RE: Castle at the Cross

["Ramsey-Styer, Darwin" <RamseyD@dot.state.sc.us>]

Not necessarily.  I have a friend that works in Nova Scotia.  There are
many laws and regulations governing recovery of archaeological data.
Knowing the requirements beforehand helps to plan for them as well as to
make a well thought out proposal that is more likely to be accepted.
However, contacting the landowners and discussing a preliminary plan is
a good idea because if they are not willing to let anyone on the
property, then there's no use in our wasting our time.  Besides, before
I could develop a data recovery plan I would need to see the site.
Darwin

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Margaret Rintoul/Neil Sinclair [SMTP:rinsin@globalserve.net]
> Sent:	Wednesday, May 06, 1998 9:58 PM
> To:	sinclair@zilker.net
> Subject:	Re: Castle at the Cross
> 
> Dear Mr. Pincus & Darwin;
> I tried reaching you directly Mr. Pincus and if so you can
> reply. The suggestion I have is as follows; if people wish
> to send me concrete proposals, I have the address of the
> owners and would be pleased to share something factual. I
> caution however that it has been a year since I have
> communicated with them. Reference to the Nova Scotia
> Government is a bit premature as there is a lot of horse to
> go before the cart.
> Neil Sinclair
> 
> Ramsey-Styer, Darwin wrote:
> 
> > Dear Mr. Pincus:
> >         I am sorry to take so long in getting back to you,
> > however, I
> > was called out of town on emergency family business and
> > just arrived
> > home today.  I would be very interested in excavating the
> > site properly
> > and would love to have volunteers.  We would need to
> > determine if the
> > site is actually available for excavation (I believe the
> > owners were
> > actually interested in profiting from the site, which is
> > highly unlikely
> > unless it can be proven to be of significance).  The
> > owners must be
> > contacted, the Nova Scotian government should be contacted
> > for rules and
> > regulations, and a comprehensive plan must be developed.
> > There is a
> > great deal to be considered in an undertaking of this sort
> > but it is
> > feasible.  I am certainly interested in discussing this
> > with you
> > further.  I have several projects that I intend to
> > complete this week
> > (by Friday afternoon) and would be free to discuss this
> > then.  Let me
> > know your thoughts and we'll get together.  Darwin
> >
> > PS how old is your daughter?  I decided to do this when I
> > was 4, against
> > the advice of many people.  I always try to encourage the
> > interest of
> > others since that is the only way anything of value will
> > ever get done!
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Michael Pincus [SMTP:gate@APK.net]
> > > Sent: Monday, May 04, 1998 4:02 PM
> > > To:   sinclair@zilker.net
> > > Subject:      Re: Castle at the Cross
> > >
> > > Michael Pincus responds:
> > > Very interesting data. I would be interested
> > > in financing a proper excavation of the site
> > > by a trained and credentialed archaeologist
> > > or historian, as well as a proper film shoot.
> > > If interested please email to me. Only hitch
> > > is that I and my daughter would insist on being
> > > able to get ourselves dirty, and help as amatuer
> > > assistents. Come back! MSP
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Ramsey-Styer, Darwin wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Dear Margaret,
> > > > Thank you so much for clarifying this.  I am new to
> > this list (last
> > > > Friday, 4-17-98) and really appreciate the
> > explanation.  I am an
> > > > archaeologist, as well as a Sinclair, and I truly
> > believe in
> > > checking my
> > > > facts.  I have had a great deal of trouble believing
> > anything that
> > > has
> > > > been stated before concerning the exploration of the
> > New World and
> > > the
> > > > Sinclair involvement because of the lack of documented
> > sources.
> > > > (However, all of this undocumented dribble is coming
> > from only one
> > > or
> > > > two people that don't believe in footnotes.)
> > > >   I have been an archaeologist for the last 13 years,
> > I have both a
> > > BA
> > > > and an MA in anthropology (focus in Southeastern
> > Archaeology), and
> > > write
> > > > archaeological reports on a daily basis.  In all of my
> > work, if I
> > > had
> > > > ever stated a fact without citing the original
> > reference I would
> > > have
> > > > failed (if in school) or been laughed out of
> > professional meetings.
> > > > However, even though I am a professional, that doesn't
> > mean
> > > avocational
> > > > historians and archaeologists can not document their
> > own work as
> > > well.
> > > > I have attended many presentations by amateur
> > historians and
> > > > archaeologists that are equally as good as anything by
> > trained
> > > > professionals.  Documentation is not difficult and can
> > make all the
> > > > difference in whether or not a work is useful...
> > Thank you so much
> > > for
> > > > supplying the reference to Michael Bradley's book.  I
> > will be sure
> > > to
> > > > find and refer to it for further research.
> > > > As to influencing the Nova Scotian government to
> > increase their
> > > > preservation efforts... I am not sure we can do
> > anything.  If a site
> > > is
> > > > on private property, in the US,  we have no legal
> > recourse to
> > > preserve
> > > > it.  I would suspect the laws are very similar in Nova
> > Scotia.
> > > However,
> > > > it might be possible to contact various preservation
> > groups and
> > > > societies within Nova Scotia.  Many of these groups
> > have educational
> > > > programs designed to increase the public awareness of
> > the need for
> > > > preservation, trained excavators, and scientific
> > excavation.  Once
> > > the
> > > > general public is educated and interested in the
> > cause, it becomes
> > > > easier to influence the government as well as private
> > land owners.
> > > > However, I would be surprised if it didn't take quite
> > a long time.
> > > I am
> > > > heavily involved with the professional archaeology
> > society here as
> > > well
> > > > as the avocational group.  We work constantly to
> > educate the public
> > > and
> > > > yet I am asked on almost a daily basis what neat
> > dinosaurs I have
> > > found
> > > > lately.  Still, I keep at it hoping someday to make
> > and impression.
> > > >                                         Sincerely,
> > > >                                         Darwin Ramsey
> > > >  ----------
> > > > From: Margaret Rintoul/Neil Sinclair
> > > > To: sinclair@zilker.net
> > > > Subject: Re: Castle at the Cross
> > > > Date: Friday, April 17, 1998 3:28PM
> > > >
> > > > Dear John and Michael;
> > > > "THe Sinclair Castle" at the cross Nova Scotia needs
> > to be
> > > > introduced to some of our clan. For Sinclairs that are
> >
> > > > interested in the Sinclair expedition this site is
> > initially
> > > > mentioned in Michael Bradley's book Holy Grail Across
> > the
> > > > Atlantic, Honslow Press 1988. In this book it was put
> > > > forward that there was a settlement created which
> > became the
> > > > Castle at the Cross in the middle of Nova Scotia by
> > Henry
> > > > Sinclair and the site has received some mention in his
> > other
> > > > books and other writings of the expedition...
> > > >
> > > > I visited the site which is on private lands in 1996
> > and
> > > > there is little evidence remaining of any edifices but
> > what
> > > > what there was became certainly significant. I saw
> > physical
> > > > remains of a well, and stone foundations that were
> > certainly
> > > > old. It was not a castle in the sense that we would
> > think of
> > > > castles. Anything built and referred to as a castle in
> > 1398
> > > > or so referred to more correctly to a building or
> > buildings
> > > > that could be fortified but really used as habitation.
> > There
> > > > may have been a buildings that were constructed but
> > from eye
> > > > level one did not see a huge area being involved.
> > However in
> > > > my uneducated eye it was very old, located on a height
> > of
> > > > land and in the middle of Nova Scotia between the Bay
> > of
> > > > Fundy and the Atlantic. It was a logical site for an
> > old
> > > > habitation and certainly far removed from water
> > access. That
> > > > sid some backyard digging had occurred. I had the
> > > > opportunity to write the owner and speak to them with
> > the
> > > > following advice;
> > > > First that the site should be closed and left as is
> > until
> > > > experts could be found to properly conduct an
> > examination. I
> > > > further urged that while the site was interesting and
> > > > controversial (there are many skeptics) it should
> > receive
> > > > proper designation as an historical site. Again the
> > property
> > > > is on private lands and no site preservation was
> > undertaken
> > > > from day one. To make matters worse there was
> > speculation as
> > > > how to make money from the site and should anything be
> > of
> > > > historical interest then the worst one could do would
> > be to
> > > > commercialize it with no evidence of what existed. I
> > would
> > > > add that the Government of Nova Scotia is not only
> > short
> > > > sited on historical matters but when it came to
> > historical
> > > > preservation it was grossly negligent. I only hope the
> > site
> > > > is "preserved" and not dug up until a proper
> > archeological
> > > > study can be made. The lead of Clan Sinclair in Nova
> > Scotia
> > > > may have some more insights.
> > > >
> > > > I also have no insight whether the site is still
> > rapidly
> > > > found. It was known to locals and was the very dickens
> > to
> > > > find from any published material and it was not on the
> >
> > > > historical sites being stuck in the middle of nowhere.
> > If
> > > > you are interested in the NS Sinclair Historical tour
> > you
> > > > may want to check out another travesty to historical
> > > > preservation, Oak Island. While I have satisfied
> > myself that
> > > > Henry Sinclair did not bury any treasure there this
> > site is
> > > > one of the most significant mysteries on the eastern
> > > > seaboard and should have been preserved from an
> > historical
> > > > perspective, and again the people of Nova Scotia and
> > their
> > > > government let that site get destroyed too with no
> > care or
> > > > preservation of artifacts no study of any kind and a
> > > > terrible treasure hunt that turned up nothing. What I
> > did
> > > > leave this site with is a curiosity as to how Red Oaks
> > came
> > > > into the region. Planted from 1398? Again no studies
> > and
> > > > hence only books of speculation.
> > > >
> > > > If anyone is following the History in Nova Scotia this
> >
> > > > summer a couple of spots are interesting and worth
> > visiting.
> > > > Louisburg has plaques suggesting that Prince Henry
> > landed
> > > > there, and the cannon mentioned in Sinclairs book are
> > there
> > > > mostly replicated but they did exist. Of most
> > historical
> > > > interest is that the Basques had been visiting Nova
> > Scotia
> > > > well before 1400 for the Fish and the Grand Banks. I
> > would
> > > > not be surprised if others did as well. This area as a
> >
> > > > fishing destination was not a surprise to every
> > European. By
> > > > the way of interest, Guysbouough NS has also laid some
> > plans
> > > > for significant celebrations and the most recent
> > published
> > > > history of Nova Scotia by Lesley Choyce does mention
> > the
> > > > Henry expedition as historical fact.
> > > >
> > > > Hope this helps. Because this network runs on shared
> > > > information is it helpful for all of us, if some
> > background
> > > > is put forward when making an inquiry so we may all be
> >
> > > > educated at the same time.
> > > > Keep up the fine work, it is a most interesting
> > > > communication network of clansmen.
> > > > Neil Sinclair, Toronto
> > > > Descendant of Argyll Scotland
> > > >
> > > > Michael Pincus wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > Michael Pincus responds:
> > > > > Please fill me in. Is there a sight here I missed?
> > > > > Thank you, MSP
> > > > >
> > > > > John Duguid wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Does anyone out there have any recent information
> > on the
> > > > > Sinclair "Castle at
> > > > > > the Cross" in Nova Scotia. The last I heard there
> > was
> > > > > talk of carrying out some
> > > > > > excavations to ascertain whether or not the
> > structure
> > > > > could be dated to the
> > > > > > visit of Prince Henry in 1398.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > John Duguid
> 
>