 all you need to know before. As the noise faded over the downs towards waylands smithy, they looked up to the hillside. Took the kids off to waylands smithy to burn off some energy during the school holidays. Wayland s smithy is a chambered long barrow located near the village of ashbury in the southeastern english county of oxfordshire.
On one side of the white horse hill is a large chalk carving of a white horse. There are further variations of the story in thidreks saga. Wayland the smith medieval literary figure britannica. Waylands smithy wikimili, the best wikipedia reader. Waylands smithy has been a recognised feature of the historic landscape since at least the 10th century ad. Jun 18, 2019 the name of waylands smithy has been linked to the long barrow since at least ad 955, when it was referred to as welands smithy in a saxon charter.
A reading from my book on the folklore of natural history. The name refers to weland, the saxon god of metal working and associated with the barrow is a local tradition about weland. This is especially tempting when it comes to prehistoric britain, as enigmatic as it is. Waylands smithy, circa 3,500 bc, nearly 1,500 years older than the pyramids, undoubtedly serves as evidence of a greatly sophisticated and cohesive society. Map of oxfordshire showing the location of waylands smithy.
K waylands smithy one of the real ancient places in the world waylands smithy is a neolithic long barrow and chamber tomb site located near the uffington white horse,and uffington castle, dating from around 3700bc at ashbury in the english county of oxfordshire. View all hotels near wayland s smithy on tripadvisor. Some of the reconstruction is perhaps a little dubious but a tremendously atmospheric place. The remains of 14 people have been found from phase 1. We offer the closest hotels with 247 social support. Wayland the smith in anglosaxon mythology, a smith with supernatural powers, in english legend supposed to have his forge in a neolithic chambered tomb waylands smithy on the downs in sw oxfordshire.
When dawn broke the next morning, several of the drinkers from the previous night looked out of their windows, with some trepidation, only to see the horse in place once more, with feet that seemed to shine in the sunlight. Wayland history book now available, book signing set. Waylands smithy we visited white horse hill, uffington castle and waylands smithy as part of our stone age themed work. Wbu history wayland baptist university wayland baptist.
Pupils spent the first day at warwick hall in burford engaged in activities to give inspiration and ideas for their writing including language games, hearing the history of. The site has long been associated with the saxon folk figuregod, wayland the smith. Waylands smithy sometimes called waylands smithy cave is a neolithic long barrow, or burial chamber, located in a copse of beech trees close to the ancient ridgeway path and the steep scarp slope of the berkshire downs, now in the county of oxfordshire. Probably constructed in the thirtysixth century bce, during britain s early neolithic period, today it survives in a partially reconstructed state. Tales of waylands smithy by andy foley, national trust. Plainview wayland baptist university has just released its history book the wayland century. This page was last edited on 29 december 2016, at 09. What is more, the depiction of adam, eve and the serpent by the tree of life at the base. Wayland the smith, wayland also spelled weland, in scandinavian, german, and anglosaxon legend, a smith of outstanding skill. Waylands smithy is one of many prehistoric sites associated with wayland or wolund, a germanic smithgod. The smithy on the downs wayland the smith in berkshire. Waylands smithy is an atmospheric historic site about a miles walk along the ridgeway from the uffington white horse. Somehow this ancient grave became associated with wayland, the saxon god of metalworking, from whom it takes its name.
Wayland, or weland, the smith students britannica kids. Also, if you book your waylands smithy vacation package in swindon with travelocity, youll get access to our best travel discounts. Wbu history at the turn of the 20th century, pioneer physician dr. James henry wayland understood the importance of education and was driven to offer an education grounded in faith to the people of west texas. Sep 10, 2016 posts about the rideway written by milliethom. Linking the 17th to 21st centuries with popular foods, drinks, and this and that i. Waylands smithy got its name long after its construction first recorded in a charter of king edred dated ad 955, when saxon settlers came across the tomb. Human remains found on the site indicate that 14 people were interred in an earlier burial structure. Waylands smithy blogarchief 2008 1 november 1 mysteries of the magpie rocks. View all hotels near waylands smithy on tripadvisor. History of waylands smithy waylands smithy is a twophase neolithic tomb, built along the ridgeway close to a north scarp of the downs above the vale of the white horse in south oxfordshire.
Wayland wonder smith of the gods paperback april 1, 1999 by julian darble author see all formats and editions hide other formats and editions. Waylands 375 cookbook 2014 this is wayland 375th anniversary years celebratory recipe book, written for town residents including those from centuries past. Historically, the wayland family is famously known as the weapon makers of the nephilim before the iron sisters. Whatever time of year you choose to visit waylands smithy in swindon, its always a good idea to reserve a package deal. For me, wayland symbolised a place or person who could help you to forge a symbol or sign of value that could be used to advance ones learning and progress. This beautiful bronze viking artifact depicts a legendary master blacksmith. Waylands smithy is a chambered long barrow located near the village of ashbury in the southeastern english county of oxfordshire.
The fairysmith is also mentioned as weland in the 10thc old english epic poem, beowulf, as the creator of the heros chest armour. Phase 2 had been robbed but the remains of 8 bodies have been found. I think its easy to get caught romanticize periods of history. Among the 60 original men, women, and children, were 15 puritan families who had traveled in the ship. It is recorded in a berkshire charter as early as 855ad. Wayland was the first settlement of the sudbury plantation, established in 1638, and incorporated in 1639. He appears in waylands smithy and is based on the characterisation from. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. Wayland is associated with waylands smithy, a burial mound in the berkshire downs. Aug 04, 2014 disabled ramblers at wayland s smithy after rambling from ashdown house. The first monument here, built between 3590 and 3555 bc, was a mortuary structure of stone and wood. A local legend says the chamber is haunted by an invisible smith who will shoe a horse for a traveler, provided that a coin is left on a stone and that the traveler absents himself while the work is in progress. Apr 06, 2016 today on greydogtales why hobbits suck, waylands smithy, some proper anglosaxon folklore and how to aethelfrith without losing your appetite.
Entrance to waylands smithy ancient history encyclopedia. It is very near to the ridgeway, an ancient road running along the berkshire downs, and is now known to be neolithic long barrow and chamber, though for centuries it has gathered legends of its own, and the name of the anglosaxon smithgod, wayland. There is an old tale that, if a travellers horse lost a shoe on the road, he should bring the horse hither and leave it overnight with a piece of money. Also known as wayland smith s cave, this is a large chambered long barrow that stands within a couple of miles of uffington hillfort and the uffington white horse. Waylands smithy is one of the most impressive and atmospheric neolithic burial chambers in britain. Waylands smithy burial chamber, berkshire, united kingdom. View all hotels near wayland smithy on tripadvisor. Waylands smithy was my next stop on a visit that included uffingtons white horse and hillfort the smithy is a neolithic tomb technically a chambered long barrow, similar to the one at west kennet and it is located about a mile and a quarter to the west of the ramparts of uffington castle, along the route of the ancient ridgeway. On one side of the white horse hill is a large chalk. In waylands tale, he and his two brothers all elves fall in love with three valkyries swanmaidens, and when the swans leave them the winter migration wayland becomes bereft and is captured and enslaved to the human king nithhad where he is forced to create treasures for him.
Later, a legend grew that wayland would reshoe any passing travellers horse left. Wayland s smithy we visited white horse hill, uffington castle and wayland s smithy as part of our stone age themed work. Jan 15, 2016 wayland is returning to the constellation of cygnus, the swan, and his story acts as door into a world where people are more than mere human numbers trapped in a single moment of history. For more about wayland, heres an article from a berkshire history web site. In the quite recent past, waylands smithy was known as wayland smith s cave. Probably constructed in the thirtysixth century bce, during britains early neolithic period, today it survives in a partially reconstructed state. The name was seemingly applied to the site by the saxons who settled in the area some four thousand years after waylands smithy was built.
The wayland family was an old, wealthy, and influential shadowhunter family. The smithy is about 100 metres off the ridgeway nestled in a grove of trees. He was, according to some legends, a lord of the elves. It is from this association that the superstition came about that a horse left there overnight with a small silver coin groat would be shod by morning. What fascinates me about ancient history is that it also has an ancient history. The first documented use of the name was in 955 ad, in a saxon charter of king eadred. The site is well maintained though could do with a couple of benches to sit on. Waylands smithy was my next stop on a visit that included uffingtons white horse and hillfort. All structured data from the file and property namespaces is available under the creative commons cc0 license. One can imagine the scene as one of these tales unfolded. The children imagined what it was like to live on these prehistoric sites. This passage deals with legends surrounding the megalithic chambered tomb known as wayland s smithy, on the ridgeway near uffington. Linrodeth is a medieval city campaign that has been running for over 30 years lunaromana is an alternative history where rome did not fall and the legions are now in space dedcot is a tales from the loop adventure based in an alternative 1980s. Probably constructed in the thirtysixth century bc, during britain s early neolithic period, today it survives in a partially reconstructed state.