I've had a request that I can't answer; perhaps one of you can. Are any of these sites in existence and open to visitors now? Would a visitor be able to tour some of the really ancient sites, other than the Cheesering (is that correct?) and the Hurlers on Bodmin moor? Is there an inexpensive guide to ancient sites available? Thanks for any information, and hope you enjoy the last of July, 1851. Julia ......................... WEST BRITON AND CORNWALL ADVERTISER JULY 25, 1851 STATISTICS OF CORNWALL - NO. 31 - ANCIENT WORKS IN CORNWALL To the EDITOR of the WEST BRITON. SIR - In continuation of my observations on the ancient works of Cornwall, I now come to the parish of MUDRON [yes, it had a "U"] - A little north of Penzance is Castle Skudjack, a circular entrenchment occupying about four acres. About a mile west of Penzance is Castle Horneck, a circular entrenchment, about an acre and a quarter. About two miles north-westward from Madron Church is Lanyon Cromlech. The top stone is about fifteen feet by eight, and one foot and a half thick, and rests on three upright stones, which are about five feet high. I have been told that the top stone was lying dislodged from its proper position, until at the time the Logging Rock was replaced as before mentioned, when this was also replaced by the same party. About a quarter of a mile south-eastward of the Cromlech, are two barrows within four fathoms of each other; one of them is about forty-five feet diameter, and the other thirty feet. About a mile westward from Lanyon Cromlech are the remains of a "Kist-vaen." The top stone, which is about twelve or thirteen feet long by eight or nine wide, has been thrown down; it rested on three upright flat stones which formed two sides and an end, and supported the top stone at about five or six feet above the ground; these remain in their places except that about the upper half of the eastern stone has been broken off and carried away. About a mile northward from Lanyon Cromlech is a stone standing upright, known by the name of "Menna Skriffis" (the written stone). On examining it, I could make out nothing like an inscription; probably it is now too much weather worn. Borlase quotes from Mr. LHUYD that the stone had probably been fixed 1,000 years. About a quarter of a mile eastward from Menna Skriffis is a circle of stones which will be noticed under the head of Gulval. In the northernmost part of the parish, on the top of a hill, is Mulvra Cromlech, in a dilapidated state. SANCREED - About half a mile north-westward of the Church are the remains of a barrow on Beacon- hill, diameter sixty-feet. About a mile westward of the church is a circular fort on the top of a hill, called Caer-Bran (Caer-Ban, the castle on the mount?) It has two banks and two ditches, altogether about two and half acres. The interior area is about three quarters of an acre. Borlase (about one hundred years ago) describes the inner vallum as having been a stone wall "but now is a ridge of disorderly stones," the inner ditch fifteen yards wide, the outer vallum of earth fifteen feet high, and the outer ditch fifteen feet wide, edged with stone. About a mile northward from Beacon-hill above-mentioned, is an elliptical entrenchment having a single bank and ditch, the diameter of the interior are about one hundred and fifty and one hundred and ten feet, and the whole work occupies about one acre. There is now a cottage within the eastern part of the bank. This work is about a quarter of a mile west of Trannack. ST. JUST - In the southern part of this parish is Chapel Carn Brea. On the top of the hill is a barrow of stones about eighty-five feet diameter, on the top of which are the ruins of a building about fourteen feet square. Pertinney is a well known hill about a mile north-eastward of Chapel Carn Brea. On its top is a bank about thirty feet wide surrounding an area of about two hundred and fifty feet diameter, within which are three small circular inclosures formed by low banks. As there is no ditch, this does not appear to have been made for a place of defence. In the middle of this circle, is one of the principal stations which was used by the ordnance surveyors in their trigonometrical survey of the county. A little north-westward from the circle is a low barrow, diameter forty feet. At St. Just village are the remains of a circular bank, which is said to have been a "plain-an-gwarry," and that there were six rows of seats on the interior of the bank. No traces remain of such seats, and the bank was nearly destroyed when I saw it some years ago. It occupies about half an acre. Borlase describes it as an exact circle one hundred and twenty-six feet diameter, the perpendicular height of the bank seven feet above the area within, and ten feet above the bottom of the ditch outside, the benches formed of stone, six steps besides the top, which steps were each one foot high and fourteen inches wide, and the top seven feet wide. What has produced its present ruinous condition and what is become of the stone work? South of St. Just village and at thirty fathoms east of Carn Bosavern, are the remains of a barrow, diameter fifty-five feet. At a quarter of a mile east of Carn Bosavern are the remains of a barrow, diameter fifty-five feet. About three-quarters of a mile north-eastward of St. Just village, are to barrows, diameter of each forty-five feet; south-eastward of which are two barrows, diameters fifty-five and forty-five feet; on the larger is a ring of stones set up, diameter twenty-six feet. Eastward of the last-mentioned, is a very low barrow on Trannack Down, which has a flat top, diameter one hundred feet; about eighty fathoms south of which is another barrow, diameter eighty-five feet; and further south-eastward about sixty fathoms, are two barrows, diameters eighty and sixty-five feet. North-eastward of the last mentioned, about half a mile, are three barrows, one of which is partly taken away, diameters fifty-five, forty-five, and fifty feet, and about sixty fathoms north-eastward is another barrow, diameter fifty feet. These are about a quarter of a mile northward of the elliptical entrenchment in Sancreed. Carnidjack Castle is on a projecting cliff, about half a mile north-eastward from Cape Cornwall. It has three banks and ditches extending across the promontory, and occupies about two acres and a half. A little eastward of the last-mentioned are two circles, each formed by nineteen upright stones, some of which are fallen down, they are of the same size, diameter about seventy feet, and the same distance between them. A little S.E. of these, there is an ancient ring of stones and earth forming a small inclosure, diameter twenty-two feet, and a little south of the circles is a barrow formed of great stones and earth, on the summit of a hill, diameter forty-five feet. On Carn Yorth is a barrow of stones and earth, diameter sixty feet. On the top of Carn Ennis is a barrow of stones and earth, diameter fifty-five feet, and one hundred fathoms south of it is another barrow formed also of stones and earth, diameter fifty feet. About half a mile north-westward of the last-mentioned, are two barrows close together, formed of earth and stones, diameters forty and thirty-five feet. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, R. THOMAS Falmouth, July 18, 1851 Julia Mosman, OPC for St.Austell,Charlestown, and Treverbyn Website at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~staustell W. Briton newspaper transcripts at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~wbritonad Please visit the OPC website at http://cornwall-opc.org

> I've had a request that I can't answer; perhaps one of you can. Are any > of these sites in existence and open to visitors now? Would a visitor be > able to tour some of the really ancient sites, other than the Cheesering > (is that correct?) and the Hurlers on Bodmin moor? Is there an > inexpensive guide to ancient sites available? Yes Julia all are open to the public. There is also a book Belerion, by Craig Weatherill ISBN 0-906720-01-x all about the ancient sites around Lands End with maps etc. It was £4.95 when published in 1981. A few years ago we visited the Village at Chysauster and that was fascinating. Regards, Susan in Wadebridge CFHS 9508 OPC for St Merryn, St Ervan, St Eval, St Mawgan & St Columb Major Parish Reconstruction up to 1891 on St Merryn, St Ervan, St Eval, St Mawgan, Padstow, St Issey, Little Petherick, St Wenn, Withiel, Egloshayle, St Breock, St Columb Major & Minor, Newlyn East, St Kew, St Mabyn & St Tudy http://cornwall-opc.org/ http://www.cornwall-opc-database.org/ http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/Cornwall/ No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 9.0.829 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/2927 - Release Date: 06/09/10 07:35:00