Ancient Sites of Cornwall |
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St Just,
In a spectacular position, this is an unusual Bronze Age chambered tomb with a complex layout.
Access - Any reasonable time. (The site is managed by the National Trust.)
Location - 1 mile west of St Just near Carn Gloose (OS Map 203; ref SW 354313)
Carn
Euny Ancient Village
The remains of an Iron Age settlement, with foundations of stone huts
and an intriguing curved underground passage, or fogou.
Access - Any reasonable time.
Location - 1.5 miles SW of Sancreed off A30 (OS Map 203; ref. SW402289)
Castle
an Dinas
Goss Moor
(Hillfort. Iron Age.) One of the largest and best-preserved hillforts in Cornwall.
Settlement of a local chief.
Chun
Quoit
Morvah
Located 300m west of Chun Castle. Neolithic Chamber Tomb dating back to c.4000
BC.
Duloe
Stone Circle,
Duloe
Cornwall's only example of a quartz stone circle. The site features eight
quartz stones, though to be the remnants of a retaining kerb for a burial
mound. Cornwall's smallest stone circle.
Dupath
Well
Callington
A charming granite-built well house set over a holy well of c.1500 and still
almost complete.
Access - Any reasonable time (This site is managed by the Cornwall
Heritage Trust.)
Location - 1 mile E of Callington off A388 (OS Map 201: ref SX 374693)
Halliggye
Fogou
On of several strange underground tunnels, associated with Iron Age villages,
which are unique to Cornwall.
Access - Any reasonable time but partially blocked between 31st October
and 31st March.
A torch is advisable.
Location - 5m SE of Helston off B3293 E of Garra on Trelowarren estate
(OS Map 203; ref SW 714239).
Penhallam
Ruins of a medieval maor house surrounded by a protective moat.
Access - Any reasonable time.
Location - 1m NW of Week St Mary, off minor road off A39 from Tavistock
Cross (10 minute walk to site from car park). (OS Map 190; ref SX 224974).
Rillaton
Barrow
Minions
A very large Early Bronze Age barrow, 200m north east of 'The Hurlers'. The
barrow is approximately 30m in diameter. An excavation by local miners in
1837 -'searching for stone' in a very rocky area- discovered a granite cyst
set in its eastern edge. The site of the cist is still visible in the side
of the barrow. The cist contained the remains of a human skelaton, beads,
spear head, pottery and the 'Rillaton' Gold Cup. The ribbed cup, 80mm in height
is believed to have originated in the middle east, either brought to Cornwall
by a trade route, or fashioned by local craftsmen who had seen similar products.
The 'cup' itself having spent some time in the custody of the Royal family,
now resides in the British Museum. All other artefacts from the sight have
been lost. An Electrotype copy of the Rillaton Cup is kept in the Cornwall
Museum, Truro.
St
Breock Downs Monolith.
A prehistoric standing stone, originally 16 feet high, set in beautiful
countryside.
Access - Any reasonable time. (This site is managed by the Cornwall Heritage
Trust.)
Location - On St Breock Downs, 3.75m SW of Wadebridge off unclassified
road to Rosenannon (OS Map 200; ref SW 968683).
St
Catherine's Castle
Fowey
A small fort built by Henry VIII to defend Fowey harabour.
Access - Any reasonable time.
Location - 0.75m SW of Fowey along footpath off A3082 (OS Map 200;
ref SX 118508)
Tregriffian
Burial Chamber
St Buryan
(Chamber Tomb Neolithic, Early Bronze Age.) Kerbed cairn with a chamber, roofed
with stone slabs. Decorated slab by the entrance. On roadside verge close
to St Buryan. Originally believed to be an simple barrow; discovered to be
a chamber tomb, and preserved following excavations by the county authorities
who wished to straighten the route of the adjacent road.
Access - Any reasonable time. (This site is managed by the Cornwall
Heritage Trust.)
Location - 2m SE of St Buryan on B3315 (OS Map 203; ref SW 430245)
Treryn
Dinas
Treen
(Cliff castle. Iron Age.) Promontory fort, protected by four massive ramparts
sited on a spectacular headland. A natural rocking or Logan stone perched
on the top. Re-erected in 1824 having been pushed over the cliff by a young
naval officer.
Trevelgue
- Cliff Castle
Newquay
(Cliff Castle, Barrows. Bronze Age - Roman.) The headland is cut off by seven
ramparts and is the most heavily defended prehistoric site in Cornwall. The
seaward end is now an island. Excavations revealed evidence of bronze and
iron smelting. There are two burial mounds, one on the island and one inside
the outer rampart.
