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St Sampson, Cricklade added to Places of Worship in South West by clinkadink on 21/12/2022

Parking/TOAL: 51.640909, -1.858546

There has been a church on this site since at least AD 890 - not surprising when you consider the age of Cricklade itself, which was a thriving town in the late Saxon era.

One of the finest parish churches in Wiltshire, St Sampson's is a superb medieval building with a striking Perpendicular tower that rises high over this ancient Saxon town.

The dedication to St Sampson is unusual; it is one of only five churches in England dedicated to Sampson, who was a 6th-century Welshman, an abbot of Caldey, and the first Bishop of Dol in Brittany.

At the time of the Domesday Book, the church was held by Westminster Abbey in London. It seems that the Abbey rebuilt the Saxon church around 1080. Remnants of this 11th-century construction can be seen in the lower section of the west wall of the nave.

Much of the current St Sampson's dates to a major rebuilding in the period 1240-1280, though the most striking feature - the central tower - was begun in the early 16th century and finished by the Duke of Northumberland in 1551-1553. Perhaps the tower acts as the Duke's legacy, as he was beheaded for treason shortly after it was completed. The chancel was rebuilt 1350-1370 and a large chapel was added by Sir Edmund Hungerford before his death in 1484.

Back to the tower; it is decorated with large octagonal turrets at each corner. These rise well above the battlemented top of the tower and are capped with striking spirelets. The tower facade is highly decorated with blind arcading and emphasizes just what an imposing and impressive structure it is.

There are remnants of the early Saxon church to be seen in the current building; over the north door (the main entrance) are pieces of a 10th-century cross shaft and part of a grave slab of similar age, both showing traditional Saxon interlace carving patterns.

A Saxon pilaster strip is built into the wall of the south aisle, composed of two carved stones are set high on the south aisle wall; the westernmost stone shows a pair of beasts, while the other stone shows two figures thought to be of Roman origin, but later recarved in the 11th century. Another possible Roman remain is incorporated in the font.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Sampson%27s_Church,_Cricklade

View and discuss this location in more detail on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.64056, -1.857997 • what3words: ///baseless.noticing.toffee

The originator declared that this location was not inside a Flight Restriction Zone at the time of being flown on 21/12/2022. It remains the responsibility of any pilot to check for any changes before flying at the same location. Landowner permission may be required before taking off.

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Ditchling Recreation Ground, Lewes (By grandad1950)

A wide open space for flying on the edge of the South Downs village of Ditchling. Good views of the downs and the village is well worth exploring.

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 50.91915, -0.106362 • what3words: ///perky.direction.training

Northumberlandia, Northumberland (By Keltoi)

Northumberlandia (the "Lady of the North") is a huge land art sculpture in the shape of a reclining female figure, which was completed in 2012, near Cramlington, Northumberland, northern England. It is in the care of Northumberland Wildlife Trust.


Northumberlandia under construction in August 2011

The head pictured from below showing lips, nostrils, eyes and forehead
Made of 1.5 million tonnes of overburden from the neighbouring Shotton Surface Mine, it is 34 metres (112 feet) high and 400 metres (1,300 feet) long, set in a 19 hectares (47 acres) public park. Its creators claim that it is the largest land sculpture in female form in the world.

When constructed, it was intended to be a major tourist attraction, with the developers hoping that it would attract an additional 200,000 visitors a year to Northumberland.[3] It was officially opened by Anne, Princess Royal on 29 August 2012.[4] A day-long Community Opening Event on 20 October 2012 marked the park becoming fully open to the public.
You will have to approach the visitors centre for permission to fly there but it is possible.

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 55.08852, -1.627994 • what3words: ///transmit.timed.required

Cadbury Camp hillfort, North Somerset (By gasbag43)

Perched atop a limestone ridge near Tickenham, Cadbury Camp is a striking Iron Age hill fort that has watched over North Somerset for over 2,000 years. Constructed and occupied between the 6th century BC and the mid-1st century AD, it served as a vital community hub and defensive stronghold for the Dobunni tribe.

As you can see in the photograph, the site stands out for its impressive multiple rings of earth banks and ditches. The image clearly highlights the double circuit of ramparts and ditches that follow the natural contours of the hill. These earthworks weren't just for show; they provided a significant tactical advantage, offering 360-degree views across the Yeo Valley and toward the Bristol Channel.

The site is of historical significance, with excavations uncovering Roman coins and pottery, suggesting the site remained significant even after the Roman conquest. Much further along its timeline, during World War II the camp’s strategic elevation was utilised when it housed a searchlight battery to protect Bristol from aerial raids.

Today, it is managed by the National Trust, preserved as a haven for limestone grassland wildflowers and rare butterflies.

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.44844, -2.786861 • what3words: ///basis.bossy.scar

Maesbury Castle, Mendip (By gasbag43)

Maesbury Castle is a striking Iron Age hillfort situated on the eastern edge of the Mendip Hills in Somerset. Likely dating back to the 1st millennium BCE, its double-rampart defences (multivallate) suggest it was a significant tribal stronghold, possibly occupied by the Durotriges or Dobunni. Covering approximately 6 acres, the site offers commanding views across the Somerset Levels toward Glastonbury Tor roughly 8 miles to the southwest

Also visible from this location are the Somerset Levels - the vast, flat expanse of greenery stretching out beyond the hill is the "Vale of Avalon," which was a shallow sea during the Iron Age.

Brent Knoll can also be seen. Further to the west, this isolated hill (another Iron Age hillfort) rises abruptly from the flat Levels and is often visible against the Bristol Channel.

On exceptionally clear days, the long ridge of the Quantocks can be seen as a dark line on the distant western horizon.

This image captures the site’s impressive preservation. The low-angled morning light emphasizes the concentric earthworks, revealing the depth of the ditches that once served as formidable barriers. It also illustrates how the fort utilises the natural plateau, with the steep southern slope providing a natural defence.

Parking was in a small 1-2 space layby approx 75m from where the public footpath up to the castle joins the road

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.22231, -2.559744 • what3words: ///ballots.lilac.yawned

Dolebury Hill fort, North Somerset (By gasbag43)

Perched on the limestone ramparts of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, Dolebury Warren is a formidable Iron Age hillfort. Constructed between the 7th and 3rd centuries BC, its massive double ramparts—visible in the photo as the striking, light-colored stony ridges—enclose roughly 20 acres. While primarily an Iron Age settlement, archaeological finds ranging from Palaeolithic flints to Roman coins suggest thousands of years of human activity.

The photo highlights the site's unique "double life." The stony perimeter shows the original defensive banks, while the interior's undulating green mounds are likely "pillow mounds"—artificial rabbit warrens built during the medieval and post-medieval periods when the fort was repurposed for meat and fur production.

Today, the site is a National Trust-owned SSSI, where the thin limestone soils support rare wildflowers and butterflies. The low-angled sunlight in the photo highlights the single and double earth banks, showing why this is still one of the best-preserved hillforts in South West England.

Playing around with AI as part of the research to find locations such as these, the tool I was using (in this case, Google’s Gemini AI) mocked up what this specific photo would have looked like if taken back in the day – have added it as an additional piece of media.

The whole hillside is NT land so TOAL was from a parallel ridge

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.32634, -2.790234 • what3words: ///qualified.disputes.pesky

Southwick Recreation Ground, Adur (By grandad1950)

Just a short distance from shoreham harbour the recreation ground in Southwick West Sussex has a multitude of sports facilities and also loads of space to fly.

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 50.8341, -0.229174 • what3words: ///rings.trades.aware

Foredown Tower, Brighton and Hove (By grandad1950)

Sitting on the edge of the south downs the Foredown Water tower in Portslade was built in 1908. It now contains one of just 2 Camera Obscuras in south east England.

Restricted opening times ( check online) but good walks in the area

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 50.85043, -0.215884 • what3words: ///insist.pocket.statue

Ashford Designer Outlet, Ashford (By Jonty44)

Choose your time wisely to avoid crowds shopping and you can get stunning footage.

A very cinematic location at night providing great contrast with the outlets bright lights against the surrounding darker areas with added motion from the surrounding roads.

Easy to access, not far from the M20 motorway, the results can be very rewarding for both images and video footage. Best time to go is midweek after 6pm during autumn and winter when it is at its quietest. Parking is free after 5pm.

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.13579, 0.87734 • what3words: ///fake.sits.movies

St Marys Sompting, Adur (By grandad1950)

St Mary’s parish church in the South Downs village of Sompting dates from the 12th century and is a grade 1 listed building.
There are some good walks to be had from the village around the South Downs

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 50.83858, -0.351806 • what3words: ///dollar.fines.hills

St Oswald's Church, Lythe, Scarborough (By skysnapper13)

St Oswald?s is an ancient church with an internationally renowned collection of Anglo-Scandinavian carved stones. It is also a living Christian community where worship is offered as in the past. With its spectacular views across the coastline to Whitby, this imposing church continues the tradition of worship at this site that almost certainly began in Viking times.

The name ?Lythe? means ?on a hill?. The Parish of Lythe, which originally extended over some 40 square miles, and included the present parishes of Egton and Ugthorpe, is nearly all high above sea level, though the sea forms a Parish boundary. At the top of Lythe Bank the Parish Church of St Oswald is a landmark visible for miles from sea and land and it has many centuries of history behind it.

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 54.50671, -0.688528 • what3words: ///dozens.firmly.juices


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