To see a full-size version of each photograph click on the thumbnail.
All of these carvings were made on a panel in the barn adjacent to the reserve. As this is on private property it is NOT possible to view these when visiting the reserve (and I cannot make arrangements for any viewings).
All of these photos were taken with very rudimentary equipment - a very basic digital camera (no optical zoom, etc.) and for lighting I had to make do with a trailing lead-light with a 40-watt light bulb held in one hand whilst I took the photos with the other!
I have tried to enhance some of the images on the computer (and may get back and try to do some more work to make them more clear) but apologise for the poor quality of some....
... like this one for example, where the focus left much to be desired(In fact the thumbnail is clearer than the enlarged photo)!! However you can see the name George Elliot within a box with the date 23 carved below. I haven't researched who this is and whether the date actually is 1923, 1823 or even 1723!
A slightly clearer (and later looking in appearance) carving of a name with the initials W M AM and the date 1894
The Martin family gave their name to the reserve itself but again I have no idea of the probable date of this ... or who Harry and Jo might be!
Like all old graffiti they could be have been made decades apart from each other
The right hand plough is being controlled by a figure with overlaps the left hand plough. There are a few more names Fred and Wil and the date 1861 can be seen at the top
Here is a better shot of the figure of the ploughman
A rather comic carving of a chicken - or is it another type of bird?
Some more animals - a horse-like creature in the centre (it looks like it has hooves like a horse but is quite whiskery like a cat) and a bird towards the right. The dates 1814 and 1816 together with odd initials.
An interesting sword fight going on here. Both figures appear to have a weapon in each hand and the figure on the left has some form of head gear
(At first I thought it was a top hat but it appears to have a chin strap so could be something like the "shako" helmet that was worn in the Napoleonic wars and afterwards).
The figure on the right appears to have its right arm in two positions - the first above its head with the weapon ready to be brought down and the second one with the arm extended and stabbing at the figure with the hat.
Just to the right can be seen a couple of farm or garden tools - a spade and a draw fork or crome... these are shown with other tools in the next photo...
Spades, forks, cromes, etc together with the unfinished name Willia
