Old Sites, New Sites
Having picked up a copy of Ian McNeil Cooke’s ‘Standing Stones of the Lands End’ yesterday, I decided to try to see some new (to me) sites.
After an early breakfast, we headed off in the morning fog, via St Ives to the North Coast Road, and Zennor.
I had two possible targets here: the Giant’s Rock, and the Treveglos Stone Row. With the mist, the wetness of the ground, and the shoulder high gorse and bracken, I got close to neither - though I did snatch a glimpse of the Giant’s Rock through the gorse. Having renewed my acquaintance with the Zennor pets (2 dogs and a cat that seem to have free reign of the area around the Tinner’s Arms), we continued down to our next stop, Lower Boscaswell.
On a previous visit here, I’d seen the fogou, but missed the well. This time I saw the well, but am not surprised I missed it last time round. The well is immaculately tended, with mown grass and a low wall surround - I’d thought it was part of the decorative garden belonging to the house before! This really is delightful, several steps leading down, in a similar manner to Sancreed, to the water lying about 7 feet below ground level. No radioactive glow here though, just myriad spider’s webs to contend with at head height.
Whilst preparing for the visit here, I’d looked at the Cornwall County Council Rights of Way maps - the site provides quite highly detailed maps via a zoom facility. Using this, I’d spotted a ‘stone’ marked a short distance NE of the village, close to a footpath. There is no mention of a stone here in Robin Payne’s “Romance of the Stones”, so I thought it was worth checking out. This turned out to be a potentially expensive mistake as I dropped my GPS unit and it now steadfastly refuses to power on. I did find a stone at the location marked, but it appears to have been uprooted and dumped on top of a hedge at some point in its past. I saw a stone, possibly 5-6 feet in length, with a distinctive line approximately 1/3 of the length from one end, which suggests the stone had previously been buried up to this depth. If once upright, it would have been no more than 4 feet tall, so it’s dubious that it is that ancient.
Mikki had missed breakfast, so we repaired to St Just for a bowl of welcome soup and a coffee.
As we wanted to head back into Penzance, I took the opportunity of checking out the Chapel Carn Brea stone at SW 3867 2847. With a non-functioning GPS, I had to guess at the location, but only saw one candidate a short distance west of the car park for the hill.
Penzance was next for some minor shopping, after which we drove up around Carfury, without seeing the Cuckoo Stone although we did spot a candidate on the opposite hillside from the road, with no visible way to get to it.
I then took the opportunity to phone the Rosemerryn Guest House to arrange to see Boleigh Fogou once again, and took a slow drive in that direction, stopping for a seafood snack from a stall in Penzance Harbour.
Being slightly early for the appointment, I diverted down the minor road from Sheffield to Castallack, in the hope of seeing the Castallack Stone, and I wasn’t disappointed. Ian McNeil Cooke notes this stone (at SW 454 254) as being notable for a line of cup-marks close to the base. Robin Payne refutes this, suggesting instead that they may be preliminary drilling holes for an unfinished splitting operation. Having now seen the marks, I’d have to agree with Robin Payne on this one. An interesting stumpy stone, nevertheless.
Making our way along the extremely narrow road (how do people get furniture delivered here? There are some lovely properties in these back lanes), we emerged back on the B3315 just a short distance from Boleigh.
Finally, I took some decent photos of this place. When I was here in March, the place was covered with spring flowers. A slightly different picture emerges at this time of year. Rob, the new owner is working hard, but has a lot of work still to do on the garden area. The far end of the fogou is collapsing in, due to badger damage and will need repair soon if it is not to collapse entirely. Such repairs probably will extend to replacing the wooden cover there, which is rotting away.
I didn’t enter the creep this time round, as my torch batteries were low, and I was on my own (unlike in March when I entered fully) - scared of the dark? Me??
Having taken the photos I wanted, we returned up to the road where, driving past the Pipers, I spotted a notice apparently tied to the SW stone. On closer inspection, this was a large piece of laminated card with the legend ‘Please do not remove’. I’m not too sure what it’s protecting, or whether it’s there to inhibit some kind of fungal growth - there were black marks (not paint, thankfully) emanating from around the card.
Returning to the car, Mikki requested we call a halt to the day’s travels, and I agreed. After all, we’ve got another 5 days yet!
After an early breakfast, we headed off in the morning fog, via St Ives to the North Coast Road, and Zennor.
I had two possible targets here: the Giant’s Rock, and the Treveglos Stone Row. With the mist, the wetness of the ground, and the shoulder high gorse and bracken, I got close to neither - though I did snatch a glimpse of the Giant’s Rock through the gorse. Having renewed my acquaintance with the Zennor pets (2 dogs and a cat that seem to have free reign of the area around the Tinner’s Arms), we continued down to our next stop, Lower Boscaswell.
On a previous visit here, I’d seen the fogou, but missed the well. This time I saw the well, but am not surprised I missed it last time round. The well is immaculately tended, with mown grass and a low wall surround - I’d thought it was part of the decorative garden belonging to the house before! This really is delightful, several steps leading down, in a similar manner to Sancreed, to the water lying about 7 feet below ground level. No radioactive glow here though, just myriad spider’s webs to contend with at head height.
Whilst preparing for the visit here, I’d looked at the Cornwall County Council Rights of Way maps - the site provides quite highly detailed maps via a zoom facility. Using this, I’d spotted a ‘stone’ marked a short distance NE of the village, close to a footpath. There is no mention of a stone here in Robin Payne’s “Romance of the Stones”, so I thought it was worth checking out. This turned out to be a potentially expensive mistake as I dropped my GPS unit and it now steadfastly refuses to power on. I did find a stone at the location marked, but it appears to have been uprooted and dumped on top of a hedge at some point in its past. I saw a stone, possibly 5-6 feet in length, with a distinctive line approximately 1/3 of the length from one end, which suggests the stone had previously been buried up to this depth. If once upright, it would have been no more than 4 feet tall, so it’s dubious that it is that ancient.
Mikki had missed breakfast, so we repaired to St Just for a bowl of welcome soup and a coffee.
As we wanted to head back into Penzance, I took the opportunity of checking out the Chapel Carn Brea stone at SW 3867 2847. With a non-functioning GPS, I had to guess at the location, but only saw one candidate a short distance west of the car park for the hill.
Penzance was next for some minor shopping, after which we drove up around Carfury, without seeing the Cuckoo Stone although we did spot a candidate on the opposite hillside from the road, with no visible way to get to it.
I then took the opportunity to phone the Rosemerryn Guest House to arrange to see Boleigh Fogou once again, and took a slow drive in that direction, stopping for a seafood snack from a stall in Penzance Harbour.
Being slightly early for the appointment, I diverted down the minor road from Sheffield to Castallack, in the hope of seeing the Castallack Stone, and I wasn’t disappointed. Ian McNeil Cooke notes this stone (at SW 454 254) as being notable for a line of cup-marks close to the base. Robin Payne refutes this, suggesting instead that they may be preliminary drilling holes for an unfinished splitting operation. Having now seen the marks, I’d have to agree with Robin Payne on this one. An interesting stumpy stone, nevertheless.
Making our way along the extremely narrow road (how do people get furniture delivered here? There are some lovely properties in these back lanes), we emerged back on the B3315 just a short distance from Boleigh.
Finally, I took some decent photos of this place. When I was here in March, the place was covered with spring flowers. A slightly different picture emerges at this time of year. Rob, the new owner is working hard, but has a lot of work still to do on the garden area. The far end of the fogou is collapsing in, due to badger damage and will need repair soon if it is not to collapse entirely. Such repairs probably will extend to replacing the wooden cover there, which is rotting away.
I didn’t enter the creep this time round, as my torch batteries were low, and I was on my own (unlike in March when I entered fully) - scared of the dark? Me??
Having taken the photos I wanted, we returned up to the road where, driving past the Pipers, I spotted a notice apparently tied to the SW stone. On closer inspection, this was a large piece of laminated card with the legend ‘Please do not remove’. I’m not too sure what it’s protecting, or whether it’s there to inhibit some kind of fungal growth - there were black marks (not paint, thankfully) emanating from around the card.
Returning to the car, Mikki requested we call a halt to the day’s travels, and I agreed. After all, we’ve got another 5 days yet!
posted by Alan S. | 13:16
