It is impossible to take a site like Wittenham Clumps in isolation. It is too much a part of the landscape for
miles around, and must have played a role in the lives of all who lived nearby.
Away to the east are the Chiltern Hills, route of the Icknield Way, and to the south are the Berkshire Downs,
route of the Ridgeway. These ancient roads linked, and still link, the east of the country with Avebury and beyond.
South of the Clumps is Blewburton hill, site of another hill top enclosure, while the famous White Horse Hill at Uffington is in a
direct line of sight, although the horse itself is angled away.
Closer, lies Brightwell-cum-Sotwell, two ancient hamlets grown into a single village over the years. It is most famous as the home
of Dr Bach, founder of the Bach Flower Remedies. He used the waters of the Sot Well, a natural spring, to make his remedies, and
this continued until pollution and building works rendered the water unfit for the purpose. Dr Bach's house, Mount Vernon, is still
the main offices of the Bach Remedies company.
Dorchester on Thames, with its famous Abbey lies within two miles of the Clumps. It has been constantly settled since before Roman
times and, being at the confluence of the rivers Thames and Thame, as well as on the Oxfordshire-Berkshire border, has been an
important political and religious centre for centuries.
Just to the north of Dorchester were the remains of a massive complex of earthworks from Neolithic times onwards,
including a large henge and a mile-long cursus. Now destroyed by gravel quarrying and the construction of the Dorchester by-pass,
they are further evidence of the sanctity felt by the people of this area.
The Dyke Hills are sited right at the foot of the hills, across the Thames. An Iron Age double dyke, they link the Thames to the
Thame and enclose a huge area. It's possible the dykes were flooded, to create an island. With the hilltop enclosure on Castle
Hill, the dykes contribute towards an important Iron Age centre.
Winnie the Pooh author, A. A. Milne, is said to have based Hundred Acre Wood on the landscape around Wittenham
clumps. To this day, a footbridge near Day's Lock, at the foot of the hills, is the site of the annual Pooh Sticks World
Championships!
Less inspiring, although still a valid part of the landscape, is the dubious landmark of Didcot power
station.
Although decried by many as an eyesore, few can deny that they use the electricity that it provides. Rather than try and renounce
the station, it is better to accept it and work towards a better environment in the future.
Photos © David Stone
