06.03.14
There’s more to Cornwall than Cornish pasties. Its breath-taking natural beauty means it’s a producer’s paradise, having been used as a backdrop to TV series Doc Martin and Hornblower, as well as films The Witches, Die Another Day and Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland. Famous locals are a mixed bunch to say the least, among them Kristin Scott Thomas, John Nettles, Rory McGrath, Mick Fleetwood, and, as legend has it, King Arthur. What a dinner party that would be.
Cornwall lies in the far South West of England. Largely surrounded by sea, it’s one of the most remote parts of the country. This goes some way to explaining the number of sacred sites that can be found there largely intact: many people simply didn’t travel that far, let alone make off with ancient monuments as mementos. As a result, the land is teeming with the remains of stone circles, burial chambers, mysterious caves and holy wells.
St Madron’s Well
Cornwall has more holy wells than you can shake a stick at. Some are housed in elaborate stone constructions, while others are simple holes in the ground. The village of Madron has a sacred well with a reputation for healing. In particular, St Madron’s Well, and the well-chapel nearby, were believed to rid children of skin diseases and cure cripples. At least, I think it was that way round. Visitors still leave rags, called clouties, tied to the trees by the water. This age-old ritual is carried out to give thanks, to heal sickness, or simply to keep the fairies of the well in good humour. Although how this pleases them is anyone’s guess.
Young women would use the well’s powers to find out if and when they would marry. Crosses made of rushes or straw were placed on the water to see if they would sink or remain afloat. Or pins thrown into the water would show how many years to wait for marriage, by the number of bubbles rising to the surface. And people say girls are irrational.
Mên-an-Tol
One of the best-known megalithic structures in Britain is the Mên-an-Tol (literally ‘stone with a hole’ - what imaginations they had), which resembles a giant doughnut and rests in between two upright menhirs, or standing stones. It is thought to date from the Bronze Age. You will probably be struck by its size but not in the way you might expect. Forget Stonehenge, this circle can’t be much more than four feet high, although certainly big enough for a person to scramble through (just).
According to folktales, the Mên-an-Tol has a resident guardian fairy who grants wishes and tells the future. Predictions of love and good fortune are gained by laying two pins across each other on top of the ‘donut’. Return a little while later and you have your answer, depending on whether the pins have remained the same, moved, or disappeared entirely. It’s basically an early Magic 8 Ball. People used to climb through the hole to cure their backache or rickets, or to ensure fertility. There is even talk of a changeling being put through the stone in order to get the real child back. Perhaps Billy Ray Cyrus might want to take Miley there for a holiday?
Mên Scryfa
Mên Scryfa, which translates as ‘Inscribed Stone’ (do you see a pattern emerging here?), is a six foot high menhir commemorating local royalty and is thought to originate from the fifth to seventh century. Located nearby the Mên-an-Tol, the stone Is engraved with the lettering ‘RIALOBRANI CUNOVALI FILI’, generally believed to mean ‘Here lies Royal Raven, son of Famous Chieftain’.
Legend has it that Mên Scryfa marks the burial place of the son of a king — a warrior who was mortally wounded at the battle of Gendhal Moor. Excellent casting for Game of Thrones, Raven was reputedly as tall as the block itself, which originally stood over eight feet in height. Rumour has it he lies beneath the stone, not dead, but sleeping surrounded by all of his weapons and treasures — in other words. a typical bachelor pad — and ready to answer Cornwall's call in time of need.
Nine Maidens Stone Circle
Most stone circles in Cornwall are called the Nine Maidens, even if there are more than nine stones. But stay with me, there is logic behind it. The phrase comes from ‘nun’ or ’noon’ (on the downs) and ‘maen’ (stone). Of course there could be a completely different meaning. The downs were where people buried their dead and so were part of the Celtic otherworld. The downs, sacred stones and holy wells were places where mortals might cross into this otherworld and were traditionally guarded by fairies (although I think the term ‘fairies’ used to be scarier than it is today. Perhaps try substituting for ‘angry bouncers with wings’).
Lanyon Quoit
Our final destination on this whistle stop tour of the Land’s End peninsula is Lanyon Quoit. The huge stone burial chamber, also known as a dolmen, stands along the road from the Mên-an-Tol. Built around 6,000 years ago, it consists of three large upright menhirs supporting a massive flat horizontal capstone that weighs thirteen and a half tons. That’s the equivalent of Big Ben’s bell or two fat adult African elephants, in case you were wondering.
Dolmens contained human remains and were thought to house the spirits of the dead. Much like the House of Lords. Elders of the tribe would regularly commune with the ancestors, conduct rituals and leave offerings at the tombs. Much like a royal visit at the House of Lords.
According to legend, Lanyon Quoit was used as a dining table by King Arthur on the eve of his final battle. Locals will know when the end of the world is upon us: King Arthur and his knights will assemble there once again for the last apocalyptic battle. Another folktale claims that it is in fact the tomb of Cormoran the giant, who was murdered by Jack the Giant Killer (he really should’ve paid attention when the boy introduced himself). Cormoran’s colossal bones were said to be discovered but his treasure apparently remains untouched. Naturally. I mean, who would want gold when they can have a massive thighbone?
Cornwall lies in the far South West of England. Largely surrounded by sea, it’s one of the most remote parts of the country. This goes some way to explaining the number of sacred sites that can be found there largely intact: many people simply didn’t travel that far, let alone make off with ancient monuments as mementos. As a result, the land is teeming with the remains of stone circles, burial chambers, mysterious caves and holy wells.
St Madron’s Well
Cornwall has more holy wells than you can shake a stick at. Some are housed in elaborate stone constructions, while others are simple holes in the ground. The village of Madron has a sacred well with a reputation for healing. In particular, St Madron’s Well, and the well-chapel nearby, were believed to rid children of skin diseases and cure cripples. At least, I think it was that way round. Visitors still leave rags, called clouties, tied to the trees by the water. This age-old ritual is carried out to give thanks, to heal sickness, or simply to keep the fairies of the well in good humour. Although how this pleases them is anyone’s guess.
Young women would use the well’s powers to find out if and when they would marry. Crosses made of rushes or straw were placed on the water to see if they would sink or remain afloat. Or pins thrown into the water would show how many years to wait for marriage, by the number of bubbles rising to the surface. And people say girls are irrational.
Mên-an-Tol
One of the best-known megalithic structures in Britain is the Mên-an-Tol (literally ‘stone with a hole’ - what imaginations they had), which resembles a giant doughnut and rests in between two upright menhirs, or standing stones. It is thought to date from the Bronze Age. You will probably be struck by its size but not in the way you might expect. Forget Stonehenge, this circle can’t be much more than four feet high, although certainly big enough for a person to scramble through (just).
According to folktales, the Mên-an-Tol has a resident guardian fairy who grants wishes and tells the future. Predictions of love and good fortune are gained by laying two pins across each other on top of the ‘donut’. Return a little while later and you have your answer, depending on whether the pins have remained the same, moved, or disappeared entirely. It’s basically an early Magic 8 Ball. People used to climb through the hole to cure their backache or rickets, or to ensure fertility. There is even talk of a changeling being put through the stone in order to get the real child back. Perhaps Billy Ray Cyrus might want to take Miley there for a holiday?
Mên Scryfa
Mên Scryfa, which translates as ‘Inscribed Stone’ (do you see a pattern emerging here?), is a six foot high menhir commemorating local royalty and is thought to originate from the fifth to seventh century. Located nearby the Mên-an-Tol, the stone Is engraved with the lettering ‘RIALOBRANI CUNOVALI FILI’, generally believed to mean ‘Here lies Royal Raven, son of Famous Chieftain’.
Legend has it that Mên Scryfa marks the burial place of the son of a king — a warrior who was mortally wounded at the battle of Gendhal Moor. Excellent casting for Game of Thrones, Raven was reputedly as tall as the block itself, which originally stood over eight feet in height. Rumour has it he lies beneath the stone, not dead, but sleeping surrounded by all of his weapons and treasures — in other words. a typical bachelor pad — and ready to answer Cornwall's call in time of need.
Nine Maidens Stone Circle
Most stone circles in Cornwall are called the Nine Maidens, even if there are more than nine stones. But stay with me, there is logic behind it. The phrase comes from ‘nun’ or ’noon’ (on the downs) and ‘maen’ (stone). Of course there could be a completely different meaning. The downs were where people buried their dead and so were part of the Celtic otherworld. The downs, sacred stones and holy wells were places where mortals might cross into this otherworld and were traditionally guarded by fairies (although I think the term ‘fairies’ used to be scarier than it is today. Perhaps try substituting for ‘angry bouncers with wings’).
Lanyon Quoit
Our final destination on this whistle stop tour of the Land’s End peninsula is Lanyon Quoit. The huge stone burial chamber, also known as a dolmen, stands along the road from the Mên-an-Tol. Built around 6,000 years ago, it consists of three large upright menhirs supporting a massive flat horizontal capstone that weighs thirteen and a half tons. That’s the equivalent of Big Ben’s bell or two fat adult African elephants, in case you were wondering.
Dolmens contained human remains and were thought to house the spirits of the dead. Much like the House of Lords. Elders of the tribe would regularly commune with the ancestors, conduct rituals and leave offerings at the tombs. Much like a royal visit at the House of Lords.
According to legend, Lanyon Quoit was used as a dining table by King Arthur on the eve of his final battle. Locals will know when the end of the world is upon us: King Arthur and his knights will assemble there once again for the last apocalyptic battle. Another folktale claims that it is in fact the tomb of Cormoran the giant, who was murdered by Jack the Giant Killer (he really should’ve paid attention when the boy introduced himself). Cormoran’s colossal bones were said to be discovered but his treasure apparently remains untouched. Naturally. I mean, who would want gold when they can have a massive thighbone?
Website: LizNicholls.co.uk