|
CROP CIRCLES IN 1999 |
|
Asthall, nr Burford, Oxfordshire. Reported 21st July.
Updated Saturday 24th July 1999
Following a call from Robin Cole of Circular Forum, I made the trip to find the
circle off the A40 at Asthall. The person who reported it to him indicated it was seen
best from the village itself. This proved to be slightly erroneous! The circle is visible
from
the eastbound carriageway of the A40, just before the Asthall/Minster Lovell roundabout
(formation is approx. grid ref SP284107.) The photograph was taken from the side of the
A40, and is the best I could do with the 3x zoom on my digital camera.
Perhaps the best and closest view is obtained from the single-track road running from the
A40 to Asthall itself. I made no attempt to enter the formation, but it may be accessible
from the footpath running out of the village - my map is old and may be inaccurate. From
what I could observe through binoculars, the formation lacked precise edges, but we do not
(yet) know how old it is.
On the way to the Asthall formation, westbound on the A40, approx. 1.5 - 2km from the
Brize Norton exit, there was a small formation, just off the edge of the carriageway
(SP203098) - it would be easy to miss at speed! From the brief glimpse I got of it, it
seemed to be only a line and ring, very roughly as per graphic, but the view was even more
oblique. Because of the road layout, the only practical way and time consuming way to get
back for another view would be to all the way back to Witney to join the westbound A40
again, which I did not manage. A keen walker might be able to find it by walking back
along the westbound A40 from the Asthall roundabout.
Reported by Brian James APRA - 21 July 1999
Here's the latest on the most recent Oxfordshire formation:
ASTHALL formation.
Simple ringed dumbell in wheat located at SP285108
Top Circle 35 feet with a ring 5ft ring, 6ft foor from the main circle. 17ft pathway to
lower circle which is 30 ft. All circles and ring swirled ACW. Can be seen from the A40
going between Witney and Burford.
The info is also on the Oxfordshire site.
Reported by Howard Ambler OXFORDSHIRE CIRCLES OF 1999
