With a renewed enthusiasm for photography and local history, I set out this blog as a record of my experiences with images and narratives. It is my hope that you find something of interest on this site. Please feel free to contact me for more information on any of the posts. You can see a comprehensive list of my blogs at my website :- http://www.davidnurse.co.uk

Showing posts with label Cornwall. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cornwall. Show all posts

Trethevy Quoit



Known locally as "the giant's house".

Standing 9 feet (2.7 m) high, this magnificent 5000-year-old

ancient structure consists of Six standing stones capped by a large slab.




Visit Date March 2024



Trethevy Quoit
Trethevy Quoit



Walking up to this structure, it is in a field close to some modern houses you do not get a feel of the size of this structure but as you approach the magnificence of this site overwhelms you.



Trethevy Quoit
Click on any image to enlarge



There are many of these burial sites in the UK and Cornwall has a large number of them.

Like many other portal structures, Trethevy Quoit would have been originally covered by a mound.

In the 19th century, William Copeland Borlase studied the site and made drawings of it.
A later investigation of the remnants suggests a mound diameter of almost 6.5 metres.

It is impossible to tell if stones have been removed from the site but the remaining seven stones a and an estimated 10.5-ton cover slab were inside the mound.



Trethevy Quoit
Trethevy Quoit



There are some unusual aspects of Trethevy Quoit, not only does it have 6 supporting stones forming its internal chamber, but it also has an antechamber at the 'front'. The only other Cornish quoit to boast two chambers is Lanyon Quoit.


Particularly interesting is the circular hole cut in the highermost corner of the capstone. Speculation has informed us that the hole could have been used for astronomy. The movement and settling over the millennia that have passed means it is impossible to prove, but it is peculiar and thought to be unique to this megalithic site.



Trethevy Quoit
Click on any image to enlarge



The massive capstone sits at a steep angle, and this is unlikely if this was the capstone's original position. At the lower side of the capstone, five small hollows can be found.

The entrance stone at the front in most portal structures can't be moved. however, Trevethy Quoit is a rare exception here, because a small rectangular stone moving at the bottom right of the front allows access to the chamber.

There is a rectangular cut-out at the side of the upright stone that forms the front of the main chamber it is unclear if this is a later modification of if it was used and an entrance this is not seen on any other Cornish sites.



Trethevy Quoit
Trethevy Quoit



Trethevy Quoit was first mentioned in 1584 by John Norden, in a topographical and historical account of Britain.

He described it as “A little howse raised of mightie stones, standing on a little hill within a fielde”.



Trethevy Quoit
Trethevy Quoit



In Cornish mythology, the monument is known as the Giant’s House and was believed to have been created by this fabled race.
It also like many other structures in Cornwall and indeed Wales it has links with King Arthur legend and is believed to have been magically built by Merlin.


Additional information:-
A Cromlech or Dolmen is an ancient underground tomb typically built with several large upright stones and a capstone on top. In its day, the whole thing would have been covered by a mound of earth. In some parts of the UK especially in Cornwall these structures are called Quoits.
Most date from the Late Neolithic period (4000–2000 BC)









Footer:Visit Information: -
Google Reference: -
50.493185727515105, -4.455456201119047

What Three Words reference: -
///countries.extent.nibbles

OS Details: -
SX 25936 68813 : Altitude:725 ft

Additional information.

Visiting is fairly easy although the roads become just lanes for some of the way and parking is a small car park for about three cars (50.493164985542144, -4.454975466726607) and a short walk into the adjacent field.
The approach is via the B3254 and turn off towards the village of Darite. On this road you will see the turn off for the quoit.










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The Longstone Cross (Long Tom)

 


Commonly known as "Long Tom" this stick of granite stands more than 2.5 metres (9 feet) high. 
Taking the form of a deliberately shaped standing stone, the top quarter is marked with a carved Greek cross. 
As is common with these early Christian crosses, it is likely to have been added to a much earlier standing stone after Christianity took hold in the area.

Visit Date March 2024



The Longstone Cross (Long Tom) Cornwall
The Longstone Cross (Long Tom) Cornwall



Situated on Bodmin Moor before being inscribed with the cross, Long Tom is almost certainly part of a landscape of prehistoric landmarks.
It would seem to be aligned with the three ancient circles of the nearby "Hurlers".

Regarding the carving of the cross, it was common for the early Christians to carve crosses on existing ritual sites and for the site to have been adopted for Christian rituals.



The Longstone Cross (Long Tom) Cornwall
The Longstone Cross (Long Tom) Cornwall




It is difficult often to age these stones but the carved Long Tom is thought to be at least 600 years old and possibly much older and pre-carved standing Menhir is prehistoric.




The Longstone Cross (Long Tom) Cornwall
The Longstone Cross (Long Tom) Cornwall





These crosses are quite common on Bodmin Moor with at least 35 having been found and 21 of these listed as wayside crosses. Long Tom is one of the best preserved and although many of the crosses may have been moved from their original position this is not thought to be the case with Long Tom which seems to be in its original place.


The carving on these wayside crosses found in Cornwall tend to be modeled like churchyard crosses which are often made from a single stone with a rounded wheel head with a cross carving.



The Longstone Cross (Long Tom) Cornwall
The Longstone Cross (Long Tom) North Face



In Cornwall, such wayside crosses tended to be modeled after churchyard crosses or market crosses. Most were made from a single slab of stone topped by a rounded wheel head carved with religious figures. 

Wayside crosses served a dual purpose. While they were a gathering place for Christian preaching, they also served as way-markers or signposts in a landscape that could be difficult to navigate.



The Longstone Cross (Long Tom) Cornwall
The Longstone Cross (Long Tom) South Face



The cross head is decorated with an incised carving of a cross on the north and south faces. The south face is much better preserved. 






Footer:Visit Information: -

Google Reference: -
50.508796877158495, -4.461704999304393

What Three Words reference: -
///opens.assemble.bloomers

OS Details: -
SX 25546 70560 Altitude:1016 ft


Additional information.

Visiting is very easy and parking is a small lay by on the side of the road which was completely flooded on my visit.

Long Tom can easily be seen from the road on approach.

The road is much better when approaching from the south.
On the A38 you can turn off at Doublebois and head for St Cleer / Common moor and Minions. The site is around 5 miles from here.






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Pendeen Lighthouse

 

Pendeen Lighthouse

Pendeen Lighthouse, also known as Pendeen Watch
 is an active aid to navigation and is sited north of the 
village of Pendeen in west Cornwall, England, 
United Kingdom.


Visit Date March 2023



Pendeen Lighthouse
Click on any image for larger view




Pendeen Lighthouse lies Only six miles north of Land's End and is close to the small and very pretty village of St Just, which thrived during the Tin and Copper mining era in the 1900s.

The construction of the lighthouse started in the 1890s and was designed by Sir Thomas Mathews for Trinity House (Trinity House is a charity dedicated to safeguarding shipping and seafarers) and constructed by Arthur Carkeek from Redruth.

The headland needed to be flattened to accommodate the 17-metre tower and associated buildings.

The light was first lit on 3 October 1900



Pendeen Lighthouse






A foghorn is also sighted here with twin 5-inch sirens driven initially by compressed air from an oil engine.

A five–wick Argand lamp provided the initial power for the lighthouse but the lamp was soon replaced with a 3-50mm dia. mantle lamp





Pendeen Lighthouse




The lens system was a large (first-order) rotating optic made up of two sets of four panels, which displayed a group of four flashes every fifteen seconds, it had a range of 20 nautical miles and is still in use.



The Cornish coast at Pendeen Lighthouse
Click on any image for a larger view




The coast of this area is treacherous to shipping. Along the coast, the remnants of the once thriving mining in the area can be seen. 

In the 1990s it was decided that the lighthouse would become automated and the last of the lightkeepers left the lighthouse on May 3rd 1995.



The Cornish coast at Pendeen Lighthouse





The lighthouse, together with the attached keepers' cottages, are Grade II listed,

Built within the North Cornwall Coast within a Site of Special Scientific Interest and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, it is sited on one of the many granite headlands bird watching is popular here as is seal and dolphin spotting. Being north-west facing is a perfect location to watch the sun setting over the Atlantic.







Footer:
Visit Information: -

Google Reference: -
50.16498077682171, -5.671545986771646

What Three Words reference: -
///cheeses.cabs.zooms

OS Details: -
SW 37890 35891 : Altitude:52 m

Additional information.

There is parking here (50.164339321872106, -5.670764521122517) for a half a dozen cars or so and the place is easy to visit.
Off the B3306 the lighthouse is signposted from the road.
There are no facilities at the site.




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Men An Tol





An Ancient Cornish Treasure

The name Men an Toll (note the extra l) in
Cornish means "the stone of the hole",
Aptly named for this 3500-year-old bronze age structure.


Visit Date March 2023


Men An Tol Cornwall


There are many "loose" stones around this site but the MĂȘn-an-Tol consists of three upright stones made from local granite, The two side uprights stand just over a metre high. The round stone is 1.3 metres wide and around 1.1 metres high.

There has been some discussion as to the structure being part of a stone circle but although there are outlying stones there does not seem to be any circle structure to them, of course, the site may have been changed since its "modern discovery".
Also, there have been theories that the holed stone was a capstone from a Dolmen but again I think this is unlikely.



Men An Tol



The first archaeological examination was carried out in 1749. The plan that was drawn seems to suggest that there had been some movement of the stones but in John Tomas Blights account "Ancient crosses and other antiquities in the west of Cornwall" published in 1858 the stones are set exactly as they are today.



Men An Tol Cornwall



It is difficult to know what the structure was used for but there are many stone structures close to this site. Its nearest neighbour is Menscifa (A standing stone with writing on its surface, that will be in a later post.) which is just a few hundred yards away and the Nine Maidens Stone Circle is about a quarter of a mile further over the moor. Also in the distance you can see the more recent structure of the Greenburrow engine house (1919 - 1936).



Men An Tol



As you would expect from a site this well known there is much folklore attributed to the structure.

It is said, If a brass pin was placed on the holed stone, questions could be answered by the movement of the pin.

In his 1932 report, Hugh O'Neil Hanchen was told by local farmers that pain in limbs or back would improve by passing through the hole. This is said to happen because a fairy or piskie (a cornish name for a pixie or elf) can make miraculous cures.
Although I guess the portly figures would not have this available to them given the size of the hole.




Men An Tol Cornwall




Another tells that some Evil piskies put a changling spell on a child which was reversed by the mother passing the infant through the hole breaking the spell.

A very well-known tale was the holed stone was said to cure rickets and children with rickets were passed naked through the hole in the middle stone from three to nine times to provide a cure.

The most popular local legend reports that a woman passing through the hole at a full moon will soon become pregnant.

Whatever the original reason for the structure we will never know but it has been put to many good uses down through the years.




Footer:
Visit Information: -

Google Reference: -
50.158569483211956, -5.604591983491583

What Three Words reference: -
///chitchat.flips.chatters

OS Details: -
SW 42645 34942 Altitude:638 ft

Additional information.
This is a fine site that is easily accessible on the moor.
The road is a turn south off the B3306
There is a parking for around 4 cars close to the path of this site (50.153595163384026, -5.6149119102692655) The pathway is marked and the walk is an easy 1.2KM (15 minutes) from here. Look for a sign on the path by a a stile to cross the field.

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Bridgend, United Kingdom
A renewed interest in photography and local history.

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