スピーン周辺のアトラクション＆必見スポット - トップ20

レードル・ヒルを鉄器時代最大の「未完プロジェクト」と考えてみてください。ウォーターシップ・ダウンのすぐ隣に位置するこの丘砦は、基本的に2500年前の建設現場が時の中で凍りついたような場所です。古代の建設者たちは、巨大な防御用の溝を掘り始めましたが、途中で止めてしまいました。完成しなかったため、元の「チョークの山」や作業用の穴がはっきりと見え、考古学者にとっては夢のような場所であり、ハイカーにとっては遊び場となっています。有名な隣人たちよりもずっと静かで、360度の景色と人のいない空間を提供してくれます。ケルト人がなぜ仕事を放棄したのかを考えながら、そよ風の中でピクニックをするのに最適です！

Replacements and Legacy: The original gibbet from 1676 eventually deteriorated. The current gibbet is actually the seventh to stand on the site. Previous versions were replaced due to rotting, being struck by lightning, vandalism, or being blown down by strong winds. The current replica was erected in 1992. While the gibbet was only ever used for the display of George Bromham and Dorothy Newman, its grim history has made it a local landmark and a popular spot for walkers, hang-gliders, and paragliders, offering expansive views across Berkshire, Hampshire, and Wiltshire. The story of the murders even inspired a 1948 silent film called "The Black Legend," made by a young John Schlesinger.

The Gibbet's Purpose: After their execution, their bodies were brought back to Inkpen and prepared for public display. A large, double gibbet was hastily erected on the long barrow. The bodies of George and Dorothy, bound in chains, were then displayed on either side of the gibbet on March 6, 1676, as a stark and gruesome warning to the local community to deter similar crimes. The location was chosen due to its prominence and being on the border of the two parishes, as there was a dispute over which parish should bear the cost of the gibbet.

The Murders and Gibbeting: The Crime: George Bromham, a married farm labourer from Combe, and Dorothy Newman, a widow from Inkpen, were having an illicit affair. To be together, they murdered George's wife, Martha Bromham, and their son, Robert. Accounts vary, but it's believed they waylaid Martha and Robert and beat them to death with staves near where the gibbet now stands. One dramatic, though likely far-fetched, version suggests George killed his wife by thrusting her head into a hornet's nest. The Witness: The crime was reportedly witnessed by a villager known as "Mad Thomas," who alerted the authorities. Trial and Execution: George Bromham and Dorothy Newman were tried at Winchester Assizes. They were found guilty and hanged in Winchester on March 3, 1676.

If you like your castles with great views and steeped in history, you'll like this place.

Wonderful views to the North along this stretch

This is a great place to stop - but worth checking the opening times. It’s a National Trust site so easy to do.

Stop.take a water break and just look around. Great views .