Mitchell's Fold Stone Circle

Mitchell's Fold Stone Circle 

Mitchell's Fold (sometimes called Medgel's Fold or Madges Pinfold) is a Bronze Age stone circle in southwest Shropshire, located in the civil parish of Chirbury with Brompton, at a height of 1083 ft (330m).


Coordinates
52.578657,-3.028153


Stones
There are 12 stones currently, of which 3 are tall and 9 are small with some part buried.
Using the angles 4° and 18° clockwise and then the angle 26° the following are produced, the angles 4° and 18° produce the 26° and 12° angles.


4° clockwise
1,1,1,1,1,1,1,2,2,1

18° clockwise
2,1,1,1,2,2,1,2


4°
1×1×1×1×1׳√(221)=6.046

18°
2׳√(2212)=26.059

26°
2,1,1,1,1,1,2,1,2

After using the 26° aligning with the tallest stone, a 26° northeast angle gives the following, probably as an alignment check.
2,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,2



Taking each of the three angles and numbers produced aligns best as below, although there are '1's or '2's where there should be a '2' or '1'.
1,1,1,1,1,1,1,2,2,1
         2,1,1,1,2,2,1,2
      2,1,1,1,1,1,2,1,2
When marking the locations, they are at angles 26° and 12°.

Although the 26° is from the horizon, the use of 12° from the vertical gives 78°. The following is produced clockwise by using all stones and stones not including part buried stones.

Then, at 78° northeast (not part buried stones)
1,1,2,1,1,1,2
√2׳√2=1.78

At 78° northeast (with all stones)
2,1,1,1,1,1,1,2,2

A possible interpretation is that, when not using the part buried stones, the numbers suggest a bit more towards the left are bigger numbers and when using all stones a bit more towards the right.

So when applying this on the circle, a centre point is produced along the 26° northwest line, which is slightly more towards the left when splitting the circle in two. 

So using this point the corresponding part buried stones suggests at 15° and 60° (towards the left) that both could be an hour and 13° and 35° (towards the right) suggests both could be 1 o'clock.

The 15° is one hour of rotation, and 60° is one hour in minutes, 13° is 13 hours, and 35° is 13 hours in the opposite direction. These two from the following could suggest if a marker is 15° it is an hour, and if it is 13° then it is minutes.

From these part buried stones as the markers, the following stones clockwise are 12,27, and 11. This could then be the year 1227 bc.


(15),34°,56°,1°,35°,3°

(13), 12°
(35), 27°
(60), 11°


Possible interpretation
A total solar eclipse occurred on 10th November, 1227 bc, with maximum at 08:46, for 2 mins and 34 seconds.
(-55.596227,36.006959)

A partial eclipse of the Moon occurred on 24th November, 1227 bc, with max at 22:01.
The partial eclipse lasted for 2 hours and 22 minutes.
The penumbral eclipse lasted for 5 hours and 29 minutes.
(14.860898,26.803778)



Conclusion
Although the part buried stones 13,35, and 60 equate to the date, the 15° which might have been an hour doesn’t equate to the maximum eclipse for either. 

The 26° direction northwest equates as the 10 o'clock, the first two stones could be the coordinates, then minutes, then duration, although other numbers fit better.
Using this for the second set, the coordinates of 14,26 are the part buried stone in the opposite direction and the adjoining 26° direction. The following stones are 36° and 72° but in angles are incorrect and should be read directly as 5hrs 29mins clockwise followed by the next two stones as 08.46, the final stone could be 55.

It is clear after applying the lunar and solar eclipses that the numbers produced clockwise are only for alignment, giving the 26° and 12°. 

It is possible that the 1.78 equates as 78° but the interpretation before using 78° is more accurate.

Although there is an interpretation using a clock face, the maximum, and duration. Using the separation angles more, but not necessarily in the same order, seems clearer.

There seems to be an interpretation of other stone circles that are more coherent. This could be a number of things, including a shortage of stones.

Mitchells Fold

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