Sheep Breeds

       One of the most amazing books to give reason to take walks around England and Wales was published by Drive Publications Limited for the Automobile Association in 1975.  It is titled No Through Road : The AA Book Of Country Walks. It was published in three parts.  The first was "Walking in Britain", the second was "Selected Walks", and the third was "Walker's Handbook" from which the following is taken. On page 63 it shows the main breeds of sheep and states, "There are more than 40 breeds of sheep in the British Isles, classified into hill breeds, long wools and short wools."  The following is a copy of this page.

      This copy lists three breeds which would fit the area of Old Oswestry.  These are the Welsh Mountain, the Blackface, and the Shropshire breeds.  The Blackface is given as having flowing wool. The Welsh Mountain breed is noted to be hardy and agile which would be especially helpful in these hills. Finally, the Shropshire breed is noted to produce rams which would help keep things going.  All three breeds would seem helpful to keep around.

When Built

      Additional topics can be presented that support the theory that the rectangular structures presented in the last post were likely used for shearing sheep.  When were these built should fit the chronology of the Celtic groups who are thought to occupy these spaces. Again using the hill fort book by Williams, he outlines the chronology of Old Oswestry as being built in three phases [p.191-193]. He writes, "Evidence of habitation of the site has been found dating back to some time before 500 B.C. ...". He believes this was the first occupation and labels this phase 1. He describes phase 2 as two further ramparts being built round the whole hill side. Phase 3 was to add the remaining ramparts and ditches which would include the rectangular structures being discussed. He dates all the structures being completed before the Roman invasion of 55 B.C. Thus, for five centuries this hill fort has stood as a structure of cooperation between the Celtic tribes who came to recognize this geographic location strategic to all's survival. You've got to get all those sheep from their winter abode, eastern side, to the graze lands on the western side. Now here is a copy of the figure that Williams gives on page 191 of his book. Check the location of the rectangular spaces on his drawing.

Shearing Sheep

      The last post of February 17th showed the tracing of Old Oswestry Hill Fort from way up in the sky. [from satellite images]. A closer look is now shown of the western facing gateway.  This is a picture modified from an Oswestry-Welshborders visitor's guide from 2005. The unique and special rectangular structures are shown.

      In addition, in his visitor's guide book to hill forts, Geoffrey Williams discusses these structures as "One mystery which surrounds the re-building of the west entrance is the intended use of the wide spaces on either side..." [p.192]. He gives a number of suggestions for their use including 1) water storage, 2) keeping of cattle, 3) for living in, and 4) for keeping un-invited visitors in [p.192]. Now it is my turn to make the following suggestion...shearing sheep! 

         Interest in this interpretation began many years past dealing with the genealogy of my own Jones family and surname. Most of the prior posts, beginning with Inigo Jones [1573-1652] on December 15th, 2021, has led me to this geographic area in present day Shropshire.   It has taken getting to know the Celts from around 500 B.C. down to my Jones (paternal) and Ewen (maternal) sides who are still living in Kentucky (USA) to this present day. Along the way, much insights and deep appreciations of all the folks who came before and survived this trip along the corridors of time, has bubbled through my mind and heart. 

      The use of these rectangular shaped structures can be aided by images from texts dealing with time much later, but showing the same activities of shearing sheep.

      This image is taken from Peter Spufford's text titled Power and Profit The Merchant In Medieval Europe, p. 327. The same figure is shown in Frances and Joseph's book titled Life In A Medieval Village, p. 65, but a wider view of the original is given here.

      Both give the same reference as coming from the Luttrel Psalter which is located British Library, Ms. Add. 42130, f. 163v. Now put these images in the rectangular spaces shown at Hen Dinas above. You decide if shearing sheep might fit here. More to come.

 

Deep Footprints

       Between the patchwork plains of Shropshire and the hill country of Wales a land bridge occupies a unique place in the story of my Jones ancestors. At any rate, land can be defined as a portion of the earth's surface distinguishable by boundaries or ownership.  Beginning with open spaces, the first to arrive could claim a right to occupy or settle this land. It is fairly certain that this land bridge was empty spaces until the last ice curtain began to melt. The ice age folks arrived first, most likely following the animal's paths to the greener grass on the other side of the hill. Thousands of years rolled past for these hunters and gatherers until bronze became useful and the plow became a tool for more permanent occupation. A few more years past until iron became the metal of choice around the place. Now it was around 500 B.C. to 400 B.C. my Celtic ancestors arrived to set boundaries or claim land ownership in and around this land bridge.

      Strategically placed in the center of this land bridge was Hen Dinas (Old Oswestry Hill Fort).  The occupation of this hill site some 500 feet above the land below, probably followed the same pattern of settlement as described above.  According to Williams in his hillfort guide [shown last post] p. 191, evidence of the occupation of this site dates to before 500 B.C.  Timber round houses existed and was probably un-fortified at first.  The fortification pattern changed dramatically going from a 15 acres enclosure to more than 56 acres. (same page as before)  Williams describes it "...the best documented hillfort, on site". The population during this expansion was estimated to be between 200-350 folks. Wow, imagine taking all these folks out to lunch!

      Conceptually several things need to be considered. First, there was no evidence of a battle taking place. Say what! All this time and no fighting identified?  Secondly, the hillfort was surrounded by a complex system of fields and farms (much like today). Thirdly, there had to be some form of cooperation between all those involved leading to a mutual administrative, trade, and possibly religious activity. Finally, there was a series of symmetrical, rectangular constructions facing the western edge of the fort which have not been found in any other hillfort of the time. Several suggestions as to their purpose have been made [p.192 Williams's text]. The following figure shows my outline of the hillfort using a satellite image from more resent times.

     The deep footprints of the rectangle structures are shown facing west. My thoughts as to their purposes are yet to come.

Digging Ditches

       The Celtic family farms kept growing larger and larger.  From 2 acres, to 5 acres, to 15 acres, to 30 acres, to greater than 65 acres, and some became even larger.  More and more folks joined together to help the cause of survival.  Higher ground seemed the best place to build these places, and it would take a collective effort to accomplish such tasks.  Walls all around, and special structures to help throw things down instead of up might be of special advantage.  What about digging some ditches around the base of the walls to give a little extra effort keeping those out of the farm who wanted to get in uninvited. It might take a while to get everything together especially around the slops of these irregular shaped hills.  Maybe we could call these fortified hills a "hill fort".  Hum...just a thought.

    Well, come to find out, some folks later down the pages of history used such terms and even wrote a book.

      Geoffrey Williams first published this text in 1993 as a visitor's guide to the so labeled hillforts of England. The drawing on the cover shows how a fortified wall might have looked.  He gives directions on a large number of these places describing how each could be visited. My own drawings of such a rampart follows:

          What a deal. Figure labeled 1 tries to show a general overview.  A= a small incline, B=a drop down to a ditch, C= the wall facing you after you dropped down to B, and D=the platform the person standing above could toss something down upon your head.  An angled view is numbered 2, and number 3 shows a side view to give some impression of the ups and downs of this defensive structure which may go all the way around the farm, and on various levels about the place.  Can you imagine what it took to dig all the ditches 6-8 ft. down [B], while pilling up a ridge of dirt 4-5 ft. high [A]? In addition, while standing in B, a wall was being built above your head some 6-8 ft. high? Digging ditches indeed it would be.

The Celtic Tribes

      The five hundred years it took to name the original Celtic tribal groups should have given enough time to develop family identity and group adhesion. The Romans were the first to apply their observation about these folks who had joined together to oppose the Roman view of the world. The following drawing is taken from An Atlas Of  Roman Britain, by Barri Jones and David Mattingly, Map 4:24, where I have placed these names in their geographic  locations as they relate to my Celtic family.  The Deceangli in the Vale of Clwyd, and the Cornovii in the Vale of Dee. It's in these same geographic areas that my Jones DNA gets passed down to me and the many generations yet to come.  [There are five tribal groups identified in the area that was to become Wales.]

Joining Hands

       The family farm might get a little tight after a few generations of multiplying and growth. Sheep, goats, cows, horses, chickens, pigs, and young'ins running about the place would need some more space. This is because the 2.47-14.8 acres is full of stuff. Four generations are about all this amount of land can support.  It's time to join hands with some other folks to keep things growing and secure. Certainly, it would help to get a larger place, and figure out how to trade the extra stuff we have and get the things we need but don't have around the place. We have some young, strapping, well-armed young sons who could help watch the place, and some beautiful, menstruating young daughters that need a place of their own. Where did Uncle Trinovantes settle his family? Upriver I believe. Maybe we could join hands and build a bigger and stronger place together. 

    The following figure attempts to show the larger Celtic settlements [> 15-20 acers] around my Jones ancestors' part of the world.  They seem to follow the pattern of the smaller family farms (last post) and cluster along the rivers that flow to the sea.  Who had control of the land bridge between the Dee and the Severn would have a great deal to do with what happened between the highlands and lowlands. It was what is now called "Old Oswestry Hill Fort" that seems to be in control of this land pathway. Green grass in the lowlands, and green grass in the highland pastures.

The Five "W"

      It has been a good while since the concept of the five double-u(s) has crossed the horizon of my mind.  This concept has been used multiple times in the tree climbing experience for my own ancestors. Considering my Celtic group of folks it would go something like this: 1) who = Celtic, 2) what = migration to NW Wales, 3) when = 500 - 400 B.C., 4) where = Vale of Clwyd and Vale of Dee, 5) why = is where I have come for this post.

      The why has often been the toughest to figure out among the branches. Why would my Celtic ancestors want to make such a trip?  It would be hard enough to get here, hard enough to land, and hard enough to survive while keeping the family going.  Life and/or limb, or any other vital parts of the body, would probably be first on my list of whys.  Life and/or limb of wife and children would be second.  Brother, sister, father, mother, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. would come somewhere in the list of why.  Family is thicker than blood they would often say in my present family that have resided more than 200 years in the Bluegrass of Kentucky.  Guess this thought has been passed down through the ages.

     In addition, the why for this geographic area of the world for my Celtic ancestors must have had something to do with salt.  The earliest folks had their beginning in salt mines around Hallstatt, Austria.  Salt mining and salt trading were key to the stabilization of the Celtic culture.  As a fact, this element became the very word for the "Hallstatt Period". The realization that salt would help the meat last longer must have been an added benefit. 

      Now one had to keep the salt in some kind of container which could be carried and stored safely. This became known as the "briquetage container" [p.688, Green et. al], and helped define another developmental period for these Celts as La Tene. [need a special accent "the grave" over first e]

     Finally was the element iron.  The Celts became experts in the use of iron.  All kinds of weapons, tools, art work, wearing apparel, etc., to name a few.  Must have traded their salt for a bit of this metal. By the time my ancestors traveled to their landing spot in NW Wales, salt and iron would have been on their list of needs.  Now the mouth of the Dee was one of the best places to manufacture salt on this island. [Cheshire salt p.688, Green et al] and the Vale of the Clwyd and would have iron.  What a deal, two for one at the family settlement.