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Why Bodmin Moor hides Cornwall's oldest secret - CornishStuff
Today I feel so sad for the vulnerable person who has just been hounded to his death by the enormous news media, just to provide a story, that I will not even mention his name. Shame on all of them though. May the grace of kindness give him peace. Death certainly has.
So. What shall I write about? I came across the above Cornish link the other day about Bodmin Moor and the little village of Minions where we stopped for a few days. Paul and I had even contemplated living in Cornwall at one stage but somehow there was never a place we liked and so we gave up on the idea.
The part of the moor round the village though was thoroughly washed through with prehistory and the remnants of mining. Three stone circles in a rough line, a large barrow that had yielded the gold Rillaton Cup. A settlement up on Stowes Pound, jaggedly cut by a much later quarry.
And best of all, part of the rock cave that Daniel Gumb inhabited with his family, A man who carved equations into the rock, with the equal skill that he carved the gravestones in the church yard.
Such touches of history quieten the ever probing mind and force you to try and imagine what it was like to live out in these stony places.
I don't even know the ancient history of the land my home is on. I know it was farms before this subdivision was built but I don't know what was here before that or if there was anything at all. You have learned so many interesting things, Thelma.
ReplyDeleteI think it is just curiosity Ellen and having a whole library of archaeology to read over the years. Thelmax
DeleteI agree about the professor. Such a terrible story and a terrible outcome.
ReplyDeleteWell as I listen to the news this morning I think retribution is being called for. He was driven into a corner by a witch hunt. I see Jolyon Maugham of the Good Law Project is defending Arday and that people are gathering in London today to respect the man. Thelmax
DeleteThe death was horrible to read about, especially once I realised that there are so many white people who have done far worse and still in their positions.
ReplyDeleteAustralians get excited when they find a nail or a horseshoe from the 19th century, when you could be finding something from the 9th century.
When I wrote that short paragraph at the beginning of the blog I was absolutely shocked to see the bullying of social media and the press result in his death. I think there will be a lot of examining of consciences over this matter. Yes finding an object from hundreds of years ago is indeed exciting. I remember a half broken jug I uncovered on a medieval kiln site and the cobbled ground around the kiln. Almost heard the horses stomping on that ground ;) Thelmax
ReplyDeleteI had to find out about Daniel Gumb. What an inspired man. I can barely imagine living in such a confined dwelling, let alone with children.
ReplyDeleteHe was a genius, born poor though Janice. Fascinating life and he did not let poverty stand in his way. Paul's cousin lived in Cornwall and she and her husband were both in the Heritage business and she remembered seeing some of his work, probably maps, in one of the old large houses.
ReplyDeleteWell you have sent me off on a couple good reads today. Thank you for that.
ReplyDeleteThe press has a lot to answer for there. He was obviously a man who struggled, but why was it ever considered a top news story? There are stories of great significance unfolding all around us. Stories that need to be recorded for their historical importance. This surely was not one of them.
The media has developed a ceaseless hunger for 'news'. What he did was unfortunate but it definitely did not deserve the relentless coverage. Some newspapers have written 40 odd articles on it, whilst others only 20. But it is not our place to speculate, tear to pieces another human just for entertainment. Reflection is the name of the game now Debby. Thelmax
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