Ancient Sites - A Tour of West Penwith 2
The main sites of Penwith form a crescent across the whole of the Land's End Peninsula, here are the remaining notable sites:-
Mên Scryfa
(Main Screefa) Grid ref. SW427353
Mên Scryfa or the 'Inscribed stone' is situated on level ground near to Mên-an-Tol (Grid ref. SW426349). It is possibly the site of a burial of a prominent Romano-Celtic chieftain. Its inscription reads 'Rialobran Cunovali Fili' - or 'here lies Rialvran (Royal Raven) son of Cunoval'....although the words at the base of the stone now lie below ground level. Approaching from the trackway there appears to be an alignment to a groove in Carn Galver a kilometre further north.
Mên-an-Tol. Grid ref. SW426349
Also known as the 'Crick Stone' or 'The holed stone'. Situated on Burnt Downs near the Morvah-Madron road. It was at one time thought to have magical powers - a child with rickets might be cured if it was passed through the centre three times. Unfortunately its layout was altered sometime in the last few centuries so that any alignment with Sun or stars is no longer possible.
Lanyon Quoit Grid ref. SW430337
One of the oldest and probably most photographed ancient sites in West Cornwall. Dating from about 5000 BC to 2000 BC, this Quoit or Cromlech was constructed during the Late Mesolithic to Early Neolithic period. It is situated beside the Morvah-Madron road just northwest of Madron Well at Grid ref. SW446328 and lies about 500 metres from the now collapsed West Lanyon Quoit - Grid ref. SW423338. It was reconstructed by a Lieutenant Goldsmith after the capstone, weighing about 13½ tons toppled in the great storm of Autumn 1812. Technical Information: Height 1.8-2.1m
Chûn Quoit(Choon Quoit) and Chûn Castle located at Grid ref. SW403340 and SW405339 respectively.
Along with the excellently preserved Iron Age hillfort the Quoit stands on Chûn Downs about a mile south of Morvah near Pendeen. It lies amongst the highest concentration of ancient monuments in north Penwith. Just to the northeast lies the Iron Age Bosullow Trehyllys village, while less than a mile to the southwest lies Carn Kenidjack and the Tregeseal Dancing Stones at Grid Ref. SW386324. Five miles away to the east lies Castle-an-Dinas Hillfort (Grid ref. SW485350) while 3 miles south lies Caer Bran Hillfort at Grid ref. SW407290. This Quoit is the only structure in the whole Penwith District to retain its original capstone unmoved. It can be reached by footpaths off the Morvah to Madron road or by parking just off the B3318 near the junctions to Pendeen and Trewellard. Technical Information: Height 1.7m.
Tregeseal Dancing Stones Grid ref. SW386324
Lying below the hill of Carn Kenidjack midway between Pendeen and St. Just. This site exhibits two relatively small stone circles. Unfortunately only the eastern one is almost complete. Once again they have 19 upright stones but have been restored in places. Technical Information: Circle Diameters 21m (Eastern) and 23m (Western)
Chysauster Ancient Village - Tel. (07831)
757934 - Open April to October.
A Tour of West Penwith - Part 1
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