Beacon Ring Hillfort
Thursday, 6th March 2008 by James Turnbull
The Beacon Ring hillfort in the region of Welshpool has seen numerous uses in its 3000 year history.
The central burial hill, or round barrow, would have been formed around the Bronze age. Then, in the Iron age, a fort was built around the hill, probably due to it being the highest point on Long Mountain.
The hill was likely used for beacon fires throughout the ages (hence the name) and by the 1860s was a popular haunt for witchcraft fans to dance about naked, or whatever it is they do.
When Queen Elizabeth II (the current Queen) was crowned in 1953 it was, for some unknown reason, decided that this hill would be a fitting tribute for the new monarch, and trees were planted to spell out "E II R".
"E II R" isn't a typo, it stands for "Elizabeth Regina II": Latin for Queen Elizabeth the second. If you're wondering where you've seen that before it's probably from post boxes throughout the UK.
Thanks: colin70
Australian postboxes also have E II R. Probably other commonwealth country too..
Royalist graffiti, brilliant.
Of course, you don’t actually see E II R throughout the UK, as you Edinburgh lads must know! Some Scots objected to the “II” as there hasn’t been another Queen Elizabeth of Scotland, and even went as far as setting fire to postboxes! As a result, boxes in Scotland now only display the crown without a monogram.
@Johnathan: I thought I’d seen a few “E II R” psotboxes around, but you’re right: apparently nationalists blew up a few postboxes in the 1950s, forcing royal mail to use the more attractive crown of Scotland instead. It was because Elizabeth I was Queen of England before the Union, so Elizabeth II of England is actually Elizabeth I of Scotland.