Arl Lane
Photo Information
"To enter these holloways, was to access a world of deep history, an unexpectedly wild world, buried amid the familiar and close at hand’
Gilbert White
A holloway section of the ancient Arl Lane, in the South Hams area of Devon.
This region of Devon has over 300 green lanes, through hanging valleys - as sunken holloways & as ridgeways - with their far reaching reaching vistas. The holloways in particular seem to have a palpable atmosphere of having travelled back a long way through time.
The lexicon 'holloway' comes from the Anglo-Saxon 'hola weg', meaning a “harrowed path,” a “sunken road.” A route that centuries of use have eroded down into the bedrock, so that it is recessed beneath the level of the surrounding landscape. Most holloways orinially started out as drove roads, paths to market. Some as Saxon or pre-Saxon boundary ditches. Some started, as pilgrim paths.
The oldest holloways date back to the early Iron Age.
Gilbert White
A holloway section of the ancient Arl Lane, in the South Hams area of Devon.
This region of Devon has over 300 green lanes, through hanging valleys - as sunken holloways & as ridgeways - with their far reaching reaching vistas. The holloways in particular seem to have a palpable atmosphere of having travelled back a long way through time.
The lexicon 'holloway' comes from the Anglo-Saxon 'hola weg', meaning a “harrowed path,” a “sunken road.” A route that centuries of use have eroded down into the bedrock, so that it is recessed beneath the level of the surrounding landscape. Most holloways orinially started out as drove roads, paths to market. Some as Saxon or pre-Saxon boundary ditches. Some started, as pilgrim paths.
The oldest holloways date back to the early Iron Age.
10/06/2016 - 13:08morpheus71
CategoryLandscape / Travel
LensN/A
ISO200
Focal Length18mm
Views/Likes36/1
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Posted 11/06/2016 - 00:27
davidwozhere wrote:
You've caught the atmosphere of one very well. We have one or two in Warwickshire and, as you comment, it's like stepping back through time. None go anywhere now however due to numerous later developments that have left them as cut off examples of ancient life. Curiously, looking at your list of tags, one of them goes through Alles Leigh (modern Allesley)
You've caught the atmosphere of one very well. We have one or two in Warwickshire and, as you comment, it's like stepping back through time. None go anywhere now however due to numerous later developments that have left them as cut off examples of ancient life. Curiously, looking at your list of tags, one of them goes through Alles Leigh (modern Allesley)
Many Thanks David
I have walked a section of green lane in Warwickshire, as I grew up in Rugby. Its a shame Warwichsire only has a few miles of such lanes left. I have read recently of some wooded and very deep sunken green lanes in Dorset, that I hope to visit at some point this year https://www.philhemsley.co.uk/
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Posted 11/06/2016 - 00:37
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Posted 11/06/2016 - 18:34
Phil, another great piece of landscape history preserved by your imagery and lyric! These places may be hidden and perhaps forgotten by the mainstream, but you continue to conserve and sustain their existence through your passionate presentations!
Cheers...Donna 😊
Cheers...Donna 😊
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Posted 12/06/2016 - 11:33
Wildwood512 wrote:
Phil, another great piece of landscape history preserved by your imagery and lyric! These places may be hidden and perhaps forgotten by the mainstream, but you continue to conserve and sustain their existence through your passionate presentations!
Phil, another great piece of landscape history preserved by your imagery and lyric! These places may be hidden and perhaps forgotten by the mainstream, but you continue to conserve and sustain their existence through your passionate presentations!
Thanks very much for your generous comments Donna. Its it's wonderful that such ancient conduits through and over these hills and vales still exist in such abundance in Devon. If my photography of these lanes inspires people to explore such places by foot, bike or horse then I am happy to have to have played a part in the conservation of the history and wonder of the old ways through the land.😊
https://www.philhemsley.co.uk/
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Posted 24/06/2016 - 10:54
pauljay wrote:
Such a simple shot but so effective! Interested to see the use of the word 'weg' as it also means road or path in Dutch.
Such a simple shot but so effective! Interested to see the use of the word 'weg' as it also means road or path in Dutch.
Many thanks indeed Paul
I guess the Saxons influenced the Dutch language too then? I find etymology fascinating https://www.philhemsley.co.uk/
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davidwozhere
9 yearsMember
Slap in the middle of England
Both the *istDS and the K5 are incurably addicted to old glass
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