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fraglast.bsky.social

@fraglast.bsky.social
477 followers 2.2K following 129 posts

The Last Bastion Flâneur. Photography, Archaeology, Prehistory and Outdoorsy stuff‽ Newts! Linking people and place, mostly int’ Peak

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fraglast.bsky.social @fraglast.bsky.social · 13/10/2026
Aske or rather Ask was/is an ‘old English’ name for a newt. Fairly regional dialect. From the days of Ewts and Efts (still used for ‘baby’ newts), before the N from an Ewt became a permanent addition.
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Helen Czerski @helenczerski.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
Can you revive a zombie river? Our cities are full of rivers that have been buried in concrete after industrial pollution filled them with filth. But there's a global drive to bring them back: to "daylight" these forgotten rivers. I had a lovely day out in Sheffield today, seeing it actually happen.
Helen and six of the members of the Sheffield Castlegate project team, all in hard hats and fluorescent jackets.A worksite with a 12 metre wide trough dug into the ground, currently reinforced with large yellow metal bars across its width.
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fraglast.bsky.social @fraglast.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
The Church of All Saints, Aughton, Yorks. The tower was rebuilt in 1537 in homage to Robert Aske , following the Pilgrimage of Grace. Hence the newt! Stunning Norman chancel arch and font. Methinks, @carlsayer.bsky.social would appreciate this. A pond in every parish et al
The North side of the church. The tower rebuilt in grey limestone blocks, contrasts with the brick walls of the north aisle. A relief carving of a Great Crested Newt at the base of the church tower A stunning Norman chancel arch of three orders. The outermost is comprised of Beak Heads.  A bronze newt sits above a small doorway.
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Gregory Norminton @gregorynorminton.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
Donations to buy the Rothbury Estate for the nation via the Wildlife Trust are currently being match funded. So hurry over now, bung them a few bob, and see your donation doubled.
wildlifetrusts.org
Rothbury Estate Match Appeal August 2026 | The Wildlife Trusts
The Rothbury Estate is more than a beautiful place. It's 3,800 hectares of rivers, woodlands, grasslands, peatlands and open moorland, where wildlife still has the chance to thrive at a scale rarely s...
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☠️ Skulls and Sheets 👻 @skullsandsheets.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Please publishers help a spooky guy out so his quality anthologies don't disappear into the ether
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fraglast.bsky.social @fraglast.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
#NormanDay My Grandad was Norman My Grandma was Norma Probably a unique combo?
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fraglast.bsky.social @fraglast.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
The rather wonderful St Gregory’s Minster, Kirkdale, North Yorkshire. Tostig woz ere! #SteepleSaturday
Beneath a leaden sky, a small tower with a sloping roof rises from the west end of an old church. 
A collection of gravestones lean upwards from the surrounding grass.
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fraglast.bsky.social @fraglast.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
The dead are drinking again. St Stephen's Church, Fylingdales, North Yorkshire. #rain
A small church, surrounded by a swarm of gravestones among green rolling hills - sits beneath a leaden, rain soaked sky.
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fraglast.bsky.social @fraglast.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Thanks. I’m gonna need it. Currently looking at 90!!!!
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Eoghan Daltun 🌍 @irishrainforest.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
21 years ago, Sayer’s Old Meadow in Norfolk, England, grew just one monoculture crop. Now a remarkable 150+ wild native plant species grow there, none of which came from 'wildflower' seed packets, or suchlike. All it took was an annual hay cut. www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
‘I love it. It’s hope’: the mysterious self-willed wildflower meadow that seeded itself
Farmer Derek Sayer let a boggy field run wild and just one annual hay-cut has led to remarkable biodiversity
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Rebecca Lambert (She/Her) ♾️🐭🍉 @reblambert.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Happening tonight, online, and in person, in Shoreditch, London. Doors from 7pm, talk beginning at 8pm. Ticket link below ⬇️🙂
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fraglast.bsky.social @fraglast.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
🙏 All good here - just getting ready to commence the new pond season. Hope you’re not too busy yourself.
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Carl Sayer @carlsayer.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
So proud of my Dads self-seeded hay meadow covered so very brilliantly (huge thanks) by @patrickbarkham.bsky.social in the Guardian today. ‘I love it. It’s hope’: the mysterious self-willed wildflower meadow that seeded itself | Biodiversity | The Guardian share.google/rqDHUdpZBXuy...
share.google
‘I love it. It’s hope’: the mysterious self-willed wildflower meadow that seeded itself
Farmer Derek Sayer let a boggy field run wild and just one annual hay-cut has led to remarkable biodiversity
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fraglast.bsky.social @fraglast.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
This is a wonderful article. Sterling work.
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fraglast.bsky.social @fraglast.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
It’s definitely worth the return visit 🙏
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fraglast.bsky.social @fraglast.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
It’s worth going back to see the church (key is available from a nearby house). 🙏
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Horned Lark Press @hornedlarkpress.com · 22/08/2026
Reminding all y’all that the new tariff regime does not apply to books and we are a proud Canadian publisher of anti-authoritarian sci-fi and fantasy. Check out our awesome stuff, eh? hornedlarkpress.com/our-books/
A horned lark atop some flowering plants and the caption: Have a drink, pet that dog, read a book, defy fascism.
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fraglast.bsky.social @fraglast.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
That looks like it resides at Escomb 🧐
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fraglast.bsky.social @fraglast.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
St Mary's, Welwick, East Yorkshire. A few interesting additions to this perp font. #FontsOnFriday
A church font is embellished with a pointy ‘hat’, a ring of conkers and a few other accessories.
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Inside Ecology @insideecology.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
How are extreme weather events and climate warming affecting rare grassland species? #rewilding #nature #wildlife #biodiversity #ecology #environment #habitats #conservation #climatechange #plants #insects #butterflies insideecology.com/2026/08/20/h...
insideecology.com
How are extreme weather events and climate warming affecting rare grassland species? - Inside Ecology
Royal Entomological Society leads landmark research project, funded by Natural England and The Crown Estate, to understand the changing needs of some of our rarest insects and plants to prevent their ...
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fraglast.bsky.social @fraglast.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
“Can’t park there mate” It’s great to see that the new parking restrictions below Mam Tor are working well. #PeakDistrict
A small white car is parked in a small bay surrounded on three sides by double red lines!
A small white car is parked in a small bay surrounded on three sides by double red lines!
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fraglast.bsky.social @fraglast.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
Oh boy 😳
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EarthworkBec @earthworkbec.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
An incredible opportunity for Nature & Culture! We need more than ever to ensure this succeeds. Two months left for the public (& big donors🤞) to do help get @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social / @northwildlife.bsky.social to their goal. Donate here: www.wildlifetrusts.org/appeals/roth...
wildlifetrusts.org
Donate to Secure The Rothbury Estate | The Wildlife Trusts
Stretching over 3,800 hectares, the Rothbury Estate in Northumberland is abundant with opportunity. It’s the largest continuous area of land to appear on the market in 50 years. Its sale creates a uni...
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fraglast.bsky.social @fraglast.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
The fantastic Arbor Low, Peak District, Derbyshire. Technically this is off point as the only things standing are sheep! #StandingStoneSunday
Large Limestone blocks lay on a flat parched grassy area. Behind a burial mound rises from the edge of the surrounding ditch - henge. The sky is darkening with solemn clouds.
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fraglast.bsky.social @fraglast.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
Make it so 👍
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fraglast.bsky.social @fraglast.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
It’s interesting and worthwhile, despite the Georgian nonsense. It has a fine Norman chancel arch and there’s loads of other places worth a poke along that stretch of the Trent.
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fraglast.bsky.social @fraglast.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
The rather intriguing St Andrew’s, Twyford, Derbyshire. #SteepleSaturday
A largely C12th century church with Georgian brickwork covering the nave, sits in a parched churchyard with a scattering of gravestones
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fraglast.bsky.social @fraglast.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
How many summers has his site witnessed? How many have been as dry as this one? (Possibility of a touch of damp incoming this evening). Arbor Low, Derbyshire.
The recumbent stone circle of Arbor Low, sits beneath a leaden sky.
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fraglast.bsky.social @fraglast.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
A fine double row at Merrivale, Dartmoor. #standingstonesunday
A larger standing stone begins a long section of double rows of stones that disappear into the distance.
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fraglast.bsky.social @fraglast.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
A belated one for #SteepleSaturday St Mary the Virgin, Hemingbrough, #Yorkshire OTD last year.
A tall steeple rises from a large church.
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fraglast.bsky.social @fraglast.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
It’s Whaley Bridge Dam Bursting Day! A surreal morning that turned into an epic event. Oh and Happy Yorkshire Day too!
A dam wall has a massive hole. 
The hole in the dam wall from above.
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fraglast.bsky.social @fraglast.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
A nice C12th bowl with modern additions above and below. St Bartholomew, Hognaston, Derbyshire #FontsOnFriday
A C12th church font with Norman arched arcades sits at the west end of the nave. The chancel in the distance.
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fraglast.bsky.social @fraglast.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
Church of St Peter, Parwich, Derbyshire. The Norman former North door(?) now West (dodgy Victorians). Nice tympanum and hiding beakheads. A sunflower festooned portal. #SundayStonework #DooroftheDay
A fine old door, with massive ornate ironwork, sits beneath a Norman tympanum. Either side of the door are pots of sunflowers.
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fraglast.bsky.social @fraglast.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
A tall one from Merrivale, Dartmoor, Devon. #StandingStoneSunday
A tall stone stands on a slight rise of short green grass. In the distance, a rocky hilltop fills the horizon.
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fraglast.bsky.social @fraglast.bsky.social · 25/07/2026
The delights of St Andrew, Little Snoring, Norfolk. With its unusual C11th separate round tower. #steeplesaturday
A church sits on a small rise. A path leads towards it through long grass and gravestones. A round tower rises to the left of the church. The round tower is shown as being separate from the main body of the church.
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fraglast.bsky.social @fraglast.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
One of the finest seven-sacrament fonts around, topped with the most massive (15’) hat! C15th bliss at St Peter and St Paul, Salle, Norfolk. #fontsonfriday
A finely carved church font A church font capped with a tall ornate cover looking east down the nave. Side view of font, cover and the crane that enables its lifting.
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fraglast.bsky.social @fraglast.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
A fine double row at Merrivale, Dartmoor. #standingstonesunday
A standing stone rises at the end of a double stone row that disappears off into the distance. (Black and white)
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fraglast.bsky.social @fraglast.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
Twitter seems to have finally died this morning - iPad IOS. Until last week, it had been functioning as ever. Then the ability to see photos went (without following a link) along with the option to reply. I held on as long as possible. If only there was an iPad version here!?
The Twitter App has finally died on iPad IOS. “Tweets aren’t loading right now”
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Mel Roxby-Mackey @archaeoborders.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
'Why isn’t Britain protecting its ancient trees?' Too often a divide is presented between those whose interests align with protecting anthropogenic remains in the landscape, or precious natural features like ancient trees. Why wouldn't archaeologists also be interested in protecting nature?
inkcap.co.uk
Why isn’t Britain protecting its ancient trees?
Britain's ancient trees are uniquely vulnerable to vandalism, neglect and sanctioned destruction. It's time to protect them.
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fraglast.bsky.social @fraglast.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
It is rather special 👍
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fraglast.bsky.social @fraglast.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
The cairn circle, looking along the stone row, Hingston Hill (Down Tor), Dartmoor #standingstonesunday
A burial cairn sits within a circle of stones. A large adjacent megalith begins a stone row that trails into the distant hillside.
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fraglast.bsky.social @fraglast.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
A view of a few from Drizzle Combe, Dartmoor #standingstonesunday
A section of small standing stones lead in a row to a taller megalith. Set within a flat grassy plain with hills in the distance.
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hookland.bsky.social @hookland.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
As promised to link to my first actual Hookland book. It is only small, but covers a lot of the ghost soil. If enough of you buy it and like it there will be a Volume Two. www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1068598123 It will also be available in an actual bookshop soon.
The coverplate of the book HOOKLAND FRAGMENTS VOLUME ONE by David Southwell featuring a picture of the Ghost Bear of Hookland by Maria Strutz and the following blurb:

I firmly believe David Southwell’s Hookland to be one of the great 
imaginative achievements of our age. One that will one day be 
spoken of the way Lovecraft’s Mythos is now. Hookland is the 
folklore of the county that exists on the edge of our vision, an 
unseen but sensed Britain that is at once familiar and strange. 
It is the land just to the left of where we live. David’s work is 
made even more remarkable by his open invitation for all to 
come and play there. Though of course visitors to Hookland 
must be wary, the county exacts its price from us all. – R.J. 
Barker, award-winning author of bestsellers such as The Bone 
Ships and Gods of Wyrdwood.

As a visitor I am more frequently in Hookland than the barrows 
and chalk downs of my childhood. – Roger Clarke, best-selling 
author of A Natural History of Ghosts.

Hookland is gold standard eldritch world building. – Ian 
Simmons, Fortean Times news editor.

This a shimmering place of deep time, cold wars, old gods and 
ever renewing mysteries.The heartland and home county of the 
restless and the outsider, a lamp glow to welcome the lost, a 
pole star for those who dare to step into the dark and follow its 
glorious glowing ghostlight. – Rose Ruane. Artist and writer of 
Birding and This Is Yesterday.

Hookland has been called many things. Psychic shrapnel 
embedded in place. A re-wilding of folklore. The English Eerie 
told in strange fragments. According to its creator David 
Southwell, nothing in Hookland is made up, just remembered 
differently.

Hookland Fragments Volume One offers both an introduction to 
Hookland and an exploration of its agenda of re-enchantment 
as resistance.
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Carl Sayer @carlsayer.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
No need to seed: restoring former arable land to species‐rich grassland by mowing & natural regeneration over 18 years. Paper published today by myself, with my amazing 86 year old father & farmer Derek Sayer. A visit to the meadow is like stepping back through time. doi.org/10.1111/rec.70487
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fraglast.bsky.social @fraglast.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
Do it!!
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Gregory Norminton @gregorynorminton.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
Just two months remaining for the Wildlife Trusts to raise, crumbs, over £12M to purchase the vast Rothbury Estate in Northumberland. They've raised 59% of the purchase price but have scarcely added to the pot in June. Needs one obscenely rich donor to pay off the (extremely rich) seller. 1/2
wildlifetrusts.org
Donate to Secure The Rothbury Estate | The Wildlife Trusts
Stretching over 3,800 hectares, the Rothbury Estate in Northumberland is abundant with opportunity. It’s the largest continuous area of land to appear on the market in 50 years. Its sale creates a uni...
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fraglast.bsky.social @fraglast.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
There was definitely some spooky woo woo going on. 👻
A cool day in a nice medieval church.
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fraglast.bsky.social @fraglast.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
A rather splendid way to wrap things up. 👍
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fraglast.bsky.social @fraglast.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
It was rather splendid. Many thanks 🙏
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fraglast.bsky.social @fraglast.bsky.social · 21/06/2026
Alas no #pollinatorpals on this fine Bee orchid, Ophrys apifera this #midsummer morning in the #PeakDistrict Although, Siri suggests otherwise! #wildflowerhour
A single spike of a bee orchid sits against a backdrop of purest green.
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