Townley Shentons' Seat

Tyneham Cap or Towney Shenton' seat (as I know it) is without doubt one of my favourite spots on the Jurassic Coast, with it's spectacular views along the Jurassic coast in both directions and a clear sweep across the entire Kimmeridge bowl it's easy to understand why. The halfway-ish point on our mornings walk, it was the perfect place for a break. Whilst chilling I got chatting with a chap who it turned out had been born in Kimmeridge in '44 and has lived and worked here since. How cool is that, to have that depth of connection to a particular parcel of land must be something special. His stories brought the landscape and places around us to life, stories of childhood capers, of family connections, of farming and more, the nuggets of information he shared adding to my knowledge of the area. I think he was up here visiting his brother 'Mivvi' whose ashes had been spread here a couple of years back, so after a while I thanked him for his time and left him in peace. I really find it a privilege chatting to people. I'm a huge fan of oral history and recording peoples stories, it's a resource too often overlooked and to valuable to waste. We could learn so much by listening.

By gads it's Tyneham Cap

Another early start over to Purbeck this morning, this time though Bel was having none of it and remained hidden beyond the cloud, the coastline was shrouded in sea mists too, lending this magnificent rugged landscape an eerie air. This mornings walk was westwards along the ridge of the Kimmeridge Bowl out to Tyneham Cap and Townley Shenton's Seat...and as always the views were stunning. On reaching Tyneham Cap I was surprised (and a touch dismayed) to find Townley Shenton's Seat missing! I don't know what that's about, though I hope it returns as it's become a bit of a landmark for me, a place to sit and take the views that Townley so much enjoyed. I didn't know Townley, although I know he loved these views, the views he hoped we'd enjoy too (I know that because it said so on the memorial plaque on the afore mentioned missing seat). As always fabulous walking.

Townley's view

A harsh wind raked the ridge around the Kimmeridge bowl this morning as we made our way along it towards Tyneham Cap, and although the sun shore brightly, it was no match. A bright cold day indeed, great for walking, and we did at quite a pace. On reaching the Cap one of the Jurassic Coasts many spectacular vistas comes into view; in the foreground Gad Cliffes, beyond, a sweeping view across the Tyneham Valley and Worbarrow Bay, over the ramparts of Flowers Barrow Iron Age hillfort, across to Mupe, and Portland on the horizon. Quite something. The Jurassic Coast at it best. No wonder Townley Shenton loved this view.

John Ironmonger

You come across as manner of oddity whilst out wandering. There's a cutting through Ackling Dyke, the Roman road, at Harley Gap, and on one side, set into the Roman road's Agger, is a memorial stone to 'John Ironmonger 1919-1986'. I wonder why John has a memorial here? It's a rather cool spot. I don't know who John was, I don't know whether he was an ironmonger or not, but I know someone cared a lot about him, it's in beautiful spot for a memorial stone. Well placed on the top of Harley Down, a hill with good views across swathes of the chase, across it's history, and close to many of the areas most important prehistoric sites. There's continuity in it too, when you think about it, it's little different to the Chase's barrows in motivation, the permanent memorialising of a person at a significant place in a landscape significant to that person. It's well old school, really. 

I've done an internet search on John Ironmonger 1919-1986 and turned up absolutely nought, he shall remain a mystery, like Townley Shenton.