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PZNOW
Historic
Past
Prehistory
Quoits
EntranceTombs
Courtyard
Houses
Fogou
Hill
Forts
Promontory
Forts
Settlements
Stone
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Standing
Stones
Holed
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Inscribed Stones
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Location
Prehistory
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Quoits
are typically comprised of large standing stones supporting
a heavy capstone.The dimensions of these stones
meant that the weight was immense, requiring many
people to be involved in their construction.
These structures must have had great
importance. Quoits is the term used in Cornwall but
they are also know as dolmens or cromlechs.
Quoits
were probably covered by a mound. The soil has
been removed over the millennium via natural
processes or robbed of stone by man. For effect, the capstone may have been
left showing above the mound, together with an
entrance for religious ceremonies.
There
are some quoits, eg. Chun Quoit, that do not
seem to have been built for the purpose of
entering the chamber. These have the supporting
stones set in a closed box format. |
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Zennor
Quoit was once a very fine example of
a quoit surrounded by a stone barrow
14 yards in diameter. Regrettably the
stone was conviently sized for building,
as such was robbed of it, little evidence
of the barrow remains today. Over
the years the quoit has suffered. The
capstone has slipped, while a supporting
stone was removed by a local farmer
for use in his cart shed. It is only
by good luck that Zennor Quoit was not
been completely removed by the farmer
for its stone. The local vicar heard
of the destruction in progress and paid
the farmer to desist.
Providentially
in the eighteenth century when the quoit
was intact Dr Borlase described and
provided detailed drawings of it.
Zennor
Quoit before it's collapse. From Dr.
Borlase's Antiquities of Cornwall.
Zennor
is a portal quoit, it had a small porch
at its entrance, seeming to have been
built for the purpose of entering the
chamber. More interesting is that there
was an antechamber with an even smaller
entrance.
Over
the years excavations of the quoit have
found ancient remains such as pottery.
Zennor
Quoit
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Lanyon
Quoit is a very impressive structure,
but it is not a true historical representation.
Originally it was taller, of sufficient
height for a horseman to sit under.
Its capstone had an original circumference
of 47 feet, however a piece has since
been broken off. This size together
with an average thickness of 20 inches
made the capstone extremely heavy. Unfortunately
its capstone and one of its supporting
stones collapsed in 1815. These were
re-erected in 1824 but were not put
back in their original position. 
Lanyon
Quoit before it's collapse. From Dr.
Borlase's Antiquities of Cornwall.
In
the mid eighteenth century, the landowner
had a dream which led him to have the
quoit excavated. A six foot deep pit
was dug and a grave was found of which
no recordings survive. The quoit was
further disturbed more than once. All
these disturbances together with the
extreme weight of the capstone was probably
the reason why it collapsed after standing
for thousands of years, rather than
the accepted explanation of a severe
storm.
Lanyon
Quoit
Lanyon
Quoit is the highest visited quoit,
and easily the most accessible, being
only 50 meters from the road. If visiting
Lanyon Quoit it is well worthwhile to
also investigate the surrounding area.
Just by looking at the ordinance survey
map one can see there are other prehistoric
sites in close proximity to the quoit.
There is the remnants of a second quoit
close by, West Lanyon Quoit, however
this is on private land.
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Chun Quoit is the best preserved quoit in Penwith. Its
structure is still true and has not changed
since its construction. It is located on
high ground just below Chun
Castle.
The capstone is supported
by four standing stones. Together these
standing stones form a good example of a
closed box quoit. The internal chamber can
be entered, but it is a squeeze.
Chun Quoit has been excavated, but there
have been no finds of consequence.
Chun Quoit
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Mulfra
is a closed box quoit. The capstone has
collapsed and currently leans on the supporting
stones. Currently there are three supporting
stones but appears that originally there
were four.
The
Quoit was initially surrounded by a two
foot high stone barrow of 120 feet in circumference.
The barrow suffered from stone robbing and
now only vestiges of a round barrow exist.
Mulfra
Quoit has been excavated, but there are
no finds of consequence.
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Mulfra Quoit
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