I’ve followed this woodcut vibe by hitting the woods, hills and Mesolithic flint quarries of the Chilterns to see if I can get some folk-horror frissons. The third photograph is from Monks Risborough - the top of a hill on which a bronze-age barrow contains a distinguished tomb. On the side of the hill I am looking over is the gigantic, carved chalk shape, perhaps 200 feet high and visible from miles around - of an inverted cross. It is thought to be more recent - 18th century villagers having carved it to cover some earlier design. What was so shocking that it had to be obliterated by an upside-down cruxifix shape? The wind whistles and kestrels hover in place. Then, on the way back, I met this lil’ tree defying the gloom by going out in a blaze of glory, and I am 100% here for its 900-foot attitude.
#folkhorror #invertedcross #demonology #chilterns #buckinghamshire #hillfigure #bronzeage #neolithic #ancient #hillfort #barrow #countryside #autumnvibes #archaeology #ghoststories #MRJames #gothic #ruralgothic #hillfigures