Inspired to explore?

After this tour you may be inspired to explore a little further. In addition to these remains there are many more sites which are worth visiting here on the and further afield in . The impressive Cliff Castles of Lankidden and WRITTEN AND COMPILED BY Carolyn Kennett (FRAS) A TOUR OF ANCIENT LIZARD Chynalls are a couple of miles further north on the as part of Beacons project with CAROLYN KENNETT (FRAS) coastal path. Mayes Creative. www.mayescreative.com

The impressive holed stone Tolvan is found in the Carolyn Kennett is a writer and astronomer who village of , it is on private land so please ask lives in Cornwall and researches the links between before accessing it. ancient people and the stars. Halligye Fogou is located just outside of the village www.archaeoastronomycornwall.com of , a subterranean Iron Age remain this is Image credits: Carolyn Kennett well worth a visit. I hope you enjoy the tour, without many hills the Lizard makes the perfect place to cycle. If you do decide to do this by car please park responsibly when visiting the sites. Take nothing but photos and leave nothing but footprints.

Supported by: Early Lizard Dolmen Menhirs

The Lizard in Cornwall is the most southerly part of A Portal Dolmen is a Neolithic monument which is very It is very difficult to draw conclusions about the purpose the UK. Due to its underlying it is a unique and distinctive. It has three or four upright stones, topped of single standing stones in the landscape. Many are tall beautiful landscape. It is surrounded by coastline and by a large capstone. They may have been surrounded and impressive and they would have therefore acted as the interior forms a plateau with a gently sloping top, by an earth mound, this mound could have helped beacons within the landscape. The use may have been which has amazing extensive views. This leaflet will raise the impressive capstone onto the other standing multipurpose and also change through the centuries, take you on a trip through the ancient Lizard peninsula stones. Often known as a Quoit here in Cornwall, two of they could have marked; ritual sites, align astronomical looking how some of the earliest inhabitants used this the standing stones form an entrance or a ‘portal’. This events, be burial sites, meeting places or boundary landscape, creating beacons which could be seen from is perhaps symbolic of someone moving past their life stones. There are at least 6 menhirs on the Lizard and far and wide. The ancient beacons come from a long here on Earth. Although these monuments are extensive these tend to be sited near watersheds or on higher period in time and cover the Neolithic, Bronze Age and elsewhere in Europe there are only 20 examples in the ground. With a more prominent position in this flat Iron Age. UK. Many of these are in the neighbouring region of landscape they could be seen for miles around. in Cornwall, but the Lizard has one example There is evidence of people residing on the Lizard since called “The Brothers of Grugith”. Dolmens can be very prehistoric times. The first people who roamed this Bronze Age Barrows impressive and when they are built on ridges they can part of the world were hunter gatherers, but by the be seem for miles around. Although the example here on Barrows are more widespread on the Lizard than the Bronze Age people had started to settle and live in small the Lizard is not the most impressive it should give you a neighbouring regions of Cornwall. They are found across communities. There is evidence of people living, farming flavour of what the Neolithic people where building. the length and breadth of this area. Many of these were and burying their dead here. The earliest monument is used as burial sites but may have been multipurpose a Neolithic Portal Dolmen, but by the Bronze Age there across the ages. It is interesting that there is evidence are single standing stones or menhirs being erected. Iron Age Cliff Castles that some of the barrows on the Lizard were covered The Lizard also has a large number of barrows from Cliff castles would have acted as a prominent focus or in orange clay, making them standout against the this time. The final type of monument on this tour is beacon within the later prehistoric landscape, Dating landscape. These monuments will have been used for a the impressive Iron Age cliff castles off the southeast from 500BC they were multipurpose. The reasons for variety of purposes including, burial, ritual and beacons coastline. These were made to be seen, perhaps as a these would have been social, administrative and within the landscape. defence against incoming invaders from across the sea. possibly defensive. The area is rich in copper and there would have been wealth here generated from trade. The cliff castles are similar to their inland counterparts the hillfort. They are located in very exposed areas of the coastline so occupation would likely be seasonal. The sites of the cliff castles had probably been used before by the earlier population living on the Lizard.

SW 7617 1980 7617 SW SW 7796 2312 7796 SW SW 7752 2009 SW SW 7776 2104 7776 SW Roskruge Beacon is even an eponym an eponym is even Beacon Roskruge our theme of ancient beacons. after Age of a Bronze example Another great views excellent this one gives barrow estuary. the Helford especially over 5°07’37.5”W 50°02’09.9”N monument This is perhaps the oldest This tour. will see on your you be a Neolithic monument is thought to Dolmen or Quoit. Interestingly Portal indentations on the large are there be cup thought to These are capstone. markings. 50°03’59.9”N 5°06’14.5”W 50°03’59.9”N 7 BEACON BEACON 4 BEACON 50°02’52.6”N 5°06’20.1”W within a farmer’s field. is found Menhir Tremenheere and translates is Cornish The name of Tremenheere 12ft tall this menhir would At Farm. Standing Stone to itself The stone Age. in the Bronze been erected have Antiquarian Borlase is made of an unusual material, thought it was made of ‘ironstone’ it is in fact made of as gabbro. known igneous rock the local 6 BEACON 50°02’21.3”N 5°06’30.4”W the south to found a pair of stones are Common Crousa and has fallen One of the stones Beacon. of Roskruge were has it that these stones is laid on its side. Legend of menhirs pairs at St Just. Close by thrown in Penwith other examples are not unique there are Locally to (). (Drift pair) and on Moor which 196 is a barrow 774 at SW the south of B3293 has a cist within it. BEACON 5 BEACON SW 7555 1650 SW 5 6 4 7 ST.KEVERNE Iron Age Cliff Castle – Carn Kennack Cliff Castle Age Iron which divides the beach. This is an Iron the outcrop Sands and walk to at Kennack Park defences. is partAge This castle of a line Iron Carn Kennack. called Fort Castle Age path is another Iron the coastal east along just ½ mile while Point, the south is Enys To These impressive of Chynalls. Lankidden. Behind that is the Cliff Castle Cliff Castle, Age for protection and offered chosen as positions of prestige headlands were promontory in the and take stop to place it is a great 500BC. Today population around the local Time anyone? view. tea wonderful for

BEACON 8 BEACON HELFORD TREGIDDEN

B3293 HELFORD ST.MARTIN ST.MARTIN NEWTON IN NEWTON 3 2 8 1 MAWGAN DOWNS GOONHILLY

A3083 MULLION LIZARD POINT SW 7075 2494 SW 50°04’46.5”N 5°12’22.1”W 7256 2116 SW 5°10’41.4”W 50°02’49.4”N 7256 2120 SW 5°10’42.4”W 50°02’47.7”N Dry Tree Menhir – a short walk from the nature – a shortthe nature Menhir walk from Dry Tree tall. It carpark, this menhir is impressively reserve shorter than it originally was, as is in fact 1 metre Sir Courtenay in 1916 by and re-erected was saved the by is it dwarfed Vyvyan. As tall as the stone dish of Goonhilly. neighbouring communications Cruc A shortthe path is barrow walk along trig is a survey as there It is recognisable Draenoc. this climb to you Once point positioned on its top. Goonhilly views across will see extensive point you as as far away can be seen from This barrow Downs. this clay orange by topped Uplands. Once standout against the made the barrow have would more. landscape even surrounding Starting location Mawgan in village village in Meneage Starting Mawgan location inscribed stone. will see a large you Here green. ` CNEGUMI The inscription is in Latin and reads of as `(the stone) FILI GENAIUS’ which translates Cnegumus, son of Genaius’ . The inscription probably The menhir century. the seventh around from dates within the Bronze this and was placedhere predates Age. BEACON 1 BEACON 2 BEACON 3 BEACON A TOUR OF ANCIENT LIZARD A TOUR KENNETT (FRAS) CAROLYN